BELLICOSE

[pjrfin]

6 hours ago, bjornmma1 said:

Rak 'Bad to the bone' Boonliang
7-0-0
346 p4p

Bbbbb baaaaaaaad!

This is avatar of the year contender for sure. Next level stuff.

[Ikkitakeda]

8 hours ago, pjrfin said:

This is avatar of the year contender for sure. Next level stuff.

Took me a minute to read the lips. I was like I got it. Wait that doesn't make sense. Ok now I have it. Nope. Ok now I have it. And then noticed the fight name. Probably would have been a lot easier to read the lips if I had looked at that first. Lol. Oh well hindsight. But yeah I like it.

[Bleakardor]

 

 

 

[Carciofi]

Nice one

[Ikkitakeda]

3 hours ago, Bleakardor said:

 

 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 The second video. Like it.

[SonnyMuchacho]

 

Welcome Bellicose fans! We have a spectacular night planned for all you fans this Saturday! Some stellar match ups and both Light Heavyweight and Lightweight crowns up for grabs! So sit down, strap in, and get ready for some good ok’ ruthless aggression! 
 

Tonight we have a round table discussion with Jake, Outlaw, and myself. Well let’s be honest, I’m pretty much sitting back taking bong hits as Jake and Outlaw break it down then thrown my opinionated cherry on top. Enough talk... let’s get it!

 

Matt ’Demon’ Damon VS Tommy Harinck

Jake - We do love the Bantamweight division here at Bellicose, full of great talents. One of which being, ’Demon’ Damon! A prolific striker with some strong grappling credentials, Damon is well rounded and can adapt to any scenario a fight takes place. Having a 1-1 record, Damon is coming off a huge 1st round KO win over Dylan Jacobson (3-6) at the time with his only loss being within the Quick Fight Championships, an uneventful fight where his opponent just done enough to steal the rounds. Tommy Harinck do not let this man’s 0-1 record fool you... he is a dangerous prospect, his credentials outside the Octagon speak for themselves. This guy has solid striking but, what really sets him apart from his peers is his sensational ground game with Olympic level wrestling and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I definitely would not want to be in open mat when this guy walks in!

Outlaw – Well said, Jake. Damon is a very well rounded prospect who we will likely be seeing more of as his career goes on. He’s on the opening card tonight as the opening act, but that’s not a knock on this fight as this is Bellicose’s first ever PPV event. So these two fighters will be the first pair of fighters from Bellicose to be seen on a world stage, ever. That’s actually quite an honor. Everything we’ve said about Damon goes even more so for Harnick. This man is a future star. He’s got a great manager and one hell of a skill set to dominate this match. His QFC fight is what many of us would call a test fight to see where his skills are at in the cage, and test some of his intangibles. That’s no knock on him to have lost that fight as he likely was not relying on his primary skills in that fight and seeing how his weaknesses could be exposed. I’m telling you now, this man’s wrestling is top notch, and as he is a very capable striker who will more than likely be a beast in the clinch. 

Jake’s Prediction: Harinck by 1st round submission, this guy outclasses Damon in every area, enough said. When he just edges the striking but completely overshadows Damon in the ground game, this is a no brainer. That being said, Damon has power and all it takes is one punch, Harinck needs to be on alert at all times during this bout.

Outlaw’s Pick – Harinvk via 1st round TKO. Harnicks skill set is just too strong for Damon to overcome in my book. That wrestling will allow him to control this fight and rather it be from the clinch, range, or on the ground, I think he’s going to put his fists to work and force the ref to step in.

Sonny says: Tommy Harinck is coming in well marinated and ready to dominate. His sole loss was a late night affair where he was thrown to the dogs. He was a boy then and a man now, however and having the skill advantage in every department he should get the TKO at the latest in round 2. 

Howie Finkelman VS Petr Vrabec

Jake - Did someone ask for a rangy kickboxer? Well, Finkelman is here to meet that criterion. Boasting some formidable kickboxing as well as a slight height advantage over his opponent, this featherweight is no push over. Sat at 1-2 currently with a 100% finish rate in his win column (only 50% in his losses), Finkelman is coming off a loss to game journeyman ’Tango’ Charlie Bravo (1-5 at the time) via decision. Regardless of result, Finkelman and Bravo both gained the ’Fight of the Night’ award for their efforts in their matchup! Over to Vrabec, 3-6 within his Mixed Martial Arts career so far, Petr Vrabec is looking to push forward into gaining a positive record. On a 3-fight losing streak, he’s fought some of the best of the Bellicose Roster including former title challenger Temujin Atkiray, Yamasaki Mishimoto and Jeryl Christ! Being only 21, Vrabec has plenty of time to improve his skillset and build on this record!

Outlaw – This is another fight that has potential to end up anywhere. Finkelman will want to keep this fight standing and matches up fairly well with Vrabec on the ground if it were to go in that direction. A strong striker, Finkelman will look for the finish here, no doubt. Vrabec’s sole advantage here is his BJJ where he holds a purple belt to Finkelman’s blue. While he gives up a slight edge in wrestling, which may allow Finkelman to control the fight enough to fend of submission attempts, I expect Vrabec to look to get this fight to the ground where he’s got the best shot. If he can land on top and negate the wrestling edge he gives up, he’s got a shot at a win here.

Jake’s Prediction: Despite Vrabec fighting the higher quality opposition and have three times as many fights as Finkelman, stylistically he is at a big disadvantage. His only chance of beating Finkelman is by getting it to the mat, but even then, the disparity between their grappling isn’t that big. Finkelman should get this done via unanimous decision.

Outlaw’s Pick – I think Finkelman will effectively utilize his striking and keep this fight standing where he will take the win via KO by round 2. If this thing never goes to the ground, possibly even a round 1 KO.

Sonny says: Finkelman must - must - defend the takedown if he wants the win. His 90% takedown defense rate suggests he can handle all Vrabec can offer as far as takedowns given their close wrestling skill base. I think Finkelman uses his heavy hands and counters with a first round KO. 

Shalak Kamir VS ‘Onizaru’ Toyotomi Ieyasu

Jake - Shalak Kamir, the best boxing within the Featherweight division, amazing Muay Thai, very strong wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ... this guy is definitely a future title contender at the very least! Coming off a big win via 1st round knockout, he has some good momentum coming into this bout. My only concern is this is his first fight at Bellicose, Bellicose is a whole new level of talent and he hasn’t fought since October last year. Shalak is very technically sound and smart, adapting as the fight goes on... it’d be unfair for me to say he’s a slow starter considering his 1st round knockout last time out but, he definitely likes to use the first round to get a read on his opponent. Onizaru, 2-1 here at Bellicose and known for being a black belt in BJJ, this guy can throw a sub up from any position and have you tapping in seconds, that’s the truth. Coming off a submission loss to former IFC champion and Bellicose title challenger Shingen Takeda, Onizaru will want to put a stamp on his performance against Kamir come Saturday.

Outlaw – Man, what a fight we have on tap here. Kamir is an extremely underrated striker. He hasn’t flashed a ton of KO power, but don’t you doubt for a minute that he doesn’t pack a punch. He’s an elite boxer and pretty damned good at MT also. He’s about to burst onto the scene here at Bellicose. If you don’t believe me, just look at his managers track record with these young prospects. You mentioned that this guy hasn’t fought since October? Well, that may affect his experience a little, but he’s been in the gym working his ass off and preparing for this next dance in the cage. But this will not be a pushover victory for him. His opponent, Ieyasu, is one hell of a grappler where he’s already a black belt in BJJ at this young age. He has some very good striking, not as good as Kamir, but good enough to keep this fight close and look for his chance to take it to the ground. If he gets it on the ground, he’ll have a strong advantage where Kamir will be forced to play pure defense. So rather he gets the submission or just controls and outworks Kamir on the ground, he’ll definitely have a good shot at pulling off the win here.

Jake’s Prediction: This is a hard one for me to predict guys. I love Onizaru, he’s got high level striking with some of the best BJJ at Bellicose but... Kamir can grapple AND has some of the best striking we’ve seen in a long time. I believe it will be a competitive fight but, I can see Onizaru pulling off the submission within the second round.

Outlaw’s Pick – Man, you called it. This is a very difficult fight to pick. If it stays standing, it’s an easy win for Kamir. If it goes to the ground, it’s almost a certain victory for Ieyasu. I guess it really may depend on what kind of defensive skills Kamir has on the ground, but with that time in the gym he’s had, I’m going to guess he has put some work in on the mats so I’ll go with Kamir via TKO victory in the 3rd.

Sonny says: I am going out on the solo limb here and seeing Ieyasu getting the Sub tonight. He should only need 1 takedown and I have the fells he will get it - Round 2 Sub. 

Charles ‘Bikini Killer’ Sobhraj VS Michal Sykora

Jake - Man, the Bikini Killer, a pure veteran here at Bellicose and an absolute warrior. Having an impressive record of 7-8 with a 100% finish rate in the win column, Charles has fought the best of the division including former champions Sean Dash and Boris Borz plus the current title challenger Pee Wee Sasaki. Coming in with some strong boxing with high level wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ, Sobhraj is a very versatile fighter and not someone you want to mess with. Michal Sykora, 5-3 and coming off a 2-fight losing streak, Sykora is looking to make a statement against Sobhraj. His main strengths lie in his Muay Thai and to a less extent, his wrestling. I’d give the striking edge to Sykora however, the grappling is so disproportionate that Sykora will need to have his takedown defense on point for this match up!

Outlaw – I’m not the kind of guy to think of a 7-8 record as impressive, but the fact he’s got 15 fights under his belt is. He’s also racked up 3 awards for his efforts in his career. He’s relied on his wrestling to get his wins and has used some GnP and submissions to get the job done. He’s an aggressive fighter which has exposed him in some fights which is a big reason for his 8 losses. But nobody can argue with your warrior take, as the man is a warrior. This match up favors him as he goes up against a younger guy who has a similar build to him, giving up the wrestling edge for the MT advantage. Sykora boasts a 5-3 record but is coming off back-to-back losses. He’ll want to keep this fight standing and get the finish because if this thing goes to the ground, it’s over. 

Jake’s Prediction: The Bikini Killer should claim another victim in this one, I believe he’ll get the takedown early and either GnP to a finish or wrap him up in a submission. I’ll go for the submission win in the first round!.

