WMMA: GAMMA, Quest for Dominance [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

PilotMan

12-23-2007, 12:28 PM

GAMMA: Morrison – Silva Results
Monday, Week 4, July 1996
Attendance: 6,231

Durham Red Raiders v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes

Light Heavyweight Division

Jethro Munter, Red Raiders (1-1) v. John Rivero Cyclopes (7-0)

Round 1
Munter hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Rivero to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Munter hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Rivero tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Munter having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Rivero. Rivero comes in fast and low and takes Munter down to the mat by the legs. Nicely done. He keeps hold of one leg, and applies a leglock. That was all in one motion, Munter got taken by surprise. Rivero sits back and wrenches in the hold, and that looks painful. Munter is holding on. He tries to twist free, but it's on tight. Munter gives in and taps out. The official time is 4:57. (*)

As expected Rivero puts the Cyclopes up 1-0

Lightweight Division

Darren Southall, Cyclopes (1-1) v. Callum Henson, Red Raiders (4-0)

Round 1
Slow start to this round, Henson is being tentative and Southall looks like he is waiting for an angle to appear. The first exchange of strikes doesn't really go anywhere. A second set falls in Henson's favour, as he gets a nice jab in, hitting right above the nose, and a solid shot to the body. Southall goes in for a takedown but only manages to secure one leg. Henson hammers down two shots to the back, but can't really do a lot else. Southall tries to push him over onto his back, but Henson manages to pull free and back off. Southall throws a high left handed jab then goes in for another takedown. Good sprawl from Henson, and he backs off. Southall doesn't get a chance to go for a third, because Henson takes the fight to him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing him back against the cage. Henson clinches up, only after hitting a hard shot to the stomach though. The clinch seems to go on forever, with Southall unable to get a good enough position to try a takedown, and Henson tied up too much to really throw any decent strikes. Eventually the time runs out and they head back to their corners. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Henson by 10-9.

Round 2
They circle each other. Southall misses with a low kick, and Henson darts in to hit a jab before retreating. They come together and exchange punches, both got a few shots in. Henson is looking much lighter on his feet, and keeps moving in, hitting a few punches, then getting back out of range. Southall is trying to catch him coming in, but doesn't have the timing quite right. It happens again. Henson isn't getting much power on the punches, but he is getting ahead on points. Southall tries to get in close, but Henson is keeping moving, and isn't letting himself get cornered. An exchange of punches goes nowhere, and they fall into a clinch. The referee separates them when nothing happens. Henson gets a solid punch in, catching Southall just above the left eye. Southall finally gets a clinch, forcing Henson up against the cage, but it's too little, too late as the round ends. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Henson.

Round 3
Slow start to the round, nearly a minute has gone by without anything but a few jabs finding gloves. Southall comes in, looking for a grapple it seems, but takes a powerful kick just above the left hip. Henson really put some venom into that strike. Southall backs off, clearly stung. Henson is the one advancing now, using a left hand jab to lead. He steps forward and fires off a big kick, aimed at the head. Southall ducks and moves out of range, but that was clearly intended to be a match-ender, Henson was going for the knock out. It's pretty clear that he thinks that kicks are going to do the job in this round, and it has to be said that Southall is looking to have a hard time countering them. On top of that, the threat of the kicks is keeping Southall from getting in too close. Henson stalks Southall, throwing the occasional high right hand, perhaps range-finding. Southall is circling, seeking an opening of some kind. He moves in from the left and is quick enough to get into the clinch without taking any shots. Henson hits a knee, but takes one right back. The kicks aren't a danger from this position, that's for sure. Henson squirms free, but foolishly lost his concentration for a second and took a hard right hand above the eye in the process. Silly mistake. Southall comes in, looking more confident now, and gets in a couple of right hands and a lovely hook to the body. Henson tags him with a jab though, and then hits another fearsome kick to the same spot above the left hip. And another! Southall backs off, and a huge red mark has appeared in that spot. Henson advances and throws another head kick, but it is mostly blocked by the hands of Southall. The round is drawing to a close, and those kicks have certainly proved massively effective for Henson. The 3rd round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Henson by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Henson was the better fighter, but his inability to finish the match cost his team a point. Cyclopes still lead 1-0

Heavyweight Division

Steve Mason, Cyclopes (2-0) v. Gary Sampson, Red Raiders (16-11)

Round 1
Sampson comes out swinging, using some looping punches to try and catch Mason. They're easy to avoid though. The first real exchange of punches happens right in the center, and Mason gets the better of it, flashing two quick jabs into the cheek, and a right cross that landed above the eye. Sampson tries to hit an uppercut, but Mason parries it away with ease. Sampson backs off, then comes in again. Mason ducks a wild right hand and gets two shots in to the stomach. Sampson parries away a third, then tries a left hand to the nose, but Mason side-steps it and hits a snap jab to the side of the head. Mason forces Sampson to back up again. So far Mason is looking the far more accomplished striker, he has dictated how each exchange has gone, Sampson is being controlled and contained with relative ease. A further exchange of strikes does nothing to change that, as once again Mason's hands are superior to Sampson's, and he gets in one or two nice punches. Sampson clinches up, perhaps buying himself time to rethink, because it doesn't look like he can win a battle of technical striking. They are parted by the referee. Mason stalks Sampson, who begins using long-range punches to keep the distance between them. That goes on for the remainder of the round, which Mason has won on points by a mile. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Mason.

