YerMaw Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 EPL Season 9 Week 1 Preview A new season of EPL is about to kick off with twelve heavyweight fighters vying to take their place in the playoffs. We have a mixture of veterans and up-and-comers all looking to cement their legacy with a strong performance in one of the toughest tournaments in the tycoon world; EPL-legend James Bomb has even come out of retirement to take another shot at the championship. No doubt they will all want to get off to a strong start. Here are the matchups for week one: Akamai Hoi vs. Ricardo Griezmann Hawaii's Akamai Hoi is a versatile standup fighter looking to make a name for himself as he steps up the competition. He has looked impressive in recent SP-ICON outings against Mars and Ferrigno but has yet to prove himself against top-level opposition and this matchup could well prove to be a tough test of the 26 year olds abilities. Griezmann is a highly experienced opponent: he started out his career as a kickboxer, notching up a very respectable 13-2 record before moving into the world of MMA; since then has made numerous appearances in CCF and TTFC and has a few scalps to his name having seen off the likes of John Bunting and Giuseppe Maldini. Like Hoi, Griezmann is a pure standup fighter; he has a particular penchant for leg kicks but overall is an accurate striker with an excellent all-round defence. He does however have one slight flaw holding him back from the highest echelons of MMA... his tendency to cut. Griezmann's chin has generally looked solid but three of his five (T)KO losses have come by way of doctor stoppage; considering the EPL format of one ten-minute round this could well prove problematic for the Californian. With no cut man to patch up Ricardo between rounds Hoi has a potential avenue to victory if he can navigate his way around Griezmann's striking defence. Tactically this should be a pure-standup battle. Both fighters tend to be fairly balanced in their use of aggression so an out-and-out brawl doesn't seem particularly likely. Although Hoi doesn't tend to initiate the clinch very often he can be a very dangerous customer when working on the inside, a facet of his game Griezmann will need to be wary of. One notable factor in this bout is Griezmann's recent managerial change; he has already registered a victory over Hulk Bashman but considering that fight barely lasted five minutes we have yet to truly see how the switch has affected him. Difficult fight to call, certainly this matchup represents a step-up in the competition for Hoi but in this instance the ten-minute EPL format may actually favour him. In addition Hoi's knockout power should be taken into consideration – he has KO'd the likes of Liu Bei and (an admittedly ageing) Ferrigno, both opponents notable for the quality of their chins. Although Griezmann is the more experienced of the two I suspect Hoi will be able to find an early stoppage, that of course is dependent on his ability to actually connect with his shots – a task Griezmann is hardly going to make easy for him. Prediction: Hoi by KO. Mike Tyson vs Dennis Page Two veterans come head to head in this matchup. Tyson is boxer by trade but has developed some underrated ground skills over the years – five of his twenty nine victories have come by way of submission. The American spent a long time with SPL (successfully mounting title challenges on occasion) before moving on to test his skills at the likes of UVT and Aggressive Damage; so far that move looks to be working well for him, he is 8-2 in his last ten appearances but has struggled to come up with the goods when faced with top-level opposition in the form of Mattos and Smaug. Meanwhile Page is also a highly experienced MMA practitioner: the Irishman is a former TTFC lightweight champion and has some notable wins on his resume having finished the likes of Panikov and Dragneel. While Tyson has the slightly more impressive record it's worth noting that Page has been on a convincing run in the latter half of 2015; his only recent losses have come at the hands of Jami Balkan, Bjorn Helgi and Hector Camacho (the latter two considered to be top-ten in the P4P rankings). Of course there is one factor which should be noted above all else in this matchup: the extremely substantial difference in weight. Tyson is a natural heavyweight and usually weighs in at around 255 lbs, by contrast Page has fought most of his battles at lightweight with the occasional foray up to 170 lbs. While Page has made an appearance at light-heavyweight his opponent made the task easy for him by entering the cage with an extremely predictable gameplan which allowed the Irishman to pick him apart with ease. How the more technically gifted Page will do against the much heavier Tyson will be a huge talking point for this matchup and I would wager that much of the outcome of this fight will rest on these considerations. Page will be able to count on his speed advantage to both evade Tyson's strikes and connect consistently with shots of his own, however if Tyson can keep the Irishman in range he