Outlaw’s Pick – This fight is pretty simple... keep it standing and Sykora walks away with the win and snaps his streak. Fight on the ground and Sobhraj will dominate. It’s going to be difficult to keep this fight standing which makes me want to lean towards Sobhraj, but I can’t see Sykora dropping 3 in a row so I’ll go with Sykora via TKO victory.

Sonny says: Bikini Killer has too sexy of a nickname not to use exclusively so we will now refer to him ever as such. Further, he should easily grab the first round takedown and the quick first round sub therein. 

Marcus ‘Brash’ Hansen VS Fook ‘Mi’ Man

Jake - Brash is a very well rounded mixed martial artist on a 3-fight win streak (2 out of 3 being TKO’s), on top of this he derailed the Max Payne (4-0 at the time) hype train and caused him to retire after sending him to the shadow realm in the first round... what a f***ing savage! Having quality boxing, respectable Muay Thai, amazing wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ, this man is not afraid to fight in any dimension of mixed martial arts and is truly a problem for anyone who comes across him. Fook Man, 3-0, a win by every way possible and some of the best Muay Thai the division has seen... that spells ‘problem’ right there, folks. My favourite prospect on the roster by far, Fook Man is a scary dude. Despite his Muay Thai being his standout feature, he’s also got high level boxing, very strong wrestling and a brown belt in BJJ. Fook Man is dangerous no matter where the fight goes and has amazing fight IQ!

Outlaw – This is a fairly even fight with the main difference being Man’s MT advantage where he’s literally twice the fighter that Hansen is, ah, who am I kidding, the brown belt is a huge advantage too. On top of that, the man has a maniacal look that intimidates opponents as they don’t know what to think of a man with a Florida Gators cheer leader hair dew. This will be an uphill fight for Hansen but he fears no man and was more than willing to step into the cage. Anything can happen, but expect Man’s manager to have a game plan in place to get another victory here and lead his fighter to a 4-0 start.

Jake’s Prediction: Brash has derailed a promising prospect before but, it’d be wrong of me to say Max Payne was on the level Fook Man is at. Fook Man is a problem and I believe he gets this done with a first round TKO!

Outlaw’s Pick – I’m not even going to elaborate. Man is going to take this fight, it’s just a matter of rather he’s going to do it with his striking or his ground game. He may just let the fight play out and let Hansen determine where the fight takes place and dominate him at his own game.

Sonny says: I’m with you Outlaw. Fook shows huge promise and there are rumors coming out of his gym that the youngster had that real fire to take him far. Although Brash will be a contender and possible champ down the line as well, tonight should be Fook’s.  I’m feeling decision on this one. 

Samuel Summers VS Anthony "THE BEATDOWN " Borrego

Jake - It’s Summertime! Samuel Summers is the prospect we need, but not the one we deserve. Sitting at 4-1 with a 75% finish rate, Summers only loss is to the former champion and next title challenger Kanud Odimabesser (6-1 at the time). Coming off a big UD win over Happy Chukwudu (4-3 at the time), Summers has some strong momentume going into this fight. Let’s not forget the fact his boxing is second to none and he reps a purple belt in BJJ, watch out. Borrego, a submission machine and grappling technician. This man can throw up a submission attempt from anywhere and nine times out of ten, finish it there and then. Coming into this fight at 4-0, with four straight submission wins... this guy’s morale and momentum is out of this world. The air of invincibility still hangs around this guy and we’re waiting for someone to test it.

Outlaw – It’s starting to look like a theme here, another fight where one fighter will stand and bang and look to dominate the game from range while the other will just be waiting for his chance to get it to the ground. Summers is a hell of a boxer and will be looking for a KO victory while Borrego will want to get this fight to the ground as quickly as possible as he’s completely outmatched on the feet. But his brown belt will give him an avenue to victory if he can get this fight on the ground. 

Jake’s Prediction: When I said there were stellar matchups on this card, this is definitely one of them... how am I supposed to pick a winner out of these two? It’s no secret I am a huge fan of Samuel Summers but, Borrego is a dangerous grappler. I’m going with Samuel Summers due to his exposure to higher level opposition and his more well-rounded skillset. Summers via unanimous decision (29-28 or 30-27).

Outlaw – Summers will win this one. He’ll avoid the ground at all costs and look to score a counter power shot to end the night via KO. And when his opponent’s manager is a multi, I couldn’t even pull for him if I thought he was going to win. This will be Borrego’s last fight in Bellicose as he will join the rest of his manager’s cybor twins on the unemployed list once he’s free from this fight contract.

Sonny says: Again I am with Outlaw on this one. Summers is better than people think - and people think he is damn good - so he will lay down the first round KO tonight. 

"The People’s Champ" Nero Hardy VS Arax Lightspeed

Jake - The former champion and people’s champion, Nero Hardy! Losing his title in his last outing against Rock Romero definitely has to be on the back of his mind, but I have no doubts that Nero Hardy is looking to make a big statement in his return to the cage against Arax Lightspeed. Sitting at an impressive 7-2 record with a 71% finish rate and never being finished himself, Nero Hardy is a well-rounded, iron chinned, adaptable beast of a man. Utilizing high level boxing, amazing wrestling and his black belt in BJJ, this guy is a terror in all areas of the fight (especially once it hits the mat). Arax Lightspeed, 4-2, high level striking, NCAA Div 1 level wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ... Nero Hardy is dodging no one! Also coming off a loss himself to Motshan Bogachev (5-2 at the time) via unanimous decision, Arax has only been finished once (submission) and he, himself, has a strong 75% finish rate. Arax is a technical striker that hits damn hard but can also grapple with the best of them! I wouldn’t want to step into the cage with either of these men.

Outlaw – The main card! We’ve made it! And to kick things off, we have the former champ looking to bounce back in this one. He won the belt from Romero and then turned around and defended it against Romero (and lost) in his very next fight. These things don’t happen often, but when your top contender’s manager takes a vacation and turns off his phone for months on end, sometimes you’ve just got to move on. Nero’s strong point is his black belt that he’s used to get 3 submission victories. But he’s got some solid boxing and wrestling to go with that so he can take his time on his feet and wait for the right time to get the fight to the ground. This will be a tough fight for him though as his wrestling is about even with Lightspeed, but he will give up a significant striking advantage. Lightspeed is a hell of a striker with exceptional boxing and MT skills, and has shown the ability to end a fight with his fights as he’s gotten a KO and two TKO victors so far. Lightspeed, much like Hardy, is coming off a tough decision loss and one of these two will snap that streak in this one.

Jake’s Prediction: Arax has the clear striking advantage; however, Hardy has the clear grappling advantage. I’m torn but, I’m going to have to go with the former champ here, he’s fought at the highest level and gone 5 rounds on multiple occasions, on top of this he’s a damn black belt. Hardy via 3rd round submission win.

Outlaw’s Pick – Well, I really want to pull for Hardy here. He was the champ and his manager is none other than Bellicose’s own Sonny Muchacho. But this is going to be possibly a more difficult fight than his last against Romero, and Lightspeeds manager is one of the better ones in the business. I have to go with Lightspeed here via TKO in round 2.

Sonny says: I am obviously abstaining on this pick. Best of luck!

Datte "Believe It" Bayo VS Sammy Nyla

Jake - Lightweights stand up! Datte Bayo has turned me to a believer, being 4-2 in Bellicose and 7-2 overall, it’s hard not to begin buying into the hype. Coming off a big UD win over Aktiv Vajag in his last outing, Datte is no doubt looking for another finish as that was the only time he has gone to the scorecards. Datte is a high-level striker with amazing wrestling and a blue belt in BJJ, he is well rounded but my only concern for this guy is that his Jiu-Jitsu is not to the standard that I’d expect from a fighter of his caliber and level within the promotion. His wrestling certainly neutralizes other grapplers but... I feel if he’d worked towards his purple belt at the very least, he’d definitely be one to look out for! Sammy Nyla, four fight win streak and four straight TKO’s! Nyla is a proficient striker with Olympian level wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ. Being 4-1 in Bellicose is no easy feat to accomplish, Sammy Nyla has done this in the most brutal fashion possible and has destroyed four high level fighters in a row now, if he gets through Datte Bayo on Saturday, there’s no denying this man is on his way for a title shot.

Outlaw – This is one of the most even fights of the card as these guys match up very well. Bayo has been on a win-loss-win-loss pattern and that alone predicts a loss here, and to make matters worse for him, Nyla is on a 4 fight win streak. Bayo is pretty well balanced with a strong MT and Wrestling background while Nyla is a pure wrestler. 

Jake’s Prediction: This one is easy for me, Sammy Nyla via TKO in the 2nd round. Nyla has that ability to chip away at you until you are a shell of yourself. Bayo’s slight striking advantage doesn’t make up for the fact he’s outclassed by a strong margin on the ground.

Outlaw’s Pick – Nyla is on a roll and I think he’ll keep it going. While Bayo matches up well, Nyla has just shown that killer instinct leading to 6 finishes and he’ll make it his 7th in this one. 

Sonny says: This fight should be a bloody mess! Nyla’s granite versus Bayo’s KO power is at the heart of this matchup. Nyla can bring the heat though too so look for him to grab the clinch KO victory round 3. Gonna be a good one!

THE 205 TITLE IS UP FOR GRABS HERE!

INTRODUCING FIRST... THE CHALLENGER... KAI ‘THE DRAGON’ TOKUGAWA!!!!

Jake - If anyone disagrees that the Dragon is an absolute badass... leave the building now, no one? Good, let’s move on. Tokugawa is 9-2 and riding a 2-fight winning streak over two of the best the division has to offer, this guy is an absolute credit to the sport. Having some of the best boxing at Light Heavyweight, moving like a damn Flyweight whilst boasting strong wrestling, Muay Thai and a purple belt in BJJ, this guy is well rounded and dangerous for anyone within the Octagon. Coming off a 4th round KO of Cyborg Reyes (6-2 at the time), momentum for this fighter going into his title shot has never been higher, let’s see what he can do when he meets....

Outlaw – Nobody can take away from Tokugawa’s recent success. His first ever fight in Bellicose was a title fight where he won the belt from Wellstone. He lost that belt to Daniels the very next fight and has been on a path to get it back ever since. An impressive KO over Reyes set him up into this spot and he will look to capitalize on this chance to become a 2-time Bellicose champion. With that said, there have been some words and call outs behind the scenes where some of the fighters are chomping at the bit to get a shot at Kai and even have called him over rated. If he were to win this belt, there’d be a line of challengers knocking on his door which would be great for Bellicose!