Round 2
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Mason throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Sampson from coming inside. Mason works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Sampson responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Mason backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Sampson circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Mason blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Mason fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Sampson covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Mason though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Mason throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mason.

Round 3
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Mason, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Mason puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Sampson covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. Mason is looking the slightly more fit of the two fighters. Low kick from Sampson, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Mason will take the round on points. The third round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mason. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

WOW! A fantastic match for the young Mason against a much more experienced Sampson. The Red Raiders should feel lucky that they didn't fall behind 2-0 here. Pittsburgh still leads 1-0.

Middleweight Division

Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (8-3) v. Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (6-1)

Round 1
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Thomas lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Strange sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Thomas on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Strange manages to get the better position, pushing Thomas up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Strange. Thomas hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Strange tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Thomas was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Strange down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Strange covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Thomas hits a big elbow to the ribs, Strange definitely felt that. Thomas drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Strange brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Thomas will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Strange defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Thomas unable to generate any attacks, and Strange unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Thomas will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. The first round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Thomas.

Round 2
The round starts with some tentative striking. Both fighters look to be using their strikes merely to keep the opponent off-balance while they work for an angle for a takedown, rather than actually trying to inflict too much damage. Strange goes for the first takedown, but Thomas has it well-scouted and they merely end up in a clinch. They tussle, ending up all the way back against the cage. Both fighters try trips, but neither gets anything. Finally, the referee steps in and separates them. Thomas storms back in almost immediately and takes Strange down, into guard. It's hard to say whether that was just a good takedown or whether Strange just had a lapse in concentration. Thomas tries to pass the guard but can't, with Strange employing a rubber guard now. There's a definite stalemate, Strange is defending very well but isn't really offering any attacking threat or really trying to get out of this predicament. Thomas makes a big effort to pass, and manages to get to half guard, but Strange has him tied up pretty well all the same. Time is ticking away, what has been a very tame round looks set to end without much in the way of highlights. It'll have to go to Thomas on points, the takedown is really the only noteworthy thing that has happened. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Thomas.

Round 3
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Strange that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. A looping left from Thomas, but it's wide of the mark. Thomas ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Strange, although no damage has actually been done yet. Thomas swings for the fences, but Strange ducks under and comes in closer, into grappling range. He scoops up Thomas onto his shoulder, and then flattens him with a slam. The crowd pop for it. Strange gets side control, but loses it almost immediately as Thomas is able to regain composure and pull guard. Strange drops a bomb of a right hand, smashing into the hands of Thomas and forcing them back into his face. Another right hand finds its way through, landing right above the eye, stunning Thomas. With his opponent's wits scrambled, Strange moves from the guard into a mount with ease, and starts unloading with rights and lefts. Thomas tries to cover up, but is getting decimated, and the referee is forced to come in and pull Strange off, signalling the win. The official time is 2:07. (***)

A tough break for Thomas as he had done well, that is, until he was pancaked by Strange. The Red Raiders tie the match at 1-1 with one, final match remaining.

Welterweight Division

Ray Eton, Red Raiders (6-2) v. Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0)

Round 1
Nice fast-paced start from Basora, who gets right in Eton's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as Eton side-stepped. Eton fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Basora steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from Eton. Basora is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Basora sweeps Eton's standing leg and takes them to the ground. Eton quickly pulls guard. Basora tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Eton is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Basora tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Basora connects, but there was no real power behind it. Basora fakes Eton out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Eton manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Basora switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Eton blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Basora looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Eton is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Basora tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Eton is safe. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Basora.

Round 2
Slow start to the round, they're both circling, looking for an opening. Eton tries a looping punch from way back, but Basora side steps with ease. Jab from Basora, gets one back in response. Eton comes in, looking for the right hand lead, but Basora shoots in and uses a double-leg takedown. He winds up in a closed guard. Basora tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Eton is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Basora tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Basora connects, but there was no real power behind it. Basora fakes Eton out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Eton manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Basora switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Eton blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Basora looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Eton is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Basora tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Eton is safe. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Basora by 10-9.

Round 3
Eton starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Basora. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Basora goes for a single leg and puts Eton on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Basora from getting on top. Eton definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Basora hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Eton again. This time Eton isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Basora will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Eton defends. Basora tries to slip past to get side control, but Eton just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Basora has the side. Two big elbows land, and Eton seems in trouble. Basora goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Basora. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Blurcat liked Eton, but Basora dominated but couldn't get past Eton's defense. Eton is able to hang on and at least get one point for the Red Raiders in a match that they should have lost.

Final score:

Durham Red Raiders 1 Pittsburgh Cyclopes 1

Both teams get one point in the overall standings.

Main Show

Heavyweight Division

Lefter Oktay (6-0) v. Tim Boyer (16-3-2)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Oktay throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Boyer from coming inside. Oktay works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Boyer responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Oktay backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Boyer circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Oktay blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Oktay fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Boyer covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Oktay though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Oktay throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Oktay.