will have a much easier job of taking him down. Considering Tyson has developed his ground skills from scratch his takedown success rate (41% of takedowns attempted) isn't too shabby; it's also well within the realms of possibility that he could finish the fight with a single punch. While Page's chin seems solid enough, Tyson has made a career out of knocking out heavyweights; if he can maintain the pressure and prevent the far more agile Irishman from picking him apart on the outside a KO may well be forthcoming for Tyson. That said I suspect Page will win this fight, the difference in speed might just be too substantial – he can use that advantage both to win the standup battle and prevent the takedown. Nonetheless a fascinating matchup and one I am very much looking forward to seeing the outcome of. Prediction: Page by decision. Edward McLauglin vs Bobby Newmark McLauglin has struggled since moving to MFN but prior to that had a very successful career at Infinity and successfully dethroned current light-heavyweight champion Shane Walker at one point. He is a pure-standup technician with the intangibles to match his style of taking the fight inside; his chin is made of pure steel, with the exception of the aforementioned Walker (an opponent blessed with immense knockout power) he has yet to be knocked out, although he has suffered a couple of defeats due to doctor stoppage. By contrast Newmark has been KO'd plenty of times, although that can partially be attributed to the higher level of competition he has been up against; the 36 year old has been fighting consistently at CEC for some time now and although his record isn't the most impressive most of those losses have come against fighters ranked in the top 50. Like McLauglin, Newmark is a pure-standup fighter – he does initiate the clinch on occasion but his main strengths lie in his work on the outside. His use of persistent use of low kicks to the legs and body is something McLauglin will need to look out for alongside the counter head kick on occasion. If he has one weakness it is from within the clinch; an area Reznick exploited to great effect in their recent matchup. McLauglin certainly has tools to execute a clinch-orientated gameplan, his knees in particular are a deadly weapon and with his excellent durability I would anticipate he will be looking to move inside at the earliest possible opportunity. Newmark is certainly the more experienced competitor of the two, he has been performing at a high level for a considerable time now and with McLauglin's recent struggles since moving up to a top-tier org you would expect Newmark to be a favourite to win this one. However, looking at this matchup stylistically I think McLauglin can cause an upset; he has both the physical and technical means to control the older fighter from within the clinch and deliver a potential knockout finish. Newmark will need to adjust his gameplan accordingly if he wants to avoid a repeat of the Reznick result and, while his maturity and composure will no doubt be important assets for him, concentration will be a huge factor over the ten minutes and I suspect McLauglin will succeed in taking the fight inside at some point. With that in mind I would wager he can finish off Newmark either with dirty boxing or those knees to the head; McLauglin's cardio and chin are such that if Newmark wants to win this one he is probably looking at a decision victory although at this weight level you can never rule out the possibility of a flash KO. Prediction: McLauglin by KO. James Bomb vs Ashley Harrington FinnFighter James Bomb is a veteran and a true inspiration to the sport; he has just marked his 120th appearance in the cage and continues to win fights despite his advancing years. He has fought in the EPL four times now and has consistently performed well, reaching the finals in Seasons 1, 3 and 4 and the semi-finals in Season 2. No doubt he would like to mark his return to the EPL with another trip to the playoffs and potentially go all the way to claim the trophy he has come so close to grasping before in the past. He did take an extended layoff earlier in 2015 which has possibly affected his game as he came up short in his fights against Sweeney and Dyson (a win against Adelbert Gainsborough notwithstanding), but no one could accuse the 40-year old of looking for easy fights – he has consistently fought the best throughout his career and that is no exception now as he approaches the limelight of his career. Meanwhile while Harrington might not have quite an impressive resume as his Finnish opponent he is also experienced at fighting at a high level. He possesses a very respectable 3-3 record in EVO and has recently knocked out the likes of Dragunov and Slinga to ultimately claim the Death Squad super-heavyweight title which remains in his possession. Both of these fighters are exceptionally accurate strikers, Bomb prefers to remain on his feet and while Harrington has occasionally shot for the takedown in the past he has predominantly been a stand-up fighter throughout his career and since changing managers has looked