THE CHAMPION! ‘ALFRED THE’ HOLE REEMER!!!!!

Jake - Reemer in his last bout, dethroned the champion Devon Hampton (9-1 at the time) to take the belt for his own, boasting a 7-1 record of his own, he hasn’t lost since his debut and as such is riding a 7-fight win streak with two finishes to his name (he finished Hampton within 4 rounds to win the title). Being a prolific striker with strong boxing and some admirable Muay Thai, his real strength is his grappling where he has some championship level wrestling and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Let’s not neglect the fact Reemer also has a 2-1 record in the TWGC! He has experience in all areas of the game and is a problem, especially if you find yourself on your back. Preferring to control his opponents and grind it out to a late finish or lopsided decision win, Reemer may not be a fan favourite, but they truly are dominant.

Outlaw – You don’t become the champion by being a slouch. Reemer is off to an extremely impressive 7-1 start and defeated a very talented Hampton to win the belt in his last bout. He’ll now be looking at his first ever title defense and as I’ve said before, defending the belt is often much harder than winning it in the first place. On a 6 fight win streak, Reember has been on an absolute tear though the division and his manager expects nothing but wins as he progresses though his career. This will be a hell of a test though as Kai has the striking advantage over Reemer, but Reemer has the wrestling advantage. On the surface, Kai looks to be the favorite in this fight, but as I said.. the champ is the champ for a reason. This should be one hell of a fight and very likely to be a FotN candidate. 

Jake’s Prediction: Right, I’m going to go on record and say that I WANT Kai Tokugawa to win as he’d be the most exciting champion that we’ve seen in this division, however... I believe Reemer takes this one via a unanimous decision over five rounds, I can’t see Tokugawa being able to fight off the takedown attempts and constant pressure of Reemer. Tokugawa will most certainly test Reemer though and I wouldn’t be surprised if he rocked Reemer or landed a knockdown or two throughout the fight!

Outlaw’s Pick – By looking at the skill sets, this fight screams Kai will win. But I don’t often pick against the champ, and I don’t often pick against alliance mates. And when the champ is an alliance mate, and has one of the top managers in the game, I just can’t see him not finding a way to win. Rather it’s the clinch or playing the technical game, the champ will defend his belt.

Sonny says: Sweet baby Jesus this fight is going to be freaking insane! Reemer and Tokugawa are 2 of the most proven and successful fighters in Bellicose. Reemer’s endless and overpowering takedowns should and will be the gas pedal on this bloody wreck. Reemer can count on his chin to allow him to shoot ans shoot and shoot until he gets his way. Kai is rocking a stints chin as well but tonight I fear this may only earn him the decision... loss. 

NOW... THE MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! THE LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... FIRST UP, THE CHALLENGER!

…

…

… DEVANTE DUNBAR!!!

Jake - Who else deserved this title shot other than Dunbar? No one, of course! Devante Dunbar is riding a magnificent two-fight winning streak right now with his last outing being a first-round guillotine submission against the sensational Everett Covington (7-1 at the time), who was just coming off a loss to the champion for the title! Before defeating Covington, he also tapped out Shingen Takeda in the first round! Making such easy work of these two fighters in the fashion he did, well, it’s almost unheard of! To dive into his skill set, Devante’s main strengths lie in his high-level boxing and brown belt in BJJ, however he also has a solid Muay Thai and wrestling base. Having 5 out of 6 finishes with 4 subs and 1 TKO, this guy very rarely leaves it up to the judges!

Outlaw – I don’t even know where to start, so I’ll follow your lead with starting with the challenger. Dunbar has an impressive 6-1 record and 4 of them have been via submission. He’s taken out some good fighters and looked impressive as hell doing it. His only loss was to Razor Ramano where his chin couldn’t hold up, He bounced back with back to back wins and nothing would give him more pleasure than to get one more win here in this one and strap that elusive championship belt around his waist. 

NOW, THE UNDISPUTED, DEFENDING CHAMPION OF THE LIGHTWEIGHTS OF BELLICOSE!

…

…

… RAK BOONLIANG!

Jake - If you asked me to pick a fighter to represent Bellicose, he’d be one of the first on my list! Rak Boonliang is 7-0, with some of the best striking you’ll see within Bellicose. His Muay Thai is sensational, and his boxing is as technical and as fluid as you'd expect from a world champion in boxing not MMA. Despite his mouth watering striking, he’s also a high-level grappler whereby he boasts remarkable wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ. Having 4 TKO’s out of his 7 wins, he does like to go for the finish but is also happy to pick his opponents apart to well-deserved points wins, if necessary. Defeating Everett Covington (7-0 at the time) for the title then dismantling James Howlett (5-0 at the time) within two rounds is a true credit to just how great this guy is... he’s also, only 22 years old and has many years of improvement ahead of him. This champion is scary!

Outlaw – Rak is the highest ranked P4P fighter in Bellicose. He’s undefeated at 7-0 and has dominated his way to the top. Former management did an outstanding job developing this young fighter, but now he’s signed on with the top ranked manager in the world, Bjorn. Rak has been sinking “Bad to the Bone” every since signing the contract and he will come out and show the world just why he’s so damned bad to the bone. This should be an absolute war, and Rak is telling the world he’s the best damned warrior in the world.

Jake’s Prediction: I don’t think the title will change hands on Saturday. Rak Boonliang is dominant, exciting and as well rounded as they come. I believe Boonliang paces himself and gets it done with a 4th round TKO, but... we will see!

Outlaw’s Pick - The only downfall for Rak is that he is working with new management. But when that manager is the current top ranked manager, maybe that’s not such a downfall. He may stick with the same game plan or he may come out and shock the world and mix things up. But one way or another, the champion will retain his belt and give his new manager something to brag about.

Sonny says: Here we go! But first, many thanks for the great breakdowns on tonight’s fights to both Outlaw and Jake. What depth and knowledge! As for the main event fight I think you guys again laid out all angles as clearly as humanly possible. Rak is the champ and the top ranked face of Bellicose. But this pick is not about hype, great dance moves, or the love of James Brown classics. This is about war, attrition, and just plain violence. This is about is Boonliang avoiding the takedown... or is it? I’m thinking we may actually see this fight go the distance AND Rak will be taken down at some point. But nevertheless I think our champ going in will still be our champ coming out of the cage after 25 bloody minutes of hell.  Boonliang by decision. 
 

 

 

So, that’s the card!.

This preview was brought to you by our sponsors, Brooklyn Threads! 

Thank you and goodnight!

[bjornmma1]

4 hours ago, Bleakardor said:

 

 

 

Rak 'Bad to the bone' Boonliang
7-0-0
346 p4p

And this is why I loooooooooooooveee Bellicose!!! 

[Ikkitakeda]

Hank McCoy live YouTube podcast: Hey guys I decided to do another live podcast on YouTube where I read the questions you want answered and answer them. So let's get this party started and ask away.

(10 minutes go by with no questions.)

Hank McCoy: I'm running out of stuff to talk about needlessly. Of the 327 of you watching this live right now I'm sure someone has a question.

Johnnyisthegoodguy: Who are you fighting next?

Hank McCoy: That's a good question Johnny. I am fighting Jorgen Thrane on two week notice.

Johnnyisthegoodguy: Isn't he the toughest guy you have had to face to this day and just trade to one of the biggest management teams? You going to get killed.

Hank McCoy: Johnny again with a nice question. Finally getting someone to start asking questions and he's hogging them all up now. Ha ha ha. Anyways Johnny yes all that is true. I don't accept easy fights. In my career I have always wanted to face the best guy out there. Minus wanting to fight Kai Tokugawa because he is far from the best guy out there. And Thrane was a beast before and I'm sure after switching camps that hasn't changed in the slightest.

Dan Severn: The original beast is right here kid. On a serious note what are you doing to train for this fight?

Hank McCoy: Not where I got the name Mr. Severn sir, but umm I'll try to continue to do the name proudly. Wow a bit aww struck. Oh almost forgot your question. Short term fight, long term fight it makes no difference I am treating it like every other fight in my career. The guys at Old School Training have me in the gym twice a day in-between my college courses training, sparring, keeping my body in peak performance with their Spartan esique training methods. Just doing what they do to prepare me a game plan and have me show up as the best version of myself come fight night.

Pioneer MMA: How do you see yourself attacking this fight and what do you see your keys to victory?

Hank McCoy: Anyone got easy questions tonight? First things first I know how quickly social media can put words in people's mouths. So I am first going to answer this by commenting this is no way a slight to Baby Thibs nor Thrane. Baby Thibs beat Thrane two fights ago. Baby Thibs isn't the same fighter he was two fights ago and Thrane isn't the same fighter he was two fights ago. What I mean is we fighters are always training and getting better to improve so the comments I am about to make on my keys to victory and anything I say is referring to where people were at when that particular fight had taken place. One of my keys to victory I would have to say is my physical prowess. Thrane has never faced anyone as fast as me, as agile as me, as strong as me, and no one pushes a pace I do at 205. And as far as technique expect me to fight it about the same way I did the Reyes fight when I became the first guy ever to put Reyes away and still the quickest to do so. I was precise with my choices of attack and something you typically don't see from me and that is violent. But Thrane isn't the type you beat slacking and pointing you got to be prepared to hurt him to beat him.

Sonny: What sets him apart as special in the LHW division which is stacked? How and here does he see his next fight going? Any prospective call outs after his next fight?

Hank McCoy: I think what sets me apart is the trust I have in my gym Old School Training and my corner. They do a great job in preparing me for my fights and giving me tips between rounds. Also I would say everyone would have to agree the pace I put on. No one else in the entire division keeps up with my pace. That probably comes from when I first joined this sport at 16 I was a pure wrestler. And wrestlers are known for setting a pace and wearing down their opponents and breaking them. My style in striking is very much the same. I am a very accurate striker and I throw a lot. Accumulated damage has been my game instead of these other guys loading up on that one big shot. By the time you throw it you probably can't put your force in it anymore because I have already taken away your legs. As far as how it goes with Thrane. He was no small task before and after switching to one of the biggest named camps in the sport I doubt he is going to be any easier but as mentioned earlier watch a clip from my Reyes fight. Fighting this fight that way is probably the best chance to get a win against Thrane. And yeah after Reemer reems Tokugawa I want Tokugawa. Nothing against his camp or the guys he trains with. A bunch of great guys over there. Just don't like Tokugawa. Shingen Takeda great guy. Temujin great guy. So for my very last fight in Bellicose I would love to go out fighting a guy that really don't like. So would love to fight Tokugawa. Now I know if by some force of luck he beats Reemer than that's just not going to happen which in that case anyone will do.