Round 2
The round begins, and it is Oktay who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Boyer defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Oktay works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Boyer ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Oktay down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Boyer. Interesting first minute of action, Oktay is looking particularly sharp. Boyer tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Oktay back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Boyer tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Oktay scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. Boyer looks to be working an angle. They square up to each other in the center. Oktay throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Boyer on the side of the head. Boyer got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Oktay has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Boyer tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Oktay defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Oktay by 10-9.

Round 3
Boyer starts strong, hitting a nice low kick and following in with a shot to the body. Oktay backs off, but just gets pushed up against the cage. Boyer presses the advantage and works a nice hook to the body. Oktay responds with an attempted sweep, and when that doesn't work, a punch that lands behind the ear. Boyer gets in a low kick as he backs off, and the fight returns towards the center. They clinch, although it's an ugly-looking one. Oktay forces his way to the side, still grappling for supremacy, and then manages to get all the way behind. Boyer gave up his back quite easily. Oktay takes Boyer down with a variation on the suplex, but Boyer keeps his wits and makes sure that he is able to pull guard pretty quickly upon landing. Oktay stands, and uses his arms to push Boyer's guard apart. Leaning down between the legs, he starts throwing vicious punches. Boyer tries to bring his legs back in to pull guard again, while simultaneously covering up, but he is having trouble; Oktay is using his body to keep the legs from coming in. More punches rain down, and Boyer is starting to get really pounded. A big shot lands hard on the nose, then a left hand crunches into his cheek. The referee has seen enough and pulls Oktay away, signalling the end of this match. Oktay wins via TKO at 2:44 of the third round. (***)

Boyer really didn't have an answer for Oktay and Oktay was able to dominate from the standing position for much of the fight. Boyer was in realy trouble when he went down. Oktay proves his dominance with his second win over Boyer.

Welterweight Division

Ichisake Miyagi (14-6) v. Joe Hinchcliffe (12-4)

Round 1
Miyagi is forced onto the backfoot almost immediately, having to retreat to avoid a series of sharp jabs. He ends up with his back to the cage, with Hinchcliffe advancing. A sharp right misses, and Miyagi takes the opportunity to pull Hinchcliffe in to a tight clinch against the cage. Hinchcliffe tries to break free, but cannot. It looks like we know the strategies for this round already; Hinchcliffe wants to stand and bang, Miyagi wants to keep things at close quarters. Hinchcliffe tries for an elbow, but only succeeds in getting turned around so that he is now the one against the cage. Trip from Miyagi, and we're down to the ground. Miyagi has side control, but Hinchcliffe has landed with his left hand side against the cage, so that side of the body is basically safe for now. Miyagi will have to try to work the right-hand side, and starts by ramming a knee into the ribs. Hinchcliffe tries to squirm into a better position, but Miyagi puts a stop to that with a stiff elbow to the stomach. Miyagi tries to work a kimura on the right arm, but Hinchcliffe defends it. Hinchcliffe manages to bring a knee up and catch Miyagi in the side, something of a cheeky move given his position. Miyagi responds with five or six rapid-fire right hands to the face, but Hinchcliffe covers up and doesn't take any serious damage at all. Time is ticking away though, and so far Miyagi may be easily winning the round, but he is not taking full advantage of this great position. Miyagi tries to float over into a mount, but Hinchcliffe uses the cage to push away and manages to unbalance Miyagi enough to get to a kneeling position, then standing, albeit back into a clinch. A knee from Miyagi is the last action of the round. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Miyagi.

Round 2
Two jabs from the left hand of Miyagi set up a hard waist-high kick, but Hinchcliffe steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Miyagi moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Hinchcliffe uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Miyagi finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Hinchcliffe is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Miyagi scores with a right hand, then steps in to clinch up. Hinchcliffe tags him with a right hand to the left eye as he dodges away from the clinch, looking like he wants to keep away from a grappling match at this point. Miyagi goes to follow, then stops slightly. The referee calls for the clock to be stopped, and goes over to look at Miyagi. It's hard to see what the problem is at the moment. A close-up shows that there's blood on his face. Replays show that with Hinchcliffe's last punch, the tape from his gloves may have caused a cut. It looks like it's actually on Miyagi's eyelid, and that the blood is getting straight into his eyes. If that is the case, Miyagi might not be able to continue, as his vision would be compromised. The doctor takes a look, and is shaking his head. Miyagi looks really upset about that. The referee has little choice though, and calls a stop to the match, meaning that Hinchcliffe will win by medical stoppage thanks to a fluke cut. The official time is 2:29. (**)

Tough break for Mr. Miyagi, but it should be a very nice gift for Hinchcliffe as he is sure to rise in the rankings.

Light Heavyweight Division

Christopher Sharpe (9-1) v. JJ Reid (12-0)

Round 1
Sharp hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Reid to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Sharp hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Reid tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Sharp having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Reid. Sharp hits a solid left, then a right. Reid felt both of them, and backs off a little. Sharp charges right in to follow up though, and unleashes a powerful right hook, and Reid took it flush on the chin! Sharp doesn't even bother following up on that, because Reid was out cold from the instant that that hit. Incredible punch. Official time of the knock out is 4:39 of the first. (**)

That was simply brutal. Sharp explodes for a big win and Reid's glass jaw is shown for the world to see.