to use his clinchwork primarily rather than take opponents to the ground. Of the two Harrington has the superior striking defence; he does an excellent job of checking leg kicks (a tool Bomb likes to use often) and rarely gets hit with combinations. However, his chin is slightly suspect – ten of his losses have come by way of knockout and journeyman Thor Skarsgard was able to put him to sleep in just twenty six seconds with a single head kick. Bomb also has a tendency to lose by KO; his chin looked solid enough in his early years but over time the sheer amount of appearances he has made have taken their toll on the legend. It seems more likely than not this fight won't go the distance and of the two Harrington looks the more likely to being doing the damage. As great as it would be to see Bomb mark his return to the EPL with a bang I suspect the veteran has declined somewhat physically in his later years and Harrington is well placed to take advantage of that. Prediction: Harrington by KO. Kyle Carlton vs Arthur Curry 39 year old boxer Kyle Carlton has fought in about every big org you could mention – EVO, CEC, Ascension, Syn... you name it. He has a fantastic biography of stoppage after stoppage (all thirty nine of his careers wins by way of knockout) and has warred with some of the best in the business. However, as of late Carlton appears to be struggling; he continues to fight at top-tier level but is currently 1-6 in his last seven appearances and there are question marks as to whether he still has what it takes to hang with high-ranking opponents. Curry by contrast is an up-and-comer, the 27 year old had a short stint with Syn which didn't fare too well but his future is looking a lot brighter under new management – he is currently on a four win streak which included second round stoppages over Garfunkel and former EVO light-heavyweight champion Thomas Boothe. Ever eager to curry favour with the fans, Curry would undoubtedly love to add a victory over the former P4P No. 1 to his list of accomplishments and with Carlton's recent decline may well fancy his chances. Of course Carlton will be equally determined to prevail on the night; he evidently has a point to prove and a win here would mark his fortieth victory in the cage. Much like the Bomb/Harrington fight this one is almost certainly going by way of KO; neither fighter likes to leave things in the hands of the judges and especially when you consider Carlton's tendency to load up on shots like there's no tomorrow it would be a safe bet to assume that an early finish is a given. This fight has all the ingredients for an aggressive high octane affair and this should be a great viewing spectacle for the fans. On occasion Curry will dial it back a notch and look for the big counter but whether he opts for this approach here remains to be seen; Carlton will almost definitely be looking to trade shots so without the takedown to worry about the Irishman can afford to let loose a little and put on a show for the fans. I wouldn't count either fighter out of this bout; Carlton might have looked a little out of sorts recently but he still possesses the power to finish fights – a stray punch here and there and Curry could easily be flat out on his back. While Carlton is undeniably past his prime the question is more by how much? I suspect Curry can win here but the American is not an opponent to be taken for granted. There will be fireworks, guaranteed. Prediction: Curry by KO. Vladislav Maslow vs Grigori Rasputin An all Russian affair as Vladislav Maslow takes on the 'Mad Monk' Grigori Rasputin. Maslow is a former Dominance heavyweight champion who marked up a respectable 3-1 record at Ascension before moving on to GAMMA and SP-ICON where he has been plying his trade in recent years. He is a mixed martial artist in the truest sense of the word; content to fight standing up but also happy to take opponents down if the opportunity allows it. He possesses both knockout power and the ability to submit opponents. However, as of late Maslow has been finding it difficult to record a win. He called out the aforementioned Kyle Carlton only to get knocked out in the first round and found himself on the wrong end of a triangle armbar against Dom Diego. Evidently he will be thirsty to register a return to winning ways with a victory over his fellow countryman. Rasputin might not be such an obliging opponent however, the former MMA Helsinki heavyweight champ is currently 4-1 in CEC and barring his recent loss to Damian Hardacre (at present #9 in the heavyweight rankings) has looked imposing as of late with a string of highlight-reel knockouts. The Mad Monk is a fine standup technician both in and outside the clinch; he does like to use his Muay Thai skills to do damage on the inside and given Maslow has looked vulnerable within the clinch this is an area Rasputin may look to exploit. It's worth noting that Maslow does possess a substantial nine-inch height advantage and given his natural tendency is to aim for the head during standup exchanges anyway that will suit him well. However, Rasputin's