SayItAintSoJo: Oh say it ain't so Hank. After this fight you are only fighting one more time in Bellicose?

Hank McCoy: That's a fact. You guys know I have been saying way back since I was 4-0 that game plan was always after my 10th professional fight to go take on the very best in the world. I think I have the skills to do it. Now that isn't at all to knock the competition in Bellicose every fight they find me some guy who was better than my last opponent. And guys are getting better all the time and a big roster. But if you want to see what you are truly made of sometimes the little birdie has to fly the coop. No worries you guys will still be seeing me. I'll still be in the corner of my training partner James Howlett and you will still be seeing me in the stands when my boy Baby Thibs fights. And when I am taking on the best of the best the world has to offer rather they like it or not I'll be talking about my time at Bellicose for sure. Check my career this has always been my home. Only non fight at Bellicose was before it became Bellicose. Bellicose has done just as much to shape me to the fighter I am as my gym Old School Training. Looks like that is all the time we will have.

[Galahad]

7 minutes ago, Ikkitakeda said:

Hank McCoy live YouTube podcast: Hey guys I decided to do another live podcast on YouTube where I read the questions you want answered and answer them. So let's get this party started and ask away.

(10 minutes go by with no questions.)

Hank McCoy: I'm running out of stuff to talk about needlessly. Of the 327 of you watching this live right now I'm sure someone has a question.

Johnnyisthegoodguy: Who are you fighting next?

Hank McCoy: That's a good question Johnny. I am fighting Jorgen Thrane on two week notice.

Johnnyisthegoodguy: Isn't he the toughest guy you have had to face to this day and just trade to one of the biggest management teams? You going to get killed.

Hank McCoy: Johnny again with a nice question. Finally getting someone to start asking questions and he's hogging them all up now. Ha ha ha. Anyways Johnny yes all that is true. I don't accept easy fights. In my career I have always wanted to face the best guy out there. Minus wanting to fight Kai Tokugawa because he is far from the best guy out there. And Thrane was a beast before and I'm sure after switching camps that hasn't changed in the slightest.

Dan Severn: The original beast is right here kid. On a serious note what are you doing to train for this fight?

Hank McCoy: Not where I got the name Mr. Severn sir, but umm I'll try to continue to do the name proudly. Wow a bit aww struck. Oh almost forgot your question. Short term fight, long term fight it makes no difference I am treating it like every other fight in my career. The guys at Old School Training have me in the gym twice a day in-between my college courses training, sparring, keeping my body in peak performance with their Spartan esique training methods. Just doing what they do to prepare me a game plan and have me show up as the best version of myself come fight night.

Pioneer MMA: How do you see yourself attacking this fight and what do you see your keys to victory?

Hank McCoy: Anyone got easy questions tonight? First things first I know how quickly social media can put words in people's mouths. So I am first going to answer this by commenting this is no way a slight to Baby Thibs nor Thrane. Baby Thibs beat Thrane two fights ago. Baby Thibs isn't the same fighter he was two fights ago and Thrane isn't the same fighter he was two fights ago. What I mean is we fighters are always training and getting better to improve so the comments I am about to make on my keys to victory and anything I say is referring to where people were at when that particular fight had taken place. One of my keys to victory I would have to say is my physical prowess. Thrane has never faced anyone as fast as me, as agile as me, as strong as me, and no one pushes a pace I do at 205. And as far as technique expect me to fight it about the same way I did the Reyes fight when I became the first guy ever to put Reyes away and still the quickest to do so. I was precise with my choices of attack and something you typically don't see from me and that is violent. But Thrane isn't the type you beat slacking and pointing you got to be prepared to hurt him to beat him.

Sonny: What sets him apart as special in the LHW division which is stacked? How and here does he see his next fight going? Any prospective call outs after his next fight?

Hank McCoy: I think what sets me apart is the trust I have in my gym Old School Training and my corner. They do a great job in preparing me for my fights and giving me tips between rounds. Also I would say everyone would have to agree the pace I put on. No one else in the entire division keeps up with my pace. That probably comes from when I first joined this sport at 16 I was a pure wrestler. And wrestlers are known for setting a pace and wearing down their opponents and breaking them. My style in striking is very much the same. I am a very accurate striker and I throw a lot. Accumulated damage has been my game instead of these other guys loading up on that one big shot. By the time you throw it you probably can't put your force in it anymore because I have already taken away your legs. As far as how it goes with Thrane. He was no small task before and after switching to one of the biggest named camps in the sport I doubt he is going to be any easier but as mentioned earlier watch a clip from my Reyes fight. Fighting this fight that way is probably the best chance to get a win against Thrane. And yeah after Reemer reems Tokugawa I want Tokugawa. Nothing against his camp or the guys he trains with. A bunch of great guys over there. Just don't like Tokugawa. Shingen Takeda great guy. Temujin great guy. So for my very last fight in Bellicose I would love to go out fighting a guy that really don't like. So would love to fight Tokugawa. Now I know if by some force of luck he beats Reemer than that's just not going to happen which in that case anyone will do.

SayItAintSoJo: Oh say it ain't so Hank. After this fight you are only fighting one more time in Bellicose?

Hank McCoy: That's a fact. You guys know I have been saying way back since I was 4-0 that game plan was always after my 10th professional fight to go take on the very best in the world. I think I have the skills to do it. Now that isn't at all to knock the competition in Bellicose every fight they find me some guy who was better than my last opponent. And guys are getting better all the time and a big roster. But if you want to see what you are truly made of sometimes the little birdie has to fly the coop. No worries you guys will still be seeing me. I'll still be in the corner of my training partner James Howlett and you will still be seeing me in the stands when my boy Baby Thibs fights. And when I am taking on the best of the best the world has to offer rather they like it or not I'll be talking about my time at Bellicose for sure. Check my career this has always been my home. Only non fight at Bellicose was before it became Bellicose. Bellicose has done just as much to shape me to the fighter I am as my gym Old School Training. Looks like that is all the time we will have.

Kai Tokugawa: McSleep is leaving Bellicose because he is a bum and can't get back to the top? I shed a tear, truly...

Wanted to fight him and his boyfriend at the same time, but oh well...

By the way, why is Babyboy fighting №13? I though the bitchass wanted the next shot? 

[Ikkitakeda]

9 hours ago, Galahad said:

Kai Tokugawa: McSleep is leaving Bellicose because he is a bum and can't get back to the top? I shed a tear, truly...

Wanted to fight him and his boyfriend at the same time, but oh well...

By the way, why is Babyboy fighting №13? I though the bitchass wanted the next shot? 

Hank McCoy: I can still smack you around as a farewell after Reemer reems you.

[Bleakardor]

15 hours ago, Galahad said:

Kai Tokugawa: McSleep is leaving Bellicose because he is a bum and can't get back to the top? I shed a tear, truly...

Wanted to fight him and his boyfriend at the same time, but oh well...

By the way, why is Babyboy fighting №13? I though the bitchass wanted the next shot? 

Jake was ranked #6 or 7 when that fight was booked.  It was a personal grudge.  Unfortunately, Jake as fallen in the rankings while other fighters have moved ahead of him with their fights since his last loss.

[Ikkitakeda]

Hank McCoy: And the winner 50-45 winning not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but all 5 rounds on every single judges scorecards Hole Reemer! Only difference in that fight if I was fighting Kai Tokugawa would be Kai got KO'd end of story.

[bjornmma1]

Rak 'Bad to the bone' Boonliang
8-0-0
230 p4p

As my manager decided that I should live up to my new nickname, I was asked to push hard and go for it with ruthlessness for 5rounds and see if Dunbar could keep up. 

I dominated for the most part and got the late brutal finish, but respect for Dunbar man, he was an excellent opponent and fight of the night wasn't stolen by any means! 

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Boonliang connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Dunbar momentarily.
http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/fight/2.gif
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boonliang drops Dunbar with a straight right hand, right on the button! Boonliang follows him down to the mat and pounds him out with hammerfists until the referee jumps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:07 of round 5, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rak Boonliang!
Rak Boonliang retains his lightweight title!
Rak Boonliang bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.

[Galahad]

Kai Tokugawa: Unfortunate turn of events last night, probably should not have drank so much wine with my mamasitas just before the fight, but oh we... I blame them for my loss.

But to be honest, I've never done well against crotch sniffers, so will have to improve that aspect of my game.

[Sprooch]

3 hours ago, Galahad said:

Kai Tokugawa: Unfortunate turn of events last night, probably should not have drank so much wine with my mamasitas just before the fight, but oh we... I blame them for my loss.

But to be honest, I've never done well against crotch sniffers, so will have to improve that aspect of my game.

Dakota Thibodeaux Jr: “Let’s stand and bang then lil bitch; after I demolish Jake Paul, I would like to be the one to send off Hank McCoy; that’s my brother he deserves the best or I beat up Kai or get my rematch with Smif. Preference in that order.”

[Bleakardor]

Hank McCoy has a fight booked currently but I promised him his last fight of the contract could be against Kai.  He's been itching for that one.  But, Thibs, I can give you (assuming you beat Jake) Kai for your next fight as that's what I had been thinking of as is.  Smif is definitely on the board after that too as he's sitting on the cusp of earning title contention if he wins his next fight as you two are a prime fight for top contender for the next title shot.

Division is stacked up top and lots of moving parts that we will see play out over the next couple of weeks. 

[Ikkitakeda]

Hank McCoy: It's all good I never turn down a fight. Only reason I didn't call my boy Baby Thibs out is he has always talked about only wanting to fight if it's for a title. I'd be honored for my farewell Bellicose hello world fight against my brother. Besides I like tough fights and just like Thrane being a tougher fight than Kai, Baby Thibs is also a tougher opponent than Kai. So I'll take either.

[Bleakardor]

Hello Bellicose!  I had a brief video call with the champ and challenger for tonight's card, and they seemed to be ready to go.

Outlaw - Welcome, Kanud!  I know you're busy, but wanted to just ask you one thing.  How do you feel your chances are going into this fight after the camp you've had leading up to it?  I'll be recording this video to share with the world, so what say you?

Kanud Odimabesser -

 

Outlaw - Well, someone is in the singing spirit.  Must be a trend now that Rak has put his vocals to good use!