Middleweight Division

Maarten De Vries (13-4) v. Dan Halverson (22-11-2)

Round 1
De Vries starts off brightly, firing in a couple of right hands and a fizzing kick that catches Halvorsen across the hip. Halvorsen tries an immediate response by coming in for a big left hook, but is forced to back up by a lightning-like head kick that flashes across his face. De Vries storms in and hits a crisp jab and a snap right hand, then ducks out of the way of a counter punch. Halvorsen comes forward, and again takes a kick across the hip, then a second one that slaps across the shin of his front foot. De Vries's kicks are allowing him to control this round, Halvorsen has so far had no answer. They meet in the center; De Vries comes in from low-down, but misses a right hand. Halvorsen scores with a right hand to the side of the head, then a stinging right hand to the ribs. De Vries shoots off a kick to the ribs, then comes back in from an angle. A faked takedown fools Halvorsen, and another kick hits home. Halvorsen clinches up, and must be wondering what on earth he can do to stop these kicks from taking him apart. Time runs down as they engage in a struggle while in the clinch, and the round ends without any further noteworthy action. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to De Vries by 10-9.

Round 2
Slow start to this round, De Vries is being tentative and Halvorsen looks like he is waiting for an angle to appear. The first exchange of strikes doesn't really go anywhere. A second set falls in De Vries's favour, as he gets a nice jab in, hitting right above the nose, and a solid shot to the body. Halvorsen goes in for a takedown but only manages to secure one leg. De Vries hammers down two shots to the back, but can't really do a lot else. Halvorsen tries to push him over onto his back, but De Vries manages to pull free and back off. Halvorsen throws a high left handed jab then goes in for another takedown. Good sprawl from De Vries, and he backs off. Halvorsen doesn't get a chance to go for a third, because De Vries takes the fight to him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing him back against the cage. De Vries clinches up, only after hitting a hard shot to the stomach though. The clinch seems to go on forever, with Halvorsen unable to get a good enough position to try a takedown, and De Vries tied up too much to really throw any decent strikes. Eventually the time runs out and they head back to their corners. The second round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to De Vries.

Round 3
De Vries starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and Halvorsen is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from De Vries. Halvorsen tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from Halvorsen, but it only caught De Vries on the shoulder. Another kick connects from De Vries, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping Halvorsen from doing very much. De Vries tries to back Halvorsen up against the cage wall, but it comes to nothing. Right hand from Halvorsen, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for De Vries. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (***)

Devries owned Halverson for the entire match, but his failure to do any real damage cost him the W.

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Championship Match

Champion Sean Morrison (12-3) v. Challenger Giovani Silva (20-9)

Round 1
Silva comes out fast, but gets hit with a counter right hand strike when he throws a left hand which was too high. Morrison moves in and hits a nice body shot before they clinch. Silva gets in a short, sharp jab to the side of the head, it looked to hit right on the ear. Morrison didn't like that, and scores with two knee strikes and a punch to the cheek. They break apart. Morrison swings and hits a nice right hand. Silva fires off a series of sharp jabs, all hitting gloves. He throws out a looping left, but gets tagged with a punch to the jaw and stumbles to the ground! Morrison dives in to finish him off, but he scrambles back up quickly and they end up facing off on their feet again. Replays show that the punch barely connected, it was more of a stumble on Silva's part than anything else. It might not look that way to the judges though. Morrison looks more confident after that, and puts together a nice chain of strikes, ending with a scathing low kick that catches Silva on the outside of the calf. He definitely felt that. Time runs out, the round is over. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Morrison.

Round 2
Morrison and Silva circle to start. Silva throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Morrison sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Silva comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Morrison to slip a nice jab in, catching Silva just underneath the right eye. Morrison comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Silva misses with a right cross, then backs off. Morrison stalks him, forcing Silva back up against the cage. Morrison doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Silva throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Morrison pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Silva covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Morrison in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Morrison throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Silva comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Morrison parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Morrison's favour. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Morrison.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Silva forces Morrison back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Silva is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Morrison clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Morrison gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Silva seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Morrison who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Silva had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Silva throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Morrison steps in and fires off one of his own, but Silva bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Morrison turns and swings, just as Silva also unloads...and it's Silva who connects first! Morrison's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Silva follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Morrison. The referee doesn't even wait for Silva to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Morrison is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Silva wins via TKO at 3:56 of the third round. Giovani Silva is the new GAMMA Lightweight champion. (***)

What the Fuck is Morrison doing going toe to toe in a match where he could have gone to the ground. He looked very comfortable early on, but I think was caught by surprise by the aggressiveness of Silva. Silva begins his reign as GAMMA Lightweight Champion.

Overall, we gained popularity in all regions of the US, and the crowd was happy with the show.

PilotMan

12-23-2007, 11:21 PM

Sean Morrison sustained a hip injury in his fight with Silva, and he is going to be out for one to two months.

Ichisake Miyagi is also going to be out for around two months while his cut eyelid heals.

We will run our next show as a pay-per view event, and from there we are going to spend some time on the television.

Our next event has been scheduled and here is the first look at it.