shorter, stockier frame should enable him to avoid the takedown with ease; Maslow's takedown success rate is hardly something to behold and I strongly suspect that the Mad Monk will quickly force him to abandon any plans of grappling and instead focus on the striking exchanges. Technically Maslow looks to have the better striking defence but of the two Rasputin boasts the superior finishing rate and at heavyweight it is often the fighter with the bigger KO power who reigns supreme. If Maslow can keep his distance he might be in with a shot, Rasputin has been knocked out on occasion and thanks to that height advantage Maslow should be able to avoid eating too many shots to the chin. Much is dependent on his ability to avoid the threat the Mad Monk poses from within the clinch; Maslow can win here but his concentration will need to be on point. Rasputin is an aggressive customer when it comes to inside fighting and also possesses a mixture of knees to the body and elbows to compliment his dirty boxing; stylistically he should like his chances here despite Maslow's imposing stature. Prediction: Rasputin by KO. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itakebrides Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 wow great write up thumbs up . Looking forward to all the fights now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madbob Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 great shit, cant wait to throw down tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potter09 Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Previews will be each week for the EPL goid luck all. We can do a prediction league aswell I ll put 250k for winner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Great write-up. You did a real fine job of researching/scouting the competitors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Akamai Hoi vs Ricardo GriesmanMike Tyson vs Dennis PageEdward McLauglin vs Bobby Newmark James Bomb vs Ashley HarringtonKyle Carlton vs Arthur CurryVladislav Maslow vs Grigori Rasputin I didnt realize how chinny the field is here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerMaw Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Great write-up. You did a real fine job of researching/scouting the competitors. Thanks - I wanted to make sure all the fighters got a thorough introduction and Scott got his moneys worth Hope all the information is accurate, put a fair amount of time into scouting previous fights but with the sheer amount of appearances some of these guys have made it can be easy to overlook things sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Harrington lands an uppercut.A short left from Harrington.http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/fight/rocked.gifBomb is rocked!Bomb swings wildly with an uppercut but Harrington uses good head movement to avoid it.Bomb is still on wobbly legs! Can Harrington finish him?Harrington creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Bomb's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Bomb drops to his knees and Harrington pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ashley Harrington!After winning the bout, Ashley Harrington thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjornmma1 Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 What took you so long Jug? Curry throws a powerful right kick. Carlton tried to block low but the kick was high! Carlton was taken right off of his feet! Curry jumps in to finish the job and the ref tackles him! The fight is over! Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Arthur Curry! In his post fight interview, Arthur Curry gave a big smile as he said 'It was an honor fighting such a legend , a former number one fighter! '. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stpierrecanada Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Humble in defeat, Carlton said "Pleasure to share the cage win this Irish badass, best wishes to Curry. He has some power." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madbob Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 ahhh Superman Punch trumps all of you Rasputin fakes the leg kick and throws a superman punch. It's knocked Maslow out cold! Brutal finish!Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Superman Punch). Grigori Rasputin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjornmma1 Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Superman punch is always a fun finish but I prefer head kick Ko, sounds more brutal finish to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario.Jay Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Great preview text Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potter09 Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Great first event guys hopefully I can find a. Replacement for Page so he don't get his bead kicked off every fight lol. If I can keep signing extra guys to ASC to make the events even better this will be a good season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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