Outlaw - And over to you, Rock!  What does the "People's Champ" have to say about this upcoming fight?  You lost your belt to Hardy only to turn around and win it right back. That's why I called "the Rock" the new nickname..   How do you feel going into this defense against Kanud?

 

Rock Romero - 

 

Outlaw - Well, ok then!  Welcome to Bellicose 90 - The Musical!  no doubt we will be in for a treat tonight as these two will dance in the cage with the belt on the line!

Outlaw - Wait, I have a call coming in.  How the hell?  I don't know how he knew, but it's Rak who defended his belt last night!  Well, Rak, you're fight is already over, but you wanted a video bomb so what have you got for us?

Rak - You know I can't be outdone, I won't be outdone!  Turn up the volume!

 

Thank you to Sonny for putting together these video clips for our entertainment!

[Ikkitakeda]

5 minutes ago, Bleakardor said:

Hello Bellicose!  I had a brief video call with the champ and challenger for tonight's card, and they seemed to be ready to go.

Outlaw - Welcome, Kanud!  I know you're busy, but wanted to just ask you one thing.  How do you feel your chances are going into this fight after the camp you've had leading up to it?  I'll be recording this video to share with the world, so what say you?

Kanud Odimabesser -

 

Outlaw - Well, someone is in the singing spirit.  Must be a trend now that Rak has put his vocals to good use!

Outlaw - And over to you, Rock!  What does the People's Champ have to say about this upcoming fight?  You lost your belt to Hardy only to turn around and win it right back.  How do you feel going into this defense against Kanud?

 

Rock Romero - 

 

Outlaw - Well, ok then!  Welcome to Bellicose 90 - The Musical!  no doubt we will be in for a treat tonight as these two will dance in the cage with the belt on the line!

Outlaw - Wait, I have a call coming in.  How the hell?  I don't know how he knew, but it's Rak who defended his belt last night!  Well, Rak, you're fight is already over, but you wanted a video bomb so what have you got for us?

Rak - You know I can't be outdone, I won't be outdone!  Turn up the volume!

 

Speaking of tonight's card where is the preview?

[Bleakardor]

I have been trying to contact our writer.  He's not responded since posting his part of yesterday's preview.  So Sonny and I will have to put something together.  We will be possibly experimenting with something a little different, but we'll get something posted for the preview for sure!

[Bleakardor]

Bellicose 90

New York Madison Garden Arena

01 MAY 2022

 

Big “Papa” Joe (0-2)  vs  “The Breathe Taker” Steve Baker (1-2)

 

Joe comes into this fight ready to rock.  He’s still searching for his first win after a disappointing loss in his Bellicose debut via decision to Dave DeMartin.  He’s a balanced fighter who’s still very early on in his progression, but his morale is up, and his energy is high and he’s thinking tonight can be the night he kicks off his career with his first ever win.

Across from him is Baker, who has lost his last two fights, both in Bellicose.  He does have a win under his belt but it was at the amateur levels of QFC and really doesn’t have any effect on his professional outlook here at Bellicose.  He’s still wearing the same clothes he wore back then, and his morale is at an all time low.  This man does not look ready to step into the cage.  With that said, Baker has the stronger skill set, by far.  He’s a better striker and a sensational wrestler.  So, the fact that his multi abusing manger can’t pay enough attention to buy him new underwear and he smells like a skid mark is just insulting to the brand.

Outlaw's Pick – With an opponent already in the dumps coming in with low morale, I think Joe will walk away with a win in this one.  What a big night for this kid if he can walk away with this one.

Sonny Says - “The Breathe Taker” Steve Baker It’s just as well rounded as his opponent, Big Joe, but also comes in with a very high level of wrestling. We should look for him to secure an easy takedown and grab the quick ground and pound win round one.

 

Braden Moore (7-6)  vs  Luka “Mav” Doncic (5-0)

Not really much to discuss here.  Moore is an absolute dumpster fire with such low morale that Bellicose has actually put him on suicide watch.  The man hasn’t shaved in weeks, his hair is oily, and he smells like a goat.  Skill wise, he’s kind of all over the place.  He’s dabbled in Boxing and that’s probably his best skill, but he’s also I guess you could say competent as a wrestler and holds a blue belt. 

Across from him is Doncic who has yet to taste defeat in his young career.  He’s two years older than Moore, but at least his morale is high and he’s ready to go.  No doubt he’s more prepared for this fight.  He is a wonderful MT striker who has a strong wrestling game, but his BJJ is nonexistent, and his boxing is feeble at best.  He looks to make it 6-0 but this would be his first ever fight in Bellicose as he finally took the step up from the amateur ranks.

Outlaw's Pick – Doncic wins via KO.  Moore doesn’t look like he wants to be here, and he’s been neglected by his management team.  The man is outclassed in striking and that’s his strong point.  Doncic should be able to walk right though Moore in this one.

Sonny Says - Braden Moore has 0 morale. Change your damn clothes already. Easy Round 1 KO for Doncic. 

“Zombie” Michael Cudlitz (5-1)  vs  Scottie “the Tarantula” Tarantino (5-1)

Finally our first fight where both guys are locked, cocked, and ready to rock... not to mention, have clean clothes!  Our first fighter is Cudlitz who sports a 5-1 record although he lost his Bellicose debut last time out against Marcus Hansen.  He’s a superb boxer and remarkable wrestler and will look to use those skills to get back into the win column.  All five of his wins have been by way of stoppage as he has 1 KO and 4 TKO’s to date, and no doubt he’s looking to make it 6 tonight.

Across from him will be a difficult test as Tarantino is also coming in with a 5-1 record also coming off a loss.  He did win his Bellicose Debut against Stevens but lost his last fight against Anisimov as Anisimov got to his chin and scored a quick first round KO.  Tarantino is not much of a striker, but he is a sensational wrestler and will look to get the fight on the ground and control the action.  He’s a prolific ground and pounder who will want to get on top and make Cudlitz pay.

Outlaw's Pick – Tarantino via TKO.  If this stays standing, Cudlitz will get his victory as Tarantino has no answer for that.  But it’s very hard to keep a fight standing against a prolific wrestler, and I see this one going to the ground where Tarantino will dictate the rest of the fight.

Sonny Says - Cudlitz is coming in slightly more well rounded but Tarantino has that ground advantage which is where I see this fight being won. Tarantino by Decision. 

 

Nuufo “Soul Breaker” Seanoa (3-2)  vs  Tony Viikinki “Halme” (4-1)

Seanoa is who I call the angry Samoan.  He was none to pleased with his spot in the rankings after the recent rankings released, and rightfully so.  The man had a rocky start, but has wheeled off three strait wins and earned a fight award in his last win over Onbekend C.  The man is coming into his own and with an exceptional striking game and remarkable wrestling, will be a force to be reckoned with.   He’s stepped up in competition this week as he will be facing Viikinki who’s only lose once in his MMA career.  If he can pull off this win, he’ll surely jump into the top 10 in rankings and be on a path towards contender-ship in the Heavyweight division.

Across the cage will be his toughest opponent since Arthur Douglas as he faces off against Viikinki.  “Halme” was on a 4 fight win streak, all by way of KO until he stepped into the cage against the champ, Murska Mfer who defeated him via TKO in the first round.  Viikinki is also an exceptional striker and remarkable wrestler, and this fight is just about as even as it gets.  The only difference is that Seanoa is more of a MT striker while Viikinki is more of a pure boxer. 

Outlaw's Pick – This fight will be fireworks!  Both guys are strikers who love to throw down and beat the bloody piss out of their opponents.  The one thing that stands out to me is that Seanoa won his last fight via submission which tells me he’s not just a purely defensive fighter on the ground.  That could be the difference in this fight as it would give him more options to pull off a victory if things don’t go his way standing.  For that reason, and that I don’t want my phone being blown up by an angry Samoan, I will go with Nuufo Seanoa to win this fight.  A fun fact here, though… Viikinki’s only loss was to then champion Mfer.  Seanoa’s last loss was to current SHW champion Douglas. 

Sonny Says - This fight is a freakin tough one to call. Nuufo "Soul Breaker" Seanoa can maybe (maybe) make this his fight by getting it to the ground but I think Tony Viikinki "Halme" will manage to keep it on the feet for the Decision Win. 

 

Shingen “The Tiger of Kai” Takeda (9-2)  vs  James Carter (6-2)

This should be another excellent fight as we have two machines going to work in this one.  Takeda is off to a 9-2 record which is impressive by any rights.  He’s an outstanding grappler who holds a black belt in BJJ and has remarkable wrestling skills to help control the action on the ground.  You do not want to be on the ground with this guy.  Just to put icing on the cake, he’s also a remarkable boxer with some decent MT skills mixed in.  Truly a great fighter with many ways to beat you.  He was also off to an 8-0 record and former IFC champion before losing his title fight here at Bellicose against Covington.  His next fight he fell short to Dunbar who just lost a great fight for the belt against Rak.  With a bounce back win against Ieyasu, he now turns his attention to James Carter..

Carter is an impressive specimen in his own right.  An exceptional striker with remarkable wrestling, Carter prefers to keep a fight standing and do his damage while standing.  Having shown great striking from range and in the clinch, he will look to keep this fight on the feet and pick apart his opponent.  He will need to watch out for that takedown as no doubt Takeda will be wanting to get this to the ground where he’s scored all nine of his victories via submission.  One thing I am confident in though, is that this fight will not go the distance.  Carter will get his TKO victory or Takeda will get his 10^th submission victory.

Outlaw's Pick – This is the toughest fight to pick so far.  Carter has all the tools to dispatch his opponent while standing.  But, at this stage of the game it’s very difficult to keep a grappler off the mat.  If Carter clinches up, Takeda will be able to pull guard.  So from range is Carter’s best chance.  If he can avoid the takedown, he will likely win this one.  But, with that said, I must lean towards the black belt here and I just think that Takeda finds a way to pull this one to the ground and from there it’s a whole new world.  Takeda wins via submission.

Sonny Says - Shingen "The Tiger Of Kai" Takeda vs James Carter. Both top managers and amazingly skilled fighters. Carter wins on the feet but with equal wrestling, I see Takeda managing to get this fight to the mat to grab the submission Round 2. 

 

James “Wolverine” Howlett (5-1)  vs  Razor Ramano (6-4)

Howlett prides himself in his ability to tap out his opponents.  He’s tapped out every single fighter he’s ever faced, except the champion Rak Boonliang.  He’s not much of a striker as he’s mediocre at best, but his ground game is all that matters.  A wonderful wrestler with a black belt in BJJ, this man knows his way around an opponent on the ground and there’s nothing to suggest he’ll be looking to do anything else in this one. 