PilotMan

12-23-2007, 11:22 PM

GAMMA: Regueiro v. Bracewell
Week 3, August 1996
California

Yes, we are going back to Cali, it is just too good a market to be away from.

Spokane Onslaught v. Buffalo Outlaws

Dana Delaney (4-1) v. Keith Plaice (5-5)
Alex Cole (5-3) v. Greg Atteveld (15-10)
Juan Pablo Rique (4-6) v. Marcus Speed (2-0)
Thomas Smith (6-1) v. Milton Harvey (9-8)
Nick Detroit (5-2) v. Christian Moutfield (5-2)

Main Show

#4 Mario De Souza (12-6) v. #6 Charles Stiles (8-1-1)
#1 Anthony LeToussier (13-5) v. #7 Ricky Heath (9-3)
#4 Stratos Papaioannou (20-4) v. #5 Harry Milne (20-6)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Matthew Dean (10-2) v. Challenger - #1 Fernando Amaro (15-3)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (9-0-1) v. Challenger - #8 Peter Bracewell (17-7)

According to my assistant, there are some matches that have a real high chance of being boring. However, I like the matchups so I will have to see how that plays out. I think that De Souza and Stiles is the guaranteed draw of the night.

PilotMan

12-24-2007, 12:16 PM

I tried that myself. It works for all non-title fights, but I did not like it at all when a title is on the line. The title history isn't made to record a tie. It isn't considered a successful defence of the title if a tie is the outcome. And, as far as the title history is concered, it is like the fight never happened.

Other than that, it is a fun challenge trying to put on good matches, because a tie will break a fighter's winning streak.

Hopefully that can be addressed quickly in a patch before it becomes too big of an issue.

PilotMan

12-24-2007, 12:18 PM

Stuart Strange, off of his solid victory has been resigned to a set premiere deal for 20/10.

Steve Mason, who totally surprised me in his last match gets a raise and an 8 fight deal for 16 months.

Jethro Munter is downgraded from a set deal to a rolling contract. Although from my perspective, a rolling contract is better for me.

We signed a pay-per view deal with J1-Remote in Japan to cover our next 8 events. This was done to combat Alpha-1, who have moved into our PPV turf.

We extended our contract with Heavyweight Tim Boyer. Boyer is on board for 20 months or 10 fights at a modest raise of 200/fight.

I accidently moved Pittsburgh Cyclopes lightweight Darren Southall up to welterweight. That is going to cause some roster shifting as he will no longer be able to fight for the Cyclopes at that weight.

I moved Petey Mack (6-1) from the Light Heavyweight down to Middleweight. Also, top heavyweight contender and former BCF Heavyweight Champion Gary McSweegan has moved down to upgrade our Light Heavyweight division. The move was especially good for McSweegan as he goes from the #6 Heavyweight to the #2 Light Heavyweight.

I have found a solution to my team competition problem. Darren Southall has been essentially traded to the Austin Rush for Randy Carsley who moves down from the Welterweight to Lightweight. The Cyclopes got the better end of this deal as Carsley is an undefeated fighter, while Southall recently was manhandled by Callum Henson.

I am looking at adding two fights to the our normal event schedule. So that we will run 12 fights for PPV and 10 for TV Specials. The extra two fights will be mid to upper midcard fighters but the fights will take place in the first two show slots as special attraction matches. Also, at the beginning of September, we will shake up the teams in order to move unranked fighters into positions now held by ranked fighters. This was possible due to our incredible hiring spree from the BCF.

We will be entering into contract negotiations with Will Kane from the BCF following his headlining match one day before ours runs. Kane is currently 7-0 and could make a nice addition to any of our teams.

PilotMan

12-24-2007, 12:25 PM

Two fights have been added to our Regueiro v. Bracewell card and those are:

Light Heavyweight Division

#9 Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-7) v. #5 George Laurent (12-1)

Middleweight Division

#7 Andrew Rush (12-0) v. Petey Mack (6-1)

PilotMan

12-24-2007, 12:26 PM

GAMMA: Regueiro v. Bracewell Previews

All of our fighters made weight for the fight, so all the matches can continue as planned. Here is a fight by fight look at who is fighting:

#7 Andrew Rush (12-0) v. Petey Mack (6-1)

Both men are similar in ability up or down, but the advantage goes to Rush for his conditioning. However, Blucat picks Mack.

#9 Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-7) v. #5 George Laurent (12-1)

Laurent has a striking advantage, so look for him to stay up while. If things go to the ground it is pretty even. Blucat picks Laurent.

Spokane Onslaught v. Buffalo Outlaws

Dana Delaney (4-1) v. Keith Plaice (5-5)

This match is a toss up. It could go either way. Blucat picks Delaney for the Onslaught 1-0.

Alex Cole (5-3) v. Greg Atteveld (15-10)

Cole is at a big disadvantage here as Atteveld is more skilled and more experienced. Blucat picks Atteveld for 1-1 tie.

Juan Pablo Rique (4-6) v. Marcus Speed (2-0)

Speed has a big physical advantage here. Rique will have his work cut out for him here. Speed gives the Outlaws a 2-1 lead.

Thomas Smith (6-1) v. Milton Harvey (9-8)

Smith seems to have the ground advantage, and given he is a submission fighter I am sure that is where he will go. Harvey is quite good at keeping the fight up where he could take the fight. Blucat favors Smith to even the score at 2-2.