Razor Ramano is a very talented striker with sensational boxing skills and wonderful MT.  He also has some remarkable wrestling skills that will help him keep this fight standing longer so that he can go for that big KO shot that he’s shown.  Hell, he KO’d Dunbar a few months ago handing him his first defeat.  Dunbar went on to later give the champion Rak a run for his money.  So Ramano is very capable.   The downfall of Ramano is his lack of a BJJ game.  If, or should I say when Howlett gets this fight to the ground, he will be completely over matched from then on.

Outlaw's Pick – Howlett will find a way to get this fight to the ground and from there it will be game over.  Don’t be surprised if Ramano shocks the world again and lands that big money shot to end the fight before it goes to the ground though.  He’s got some power.  But I tend to lean towards grapplers as these fights almost always go to the ground at some point.  And once it’s there, it’s game over.

Sonny Says - Razor is a tough man to pick against BUT Howlett is a special kind of beast. He’s a grappler extraordinaire with a wrestling advantage. This should spell victory. Howlett Sub round 1. 

 

Jake Paul (7-3)  vs  Dakota “Baby Thibs” Thibodeaux Jr. (5-1)

This fight has been a long time coming!  Baby Thibs called out Jake on many occasions and has been chomping at the bit to get into the cage with him.  He must really hate his YouTube videos.  Baby Thibs wanted this fight so bad that he passed up a #1 contender fight just to take on Paul.  There’s definitely some bad blood here. 

Paul has had some success at Bellicose being here from day one.  He started a perfect 4-0 until losing his first and only title shot against Dean Howard.  After that, he came back to win a couple before losing to Tim Horton and most recently, Duannis Frank.  He now stands at 7-3 and falling out of the top 10 in rankings as he needs a big win here over a top 5 fighter in Thibs to solidify his spot in the standing and get things back on track.

Thibodeaux Jr., on the other hand,  is riding high on top of his four fight win streak.  His only loss to date was against Bill Smif, his alliance partner, back in October of last year.  He’s already taken to social media to ask for a rematch against Smif if he wins in this one, so he’s already looking ahead and expecting to dispatch Jake Paul quickly.  As far as skills go, Thibodeaux is one of the top strikers in the division with sensational boxing and MT skills.  He’s a strong wrestler and still needs to sure up his ground game before facing any solid grappling threats, but he’ll get there.  For this fight, however, he’s not worried about the ground as Jake Paul is also a striker who’s just a little better wrestler than Baby Thibs. 

Outlaw's Pick – Paul has a target on his back ever since he started fighting in MMA.  People think he should stick to YouTube (and some even think he should retire from that) and Baby Thibs is hoping he can retire him after this fight.  These guys match up pretty well striking, but Baby Thibs as that little extra that should determine the difference in this fight.  Unless Paul shocks the world and takes this fight to the ground, even in the clinch he’ll be over matched by Baby Thibs.  So, with that, I’ll pick Dakota Thibodeaux Jr. to win this fight via KO.  Not TKO, but KO.  He wants to hurt Paul.  But don’t worry, we’ll have a medic at cage side incase things get bloody.

Sonny Says - Paul vs Thibodeaux. All the talk will finally culminate tonight with a probable KO on someone’s part. Paul may want to look for the clinch with his slight wrestling advantage but this could very well be negated by Thibodeaux’s MT. I think both these guys will be after the grind and end up on the fence where I have to like Thibodeaux’s elbows to make the difference. Long bloody grinding decision victory by Thibodeaux. 

 

Johnny Matthews (7-5)  vs  Jorge “Prisa” Santa Perez (6-1)

As we draw closer to the main event, this main card fight is one fans will surely enjoy.  Matthews has been around a long time and has already amassed 12 fights under his belt.  A lot of fans know his name and he’s got a bit of a following.  He’s had a successful career but has been back and forth of late with his last fight ending in a loss to Odimabesser who now looks to capture his first belt as he is the main event for this very card’s title fight.  Matthews is a grappler who is also a proficient striker.  His bread and butter is his brown belt in BJJ that he will use along with his remarkable wrestling to help control the fight.  When he gets you on the ground, it’s a lot of work to stay above water as he looks to drown you in a barrage of strikes and submission attempts.

Across from him stands Bellicose newcomer Santa Perez.  Perez had just earned the CDFC title in his last fight before the organization closed their doors and now Perez has jumped up in competition to Bellicose where he starts his journey towards earning that same belt here.  Being the champion of CDFC, he has a “free title shot” card he can play if he chooses, but so far looks like he wants to put in the work and earn it naturally.  He’s an exceptional boxer who also has a brown belt in BJJ.  His one disadvantage in this one is his wrestling so he will have to work extra hard on the ground to maintain control, but he should be skilled enough to hang in there with Matthews should it go that way.  But most likely, he’ll avoid the ground for most of the fight and pick Matthews apart from range.

Outlaw's Pick – Both guys have the tools to win, but Perez has better answers for Matthews ground attack than Matthews does for Perez’s striking attack.  So, I will go with the CDFC champion Santa Perez to win this fight via decision.

Sonny Says - Matthews vs Perez is a BJJ practitioner’s wet dream. With combined decades of rolling experience, we will be in for a treat of transitions and hound mastery tonight. Matthews had the additional offering of some GnP but I think Perez will be more than prepared to work from his back for a surprise first round sub.

 

Cyborg Reyes (6-3)  vs  Bill Smif (9-2)

Reyes has on a back-and-forth journey of late.  He started off hot with 4 straight wins but has been back and forth with the win/loss/win/loss pattern.  His last lost was contender fight for Kai Tokugawa where he lost to Kai sending Kai on to the title fight while he gets stuck with a fight against Bill Smif to try to earn his spot in the rankings back.  Cyborg is a good striker with a good blend of boxing and even better MT skills under his belt, while also having superb wrestling game to rely on to help keep the fight standing.  He doesn’t have much in the way of BJJ, but that’s ok because going to the ground is the last thing his opponent is going to try to do tonight.

Across from him is the challenger Bill Smif who makes his return to Bellicose and will look to put on a show.  Smif has a 6-1 record in Bellicose with his only loss being to Clayton Daniels way back in August of 2021 just before NYCL become Bellicose.  He moved on to highlands where he went on a 2-fight win streak there before losing his last Highland bout to Sakuraba via submission.  It’s no secret that Smif does not want to fight grapplers and has no desire to learn the ground game.  He doesn’t like sweaty man hugging or nut grabbing, he likes to smash people in their face.  Just ask his ex… just kidding, I know nothing of his love life.  So now the journeyman Smif is back at Bellicose and looking to fight some of the best the division has to offer.  He’s got a list and wants to assert dominance over them, but before he can start checking names off his list, he’ll have to defeat Reyes tonight.  Smif is an exceptional boxer and has remarkable wrestling which he uses to help control the clinch when needed but mor importantly avoid the takedown. 

Outlaw's Pick – This fight will stay standing and Smif is a hard-hitting sob who’s on a mission.  I think he’s going to win this fight via TKO as was his trend when he was in Bellicose earlier in his career.  Just to note, if Smif wins this fight, he’ll be the top contender in the division with Thibs having elected to fight Paul.  So this could lead to a Smif title shot next, and if he were to win that, a Thibs vs Smif rematch with greater stakes on the line!

Sonny Says - Smif vs Reyes. I like Reyes so much that it hurts to pick Smif here. I am afraid it will take too long for him to crack Smif’s granite chin before his own chin will be cracked. Smif by round 2 KO. 

 

Rock Romero (8-2)  vs  Kanud Odimabesser (8-1)

And finally, we are here folks!  The main event of the evening in front of 20,000 screaming fans!  The largest venue to date for Bellicose!  And first up, our challenger, Kanud Odimabesser who stands 6’ tall and 170lbs.  He’s coming off back to back wins over Summers and Matthews and his only loss in his career was a title shot against Rock Romero back in January where the champ KO’d Odimabesser in the first round.  But he’s back!  Nobody else in the division has been able to slow the man down and he’s ready to avenge that loss to Romero and get his belt back.  Kanud has an exceptional striking game, clinch game, and ground game!  This man is ready to go anywhere in the cage and fight at top level from any position.  Get him on his back?  He’ll lock in an armbar or sweep into mount.  Clinch him up?  He will use that exceptional MT and wrestling to control the action.  Stay at range?  He’ll use his striking skills to pick you apart.   The only fighter to ever have taken it to him is Rock, and we’re about to see this fight in version 2.0!!  I’m fucking stoked about this fight and to see how it turns out.

Defending his belt is Rock Romero.  Rock has had an entertaining career, to say the least.  He won a few fights and his first ever Bellicose fight was a title fight that he lost to Dean Howard.  Then he changed management teams as his manager retired and hooked up with Finch.  From that point on, he rocked out 4 strait wins, one of which was the win over Odimabesser which earned him the belt in the first place.  He defended it against Nero Hardy where he lost a tough fight via decision but was not happy with the judges and wanted to jump right back into a rematch where he turned the tables and won his belt back by way of decision.  Romero has never been finished!  He’s never tapped, he’s never been KO’d, the only losses of his career were both from the judges and I think I heard him mutter under his breath the next time a judge does him dirty he’s going to find him in the parking lot and show him what a beat down feels like and see how he scores that on his card. 

One thing is for sure I this one.. this fight will be the focal point of the future of this division.  Tim Horton lays in wait to challenge the victor for the belt on the biggest of stages at Bellicose 100.  This will be the largest arena to witness this fight in Bellicose history coming off our highest rated event in Bellicose history which we will be breaking again tonight.  This fight will start off as a favorite to win Fight of the Night honors on a stacked card, and we are absolutely thrilled at what the future holds in this division.

Outlaw's Pick – This is a very, VERY tough one to pick.  On paper, it looks like the challenger has the tools to defeat the champ and reclaim his long-lost belt.  On the other hand, Romero dispatched Kanud in their first fight quickly with power and precision.  This fight is literally 50/50 to me as I have absolutely NO CLUE who will walk away with the win here, so I’ll have to defer to Sonny’s pick.  If you put a gun to my head and told me to pick, I’d go with the champion, Romero, because he’s already shown the ability to defeat Kanud.