Nick Detroit (5-2) v. Christian Moutfield (5-2)

Detroit is a kickboxer by trade and would need to stay upright against Mountfield who will go for the takedown and pound his way to victory. If Mountfield gets to the ground Detroit will be in trouble. Blucat says Moutfield for the 2-3 win for the Buffalo Outlaws.

Main Show

#4 Mario De Souza (12-6) v. #6 Charles Stiles (8-1-1)

Like Jiu-Jitsu? This is your match. De Souza has a 5 inch height advantage here, but the winner will be whoever can control on the ground. Blurcat likes Stiles.

#1 Anthony LeToussier (13-5) v. #7 Ricky Heath (9-3)

LeToussier is going to need to defend the takedown to win this, or catch Heath coming in with a big punch. Heath has a real chance, but he is going to need to get close enough to score the takedown and get control on the ground. LeToussier is the favorite.

#4 Stratos Papaioannou (20-4) v. #5 Harry Milne (20-6)

This is going to the ground, and how good of a wrestle Milne is, is going to determine how this fight turns out. Papa is a much better striker, but Milne isn't too bad either. Blurcat says Papa for the win.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Matthew Dean (10-2) v. Challenger - #1 Fernando Amaro (15-3)

Dean is going to need to avoid the strikes of Amaro and take this to the ground to get the win. This is the match that Dean wanted, so it is the match that he gets. Clearly he is looking for respect in his first title defense. Blucat still likes Amaro for the title.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (9-0-1) v. Challenger - #8 Peter Bracewell (17-7)

Regueiro wanted an easier fight, and Bracewell was the only ranked fighter that he really wanted to fight. This fight is going to the ground with Julio being a Jiu-Jitsu fighter and Bracewell being a wrestler. Still, Bracewell has a chance to take the title, and it may be his last. Blucat likes Regueiro to retain the title.

PilotMan

12-26-2007, 09:28 PM

GAMMA: Regueiro v. Bracewell Results
Wednesday, Week 3
August, 1996
Attendance: 5,935

Special Attraction Match

Middleweight Division

#7 Andrew Rush (12-0) v. Petey Mack (6-1)

Round 1
Rush comes out fast, but gets hit with a counter right hand strike when he throws a left hand which was too high. Mack moves in and hits a nice body shot before they clinch. Rush gets in a short, sharp jab to the side of the head, it looked to hit right on the ear. Mack didn't like that, and scores with two knee strikes and a punch to the cheek. They break apart. Mack swings and hits a nice right hand. Rush fires off a series of sharp jabs, all hitting gloves. He throws out a looping left, but gets tagged with a punch to the jaw and stumbles to the ground! Mack dives in to finish him off, but he scrambles back up quickly and they end up facing off on their feet again. Replays show that the punch barely connected, it was more of a stumble on Rush's part than anything else. It might not look that way to the judges though. Mack looks more confident after that, and puts together a nice chain of strikes, ending with a scathing low kick that catches Rush on the outside of the calf. He definitely felt that. Time runs out, the round is over. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Mack.

Round 2
Rush gets a quick takedown, and is in guard. He is trying to get past into a side mount, but Mack is defending it well. Rush gets slightly off balance with another attempt, and Mack capitalises by sweeping him and getting side control. Rush takes a hard shot to the mouth. And another. Rush tries to fight back, but Mack gets the right arm and applies an armbar for the tap out victory. Mack wins via 2nd round armbar submission with the official time being 0:41. (**)

That was a tough debut for the former undefeated BCF Middleweight Champion. Welcome to GAMMA. Mack was in his first fight since moving down from Light Heavyweight and his striking power was very noticeable. He was tough.

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

#9 Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-7) v. #5 George Laurent (12-1)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Van Den Hauwe, providing the first moment of real action. Laurent hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Van Den Hauwe side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Laurent is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and the round comes to an end. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Laurent.

Round 2
They are circling, then come in close. Both fighters are tentatively looking for the chance to strike. Van Den Hauwe is the first to go for it, throwing a three-punch combination. Laurent covered up well, taking very little damage. Van Den Hauwe goes to throw a bomb, but gets clipped with a right hand before it can connect. He felt that. Laurent steps in and throws a bomb of his own, and it crunches into the side of the cheek of Van Den Hauwe, who goes down! Replays show the shock wave passing through his entire body as that powerful punch connected. What a strike! Laurent wins this by a brutally clean knock out. The official time is 1:21. (**)

Two fights, and two clean wins. This will be very good for Laurent, even though neither fighter was all that exciting.

Spokane Onslaught v. Buffalo Outlaws

Welterweight Division

Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-1) v. Keith Plaice, Outlaws (5-5)

Round 1
There's a few minor exchanges of punches to start the round, and Delaney gets the better of them. Neither fighter is throwing any bombs, but Delaney is showing the better technique, and has hit a few nice body shots. They come together again, and Delaney shows quick hands to get in three nice shots. Plaice definitely felt them. Neither fighter seems interested in taking this to the ground, they're just circling, throwing a few punches, then regrouping. Plaice is struggling to inflict much damage. He may need to switch tactics, as so far Delaney is looking very comfortable. Plaice comes in with left, but Delaney saw it coming and slipped in a great right hand counter punch. Plaice is getting frustrated. The remainder of the round is no different, as the occasional exchanges of strikes are clearly go the way of Delaney's superior technique. The round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Delaney.