Sonny Says - Rock Romero and Kanud Odimabesser will be the main course in this beautiful entrée of our fight feast tonight. Romero has all my respect having taken the belt from Nero Hardy. Kanud, however, has what Hardy had to offer and then some. I think Kanud will actually bypass the ground in this one and look to earn the belt with a clinch masterpiece. Romero has shown weakness in the clinch and probably not worth trying to sub so this is the clear path for Kanud Odimabesser in my mind. Rock will hopefully not throw all combos this fight so he’ll be much more in point but I don’t think he’ll be able to mail ting distance enough of the time to take this one. A tough tough pick to make but... Kanud Odimabesser by Decision! And new....(?)

 

That’s it folks!  Bellicose is in full swing into the future and this card has some huge implications for the future, especially at middle weight and light heavyweight as contender and title implications are on the line.  This event also sets up the final pieces of Bellicose 100 which will be our first ever event in front of a 93k arena as Bellicose spreads it’s wings and soars into the future on the amazing roster of fighters and managers we are honored to work with.

[Sprooch]

Phenomenal write up as always. 

[Bleakardor]

2 minutes ago, Sprooch said:

Phenomenal write up as always. 

Thank you!  I'm actually about to edit it and add in Sonny's picks to the mix.

 

[EllDante]

44 minutes ago, Bleakardor said:

Bellicose 90

New York Madison Garden Arena

01 MAY 2022

 

Big “Papa” Joe (0-2)  vs  “The Breathe Taker” Steve Baker (1-2)

 

Joe comes into this fight ready to rock.  He’s still searching for his first win after a disappointing loss in his Bellicose debut via decision to Dave DeMartin.  He’s a balanced fighter who’s still very early on in his progression, but his morale is up, and his energy is high and he’s thinking tonight can be the night he kicks off his career with his first ever win.

Across from him is Baker, who has lost his last two fights, both in Bellicose.  He does have a win under his belt but it was at the amateur levels of QFC and really doesn’t have any effect on his professional outlook here at Bellicose.  He’s still wearing the same clothes he wore back then, and his morale is at an all time low.  This man does not look ready to step into the cage.  With that said, Baker has the stronger skill set, by far.  He’s a better striker and a sensational wrestler.  So, the fact that his multi abusing manger can’t pay enough attention to buy him new underwear and he smells like a skid mark is just insulting to the brand.

Outlaw's Pick – With an opponent already in the dumps coming in with low morale, I think Joe will walk away with a win in this one.  What a big night for this kid if he can walk away with this one.

Sonny Says - “The Breathe Taker” Steve Baker It’s just as well rounded as his opponent, Big Joe, but also comes in with a very high level of wrestling. We should look for him to secure an easy takedown and grab the quick ground and pound win round one.

 

Braden Moore (7-6)  vs  Luka “Mav” Doncic (5-0)

Not really much to discuss here.  Moore is an absolute dumpster fire with such low morale that Bellicose has actually put him on suicide watch.  The man hasn’t shaved in weeks, his hair is oily, and he smells like a goat.  Skill wise, he’s kind of all over the place.  He’s dabbled in Boxing and that’s probably his best skill, but he’s also I guess you could say competent as a wrestler and holds a blue belt. 

Across from him is Doncic who has yet to taste defeat in his young career.  He’s two years older than Moore, but at least his morale is high and he’s ready to go.  No doubt he’s more prepared for this fight.  He is a wonderful MT striker who has a strong wrestling game, but his BJJ is nonexistent, and his boxing is feeble at best.  He looks to make it 6-0 but this would be his first ever fight in Bellicose as he finally took the step up from the amateur ranks.

Outlaw's Pick – Doncic wins via KO.  Moore doesn’t look like he wants to be here, and he’s been neglected by his management team.  The man is outclassed in striking and that’s his strong point.  Doncic should be able to walk right though Moore in this one.

Sonny Says - Braden Moore has 0 morale. Change your damn clothes already. Easy Round 1 KO for Doncic. 

“Zombie” Michael Cudlitz (5-1)  vs  Scottie “the Tarantula” Tarantino (5-1)

Finally our first fight where both guys are locked, cocked, and ready to rock... not to mention, have clean clothes!  Our first fighter is Cudlitz who sports a 5-1 record although he lost his Bellicose debut last time out against Marcus Hansen.  He’s a superb boxer and remarkable wrestler and will look to use those skills to get back into the win column.  All five of his wins have been by way of stoppage as he has 1 KO and 4 TKO’s to date, and no doubt he’s looking to make it 6 tonight.

Across from him will be a difficult test as Tarantino is also coming in with a 5-1 record also coming off a loss.  He did win his Bellicose Debut against Stevens but lost his last fight against Anisimov as Anisimov got to his chin and scored a quick first round KO.  Tarantino is not much of a striker, but he is a sensational wrestler and will look to get the fight on the ground and control the action.  He’s a prolific ground and pounder who will want to get on top and make Cudlitz pay.

Outlaw's Pick – Tarantino via TKO.  If this stays standing, Cudlitz will get his victory as Tarantino has no answer for that.  But it’s very hard to keep a fight standing against a prolific wrestler, and I see this one going to the ground where Tarantino will dictate the rest of the fight.

Sonny Says - Cudlitz is coming in slightly more well rounded but Tarantino has that ground advantage which is where I see this fight being won. Tarantino by Decision. 

 

Nuufo “Soul Breaker” Seanoa (3-2)  vs  Tony Viikinki “Halme” (4-1)

Seanoa is who I call the angry Samoan.  He was none to pleased with his spot in the rankings after the recent rankings released, and rightfully so.  The man had a rocky start, but has wheeled off three strait wins and earned a fight award in his last win over Onbekend C.  The man is coming into his own and with an exceptional striking game and remarkable wrestling, will be a force to be reckoned with.   He’s stepped up in competition this week as he will be facing Viikinki who’s only lose once in his MMA career.  If he can pull off this win, he’ll surely jump into the top 10 in rankings and be on a path towards contender-ship in the Heavyweight division.

Across the cage will be his toughest opponent since Arthur Douglas as he faces off against Viikinki.  “Halme” was on a 4 fight win streak, all by way of KO until he stepped into the cage against the champ, Murska Mfer who defeated him via TKO in the first round.  Viikinki is also an exceptional striker and remarkable wrestler, and this fight is just about as even as it gets.  The only difference is that Seanoa is more of a MT striker while Viikinki is more of a pure boxer. 

Outlaw's Pick – This fight will be fireworks!  Both guys are strikers who love to throw down and beat the bloody piss out of their opponents.  The one thing that stands out to me is that Seanoa won his last fight via submission which tells me he’s not just a purely defensive fighter on the ground.  That could be the difference in this fight as it would give him more options to pull off a victory if things don’t go his way standing.  For that reason, and that I don’t want my phone being blown up by an angry Samoan, I will go with Nuufo Seanoa to win this fight.  A fun fact here, though… Viikinki’s only loss was to then champion Mfer.  Seanoa’s last loss was to current SHW champion Douglas. 

Sonny Says - This fight is a freakin tough one to call. Nuufo "Soul Breaker" Seanoa can maybe (maybe) make this his fight by getting it to the ground but I think Tony Viikinki "Halme" will manage to keep it on the feet for the Decision Win. 

 

Shingen “The Tiger of Kai” Takeda (9-2)  vs  James Carter (6-2)

This should be another excellent fight as we have two machines going to work in this one.  Takeda is off to a 9-2 record which is impressive by any rights.  He’s an outstanding grappler who holds a black belt in BJJ and has remarkable wrestling skills to help control the action on the ground.  You do not want to be on the ground with this guy.  Just to put icing on the cake, he’s also a remarkable boxer with some decent MT skills mixed in.  Truly a great fighter with many ways to beat you.  He was also off to an 8-0 record and former IFC champion before losing his title fight here at Bellicose against Covington.  His next fight he fell short to Dunbar who just lost a great fight for the belt against Rak.  With a bounce back win against Ieyasu, he now turns his attention to James Carter..

Carter is an impressive specimen in his own right.  An exceptional striker with remarkable wrestling, Carter prefers to keep a fight standing and do his damage while standing.  Having shown great striking from range and in the clinch, he will look to keep this fight on the feet and pick apart his opponent.  He will need to watch out for that takedown as no doubt Takeda will be wanting to get this to the ground where he’s scored all nine of his victories via submission.  One thing I am confident in though, is that this fight will not go the distance.  Carter will get his TKO victory or Takeda will get his 10^th submission victory.

Outlaw's Pick – This is the toughest fight to pick so far.  Carter has all the tools to dispatch his opponent while standing.  But, at this stage of the game it’s very difficult to keep a grappler off the mat.  If Carter clinches up, Takeda will be able to pull guard.  So from range is Carter’s best chance.  If he can avoid the takedown, he will likely win this one.  But, with that said, I must lean towards the black belt here and I just think that Takeda finds a way to pull this one to the ground and from there it’s a whole new world.  Takeda wins via submission.

Sonny Says - Shingen "The Tiger Of Kai" Takeda vs James Carter. Both top managers and amazingly skilled fighters. Carter wins on the feet but with equal wrestling, I see Takeda managing to get this fight to the mat to grab the submission Round 2. 

 

James “Wolverine” Howlett (5-1)  vs  Razor Ramano (6-4)

Howlett prides himself in his ability to tap out his opponents.  He’s tapped out every single fighter he’s ever faced, except the champion Rak Boonliang.  He’s not much of a striker as he’s mediocre at best, but his ground game is all that matters.  A wonderful wrestler with a black belt in BJJ, this man knows his way around an opponent on the ground and there’s nothing to suggest he’ll be looking to do anything else in this one. 

Razor Ramano is a very talented striker with sensational boxing skills and wonderful MT.  He also has some remarkable wrestling skills that will help him keep this fight standing longer so that he can go for that big KO shot that he’s shown.  Hell, he KO’d Dunbar a few months ago handing him his first defeat.  Dunbar went on to later give the champion Rak a run for his money.  So Ramano is very capable.   The downfall of Ramano is his lack of a BJJ game.  If, or should I say when Howlett gets this fight to the ground, he will be completely over matched from then on.

Outlaw's Pick – Howlett will find a way to get this fight to the ground and from there it will be game over.  Don’t be surprised if Ramano shocks the world again and lands that big money shot to end the fight before it goes to the ground though.  He’s got some power.  But I tend to lean towards grapplers as these fights almost always go to the ground at some point.  And once it’s there, it’s game over.

Sonny Says - Razor is a tough man to pick against BUT Howlett is a special kind of beast. He’s a grappler extraordinaire with a wrestling advantage. This should spell victory. Howlett Sub round 1. 

 

Jake Paul (7-3)  vs  Dakota “Baby Thibs” Thibodeaux Jr. (5-1)

This fight has been a long time coming!  Baby Thibs called out Jake on many occasions and has been chomping at the bit to get into the cage with him.  He must really hate his YouTube videos.  Baby Thibs wanted this fight so bad that he passed up a #1 contender fight just to take on Paul.  There’s definitely some bad blood here. 

Paul has had some success at Bellicose being here from day one.  He started a perfect 4-0 until losing his first and only title shot against Dean Howard.  After that, he came back to win a couple before losing to Tim Horton and most recently, Duannis Frank.  He now stands at 7-3 and falling out of the top 10 in rankings as he needs a big win here over a top 5 fighter in Thibs to solidify his spot in the standing and get things back on track.

Thibodeaux Jr., on the other hand,  is riding high on top of his four fight win streak.  His only loss to date was against Bill Smif, his alliance partner, back in October of last year.  He’s already taken to social media to ask for a rematch against Smif if he wins in this one, so he’s already looking ahead and expecting to dispatch Jake Paul quickly.  As far as skills go, Thibodeaux is one of the top strikers in the division with sensational boxing and MT skills.  He’s a strong wrestler and still needs to sure up his ground game before facing any solid grappling threats, but he’ll get there.  For this fight, however, he’s not worried about the ground as Jake Paul is also a striker who’s just a little better wrestler than Baby Thibs. 

Outlaw's Pick – Paul has a target on his back ever since he started fighting in MMA.  People think he should stick to YouTube (and some even think he should retire from that) and Baby Thibs is hoping he can retire him after this fight.  These guys match up pretty well striking, but Baby Thibs as that little extra that should determine the difference in this fight.  Unless Paul shocks the world and takes this fight to the ground, even in the clinch he’ll be over matched by Baby Thibs.  So, with that, I’ll pick Dakota Thibodeaux Jr. to win this fight via KO.  Not TKO, but KO.  He wants to hurt Paul.  But don’t worry, we’ll have a medic at cage side incase things get bloody.

Sonny Says - Paul vs Thibodeaux. All the talk will finally culminate tonight with a probable KO on someone’s part. Paul may want to look for the clinch with his slight wrestling advantage but this could very well be negated by Thibodeaux’s MT. I think both these guys will be after the grind and end up on the fence where I have to like Thibodeaux’s elbows to make the difference. Long bloody grinding decision victory by Thibodeaux. 

 

Johnny Matthews (7-5)  vs  Jorge “Prisa” Santa Perez (6-1)

As we draw closer to the main event, this main card fight is one fans will surely enjoy.  Matthews has been around a long time and has already amassed 12 fights under his belt.  A lot of fans know his name and he’s got a bit of a following.  He’s had a successful career but has been back and forth of late with his last fight ending in a loss to Odimabesser who now looks to capture his first belt as he is the main event for this very card’s title fight.  Matthews is a grappler who is also a proficient striker.  His bread and butter is his brown belt in BJJ that he will use along with his remarkable wrestling to help control the fight.  When he gets you on the ground, it’s a lot of work to stay above water as he looks to drown you in a barrage of strikes and submission attempts.

Across from him stands Bellicose newcomer Santa Perez.  Perez had just earned the CDFC title in his last fight before the organization closed their doors and now Perez has jumped up in competition to Bellicose where he starts his journey towards earning that same belt here.  Being the champion of CDFC, he has a “free title shot” card he can play if he chooses, but so far looks like he wants to put in the work and earn it naturally.  He’s an exceptional boxer who also has a brown belt in BJJ.  His one disadvantage in this one is his wrestling so he will have to work extra hard on the ground to maintain control, but he should be skilled enough to hang in there with Matthews should it go that way.  But most likely, he’ll avoid the ground for most of the fight and pick Matthews apart from range.

Outlaw's Pick – Both guys have the tools to win, but Perez has better answers for Matthews ground attack than Matthews does for Perez’s striking attack.  So, I will go with the CDFC champion Santa Perez to win this fight via decision.

Sonny Says - Matthews vs Perez is a BJJ practitioner’s wet dream. With combined decades of rolling experience, we will be in for a treat of transitions and hound mastery tonight. Matthews had the additional offering of some GnP but I think Perez will be more than prepared to work from his back for a surprise first round sub.

 

Cyborg Reyes (6-3)  vs  Bill Smif (9-2)

Reyes has on a back-and-forth journey of late.  He started off hot with 4 straight wins but has been back and forth with the win/loss/win/loss pattern.  His last lost was contender fight for Kai Tokugawa where he lost to Kai sending Kai on to the title fight while he gets stuck with a fight against Bill Smif to try to earn his spot in the rankings back.  Cyborg is a good striker with a good blend of boxing and even better MT skills under his belt, while also having superb wrestling game to rely on to help keep the fight standing.  He doesn’t have much in the way of BJJ, but that’s ok because going to the ground is the last thing his opponent is going to try to do tonight.

Across from him is the challenger Bill Smif who makes his return to Bellicose and will look to put on a show.  Smif has a 6-1 record in Bellicose with his only loss being to Clayton Daniels way back in August of 2021 just before NYCL become Bellicose.  He moved on to highlands where he went on a 2-fight win streak there before losing his last Highland bout to Sakuraba via submission.  It’s no secret that Smif does not want to fight grapplers and has no desire to learn the ground game.  He doesn’t like sweaty man hugging or nut grabbing, he likes to smash people in their face.  Just ask his ex… just kidding, I know nothing of his love life.  So now the journeyman Smif is back at Bellicose and looking to fight some of the best the division has to offer.  He’s got a list and wants to assert dominance over them, but before he can start checking names off his list, he’ll have to defeat Reyes tonight.  Smif is an exceptional boxer and has remarkable wrestling which he uses to help control the clinch when needed but mor importantly avoid the takedown. 

Outlaw's Pick – This fight will stay standing and Smif is a hard-hitting sob who’s on a mission.  I think he’s going to win this fight via TKO as was his trend when he was in Bellicose earlier in his career.  Just to note, if Smif wins this fight, he’ll be the top contender in the division with Thibs having elected to fight Paul.  So this could lead to a Smif title shot next, and if he were to win that, a Thibs vs Smif rematch with greater stakes on the line!

Sonny Says - Smif vs Reyes. I like Reyes so much that it hurts to pick Smif here. I am afraid it will take too long for him to crack Smif’s granite chin before his own chin will be cracked. Smif by round 2 KO. 

 

Rock Romero (8-2)  vs  Kanud Odimabesser (8-1)

And finally, we are here folks!  The main event of the evening in front of 20,000 screaming fans!  The largest venue to date for Bellicose!  And first up, our challenger, Kanud Odimabesser who stands 6’ tall and 170lbs.  He’s coming off back to back wins over Summers and Matthews and his only loss in his career was a title shot against Rock Romero back in January where the champ KO’d Odimabesser in the first round.  But he’s back!  Nobody else in the division has been able to slow the man down and he’s ready to avenge that loss to Romero and get his belt back.  Kanud has an exceptional striking game, clinch game, and ground game!  This man is ready to go anywhere in the cage and fight at top level from any position.  Get him on his back?  He’ll lock in an armbar or sweep into mount.  Clinch him up?  He will use that exceptional MT and wrestling to control the action.  Stay at range?  He’ll use his striking skills to pick you apart.   The only fighter to ever have taken it to him is Rock, and we’re about to see this fight in version 2.0!!  I’m fucking stoked about this fight and to see how it turns out.

Defending his belt is Rock Romero.  Rock has had an entertaining career, to say the least.  He won a few fights and his first ever Bellicose fight was a title fight that he lost to Dean Howard.  Then he changed management teams as his manager retired and hooked up with Finch.  From that point on, he rocked out 4 strait wins, one of which was the win over Odimabesser which earned him the belt in the first place.  He defended it against Nero Hardy where he lost a tough fight via decision but was not happy with the judges and wanted to jump right back into a rematch where he turned the tables and won his belt back by way of decision.  Romero has never been finished!  He’s never tapped, he’s never been KO’d, the only losses of his career were both from the judges and I think I heard him mutter under his breath the next time a judge does him dirty he’s going to find him in the parking lot and show him what a beat down feels like and see how he scores that on his card. 

One thing is for sure I this one.. this fight will be the focal point of the future of this division.  Tim Horton lays in wait to challenge the victor for the belt on the biggest of stages at Bellicose 100.  This will be the largest arena to witness this fight in Bellicose history coming off our highest rated event in Bellicose history which we will be breaking again tonight.  This fight will start off as a favorite to win Fight of the Night honors on a stacked card, and we are absolutely thrilled at what the future holds in this division.

Outlaw's Pick – This is a very, VERY tough one to pick.  On paper, it looks like the challenger has the tools to defeat the champ and reclaim his long-lost belt.  On the other hand, Romero dispatched Kanud in their first fight quickly with power and precision.  This fight is literally 50/50 to me as I have absolutely NO CLUE who will walk away with the win here, so I’ll have to defer to Sonny’s pick.  If you put a gun to my head and told me to pick, I’d go with the champion, Romero, because he’s already shown the ability to defeat Kanud.

Sonny Says - Rock Romero and Kanud Odimabesser still on the main course in this beautiful entrée of our fight feast tonight. Romero has all my respect having taken the belt from Nero Hardy. Kanud, however, has what Hardy had to offer and then some. I think Kanud will actually bypass the ground in this one and look to earn the belt with a clinch masterpiece. Romero has shown weakness in the clinch and probably not worth trying to sub so this is the clear path for Kanud Odimabesser in my mind. Rock will hopefully not throw all combos this fight so he’ll be much more in point but I don’t think he’ll be able to mail ting distance enough of the time to take this one. A tough tough pick to make but... Kanud Odimabesser by Decision! And new....(?)

 

That’s it folks!  Bellicose is in full swing into the future and this card has some huge implications for the future, especially at middle weight and light heavyweight as contender and title implications are on the line.  This event also sets up the final pieces of Bellicose 100 which will be our first ever event in front of a 93k arena as Bellicose spreads it’s wings and soars into the future on the amazing roster of fighters and managers we are honored to work with.

Enjoyed reading this!

[Ikkitakeda]

Good job guys. Coming in with the clutch write up!!