Round 2
Delaney starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Plaice on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Delaney to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Plaice, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Delaney, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Plaice is looking a little lost so far, Delaney is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. Delaney looks to be working an angle. Delaney leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Plaice was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Plaice comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Plaice is that although Delaney clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. The second round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Delaney.

Round 3
Delaney and Plaice circle to start. Plaice throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Delaney sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Plaice comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Delaney to slip a nice jab in, catching Plaice just underneath the right eye. Delaney comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Plaice misses with a right cross, then backs off. Delaney stalks him, forcing Plaice back up against the cage. Delaney doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Plaice throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Delaney pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Plaice covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Delaney in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Delaney throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Plaice comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Delaney parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Delaney's favour. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Delaney. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

A disappointing end for the Onslaught as Delaney was clearly dominant in the fight, but his inability to finish his man cost his team the point. Score 0-0.

Middleweight Division

Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-3) v. Greg Atteveld, Outlaws (15-10)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Atteveld works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Cole backed up against the cage. Atteveld gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Cole, who uses his legs well to defend. Atteveld pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Cole gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Atteveld follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Atteveld hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Cole tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Cole leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Atteveld.

Round 2
Atteveld starts strong, hitting a nice low kick and following in with a shot to the body. Cole backs off, but just gets pushed up against the cage. Atteveld presses the advantage and works a nice hook to the body. Cole responds with an attempted sweep, and when that doesn't work, a punch that lands behind the ear. Atteveld gets in a low kick as he backs off, and the fight returns towards the center. Atteveld comes in fast and low and takes Cole down to the mat by the legs. Nicely done. He keeps hold of one leg, and applies a leglock. That was all in one motion, Cole got taken by surprise. Atteveld sits back and wrenches in the hold, and that looks painful. Cole is holding on. He tries to twist free, but it's on tight. Cole gives in and taps out. Official time of the leglock submission is 2:57 of the second round. (*)

As expected the much more experienced Atteveld outshines the youngster. His win here could move him up in the rankings far enough to get him off of the Buffalo Outlaws roster. Outlaws 1, Onslaught 0.

Lightweight Division

Juan Pablo Rique, Onslaught (4-6) v. Marcus Speed, Outlaws (2-0)

Round 1
Speed leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Rique deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Rique uses a knee to the ribs before backing Speed up against the cage. Right hand from Speed connects though, that was well timed. Rique breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Speed was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Rique sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Speed fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Rique steps in to throw a right hand, but Speed was waiting on it and nails a massive kick to the head! Rique goes down in a heap, and that allows Speed the chance to come in to try and pound his way to victory. Rique covers up, but Speed is raining down punches from the half mount position. At least two hard shots get through. Speed moves up into side control, briefly looks like he is considering trying to take an arm, then goes back to teeing off on Rique's head with fists. Rique tries to wriggle free, but isn't really getting anywhere because Speed is lying right across his upper body. Speed uses his legs to ensnare Rique's right arm, and then starts firing off more and more punches. With only his left hand to try and block them, Rique is taking more punches than he is blocking. The referee is looking very closely at this, unless Rique does something dramatic pretty soon, I doubt this will go much longer. Speed stops to take a deep breath, then starts firing off another barrage. Rique takes at least three hard shots to the face during the attack, and that's enough for the referee, he calls an end to the match. Official time of the TKO is 5:52 of the first round. (*)

Wow, now that was a clean ass-kicking. I was surprised that it was let go that far. Clearly, with over 4 minutes left in the round Rique was going to take a lot more if the ref didn't step in. Speed gives the Outlaws a great 2-0 lead. A draw or win gives them the match.

Heavyweight Division

Thomas Smith, Onslaught (6-1) v. Milton Harvey, Outlaws (9-8)

Round 1
Smith comes out fast and quickly backs Harvey up, all the way up against the cage. Smith throws a series of rights and lefts; none of the strikes to the head got through, but two nice body shots did. He doesn't follow up though, instead keeping a few steps back, clearly not wanting to get tied up in a clinch. Harvey throws a low kick, then advances with some jabs, forcing Smith to back off a little. They meet in the center and exchange strikes, with Smith looking the crisper striker of the two, although without doing any real damage. Harvey shoots in for the takedown, but Smith sprawls and eventually pushes free. Right hand from Smith, then two jabs which both find their mark. Harvey bats away a third, then comes in hard and fast for a second takedown attempt. Smith sprawls again, but gets pushed all the way up against the cage. Harvey has a leg, but is low down to the ground and doesn't have the leverage to complete the takedown. He works to a better standing position, but has to lose the leg and grab a clinch instead. They both fire off some small punches from there. Harvey tries for a trip, but Smith avoids it and works free from the clinch. He returns to the center, clearly wanting a striking battle rather than a grappling match. Harvey follows, hands held high, and throws a couple of jabs. Smith connects with one instead though, and then with a looping right hand that catches Harvey above the eye. He felt that, but doesn't go down. Best strike of the round so far. Harvey throws a low kick. Smith comes in to strike again, but this time cannot sprawl quickly enough and gets taken down. Smith pulls guard. Unfortunately for Harvey, now that he has finally gotten the takedown, there's less than thirty seconds left. He tries to pass guard to get to side control, but Smith comfortably defends it until the round is over. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Smith.

Round 2
Two jabs from the left hand of Smith set up a hard waist-high kick, but Harvey steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Smith moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Harvey uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Smith finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Harvey is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Smith and Harvey clash in an exchange of punches. Harvey scores with a nice body shot, but a right hand tags him just above the eye, and he is dropped to a sitting position, temporarily stunned. Smith dives in from the side, blasting him with a further punch that puts Harvey on his back. Harvey covers up, but Smith is raining down punches from the half mount position. At least two hard shots get through. Smith moves up into side control, briefly looks like he is considering trying to take an arm, then goes back to teeing off on Harvey's head with fists. Harvey tries to wriggle free, but isn't really getting anywhere because Smith is lying right across his upper body. Smith uses his legs to ensnare Harvey's right arm, and then starts firing off more and more punches. With only his left hand to try and block them, Harvey is taking more punches than he is blocking. The referee is looking very closely at this, unless Harvey does something dramatic pretty soon, I doubt this will go much longer. Smith stops to take a deep breath, then starts firing off another barrage. Harvey takes at least three hard shots to the face during the attack, and that's enough for the referee, he calls an end to the match. Smith wins via second round TKO at 2:12. (**)

Harvey seemed to be doing very well, and in great position to give the Outlaws the outright win, but Smith's striking power proved to be too much and the Onslaught get the win. 2-1 Outlaws

Light Heavyweight Division

Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-2) v. Christian Moutfield, Outlaws (5-2)

Round 1
The two fighters circle. Mountfield flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Detroit easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Mountfield could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Detroit moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Mountfield is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Mountfield forces Detroit back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Detroit in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Mountfield does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Detroit saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Mountfield turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Mountfield is up quickly, causing Detroit, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Mountfield was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Mountfield throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Detroit to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Detroit.

Round 2
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Detroit puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Mountfield defended well. Straight right from Mountfield in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Detroit probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Mountfield gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's not going to hide the fact that Detroit had the better of that round. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Detroit.

Round 3
Mountfield starts out with a few straight rights, range-finding rather than actually dangerous. Detroit keeps out of their way. Mountfield steps forward and tries to unload with a looping left, but Detroit moves to the side and fires off a powerful right hand of his own, landing above the left eye. Mountfield doesn't go down, but definitely felt that shot. Detroit moves in closer and fires off two punches to the face and a big hook to the body. Mountfield parried the first two, but the third hit home hard. Detroit begins to stalk Mountfield, who may be slightly winded. They meet again in the center and exchange blows. Mountfield hits a high jab but gets caught with another hard punch to the side of the head. Mountfield clinches up, stopping Detroit from following up. It looks like Mountfield needs to change his game plan, standing up and banging with Detroit is playing right into his opponent's hands, as Detroit clearly has the more powerful strikes in his arsenal, and Mountfield is going to get floored sooner or later, judging by this round. The referee parts them from the clinch. Detroit continues to look ready to unleash some big punches. Mountfield takes a takedown, then comes in much closer, throws a jab, and clinches back up. Mountfield looks like he is going to grapple, stopping Detroit from throwing bombs. Mountfield gets in a few short punches to the ribs. The round ends with them still in the clinch. Detroit will take that round on points, having used the threat of a knock out to basically control everything about that round except the clinches. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Detroit. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

And the Spokane Onslaught was that close to getting the tie. Very good match for Detroit, especially considering he was able to keep the fight up. In the end, the Buffalo Outlaws win the match 2-1 over the Spokane Onslaught.

Main Show

Lightweight Division

#4 Mario De Souza (12-6) v. #6 Charles Stiles (8-1-1)

Round 1
They start the round with an exchange of strikes, all from fairly long range as they circle and try to work angles. None of the blows did any damage, either missing or being straight into the opponent's gloves. Stiles is the first to land a worthwhile blow, hitting a straight right that catches de Souza on the side of the cheek. Stiles follows up by backing him up against the cage, throws a couple of big punches, but gets pulled into a clinch without doing any serious damage. de Souza goes for a trip and almost gets it, but Stiles is able to regain his footing at the last moment. de Souza has Stiles against the cage, and hits three right hands to the side of the ribs. Stiles reaches down and picks up a leg, using that as leverage to topple de Souza, who pulls guard. Stiles starts pounding away and does some damage before de Souza grapples and pulls him down into a clinch. de Souza has both of Stiles's arms tied up, preventing much in the way of attacking action. Stiles uses some shoulder shrugs to the face, but de Souza isn't going to be too bothered by that. Stiles pulls one arm free. de Souza still has tight control of the other, and brings his legs up, trying to apply an armbar. Stiles sees it coming and blocks it easily, getting in a couple of punches for good measure. Stiles steps through the legs and forces de Souza to release the arm so that he can cover up against a series of strikes. de Souza manages to ensare one leg though, and so Stiles has to make do with being in half guard instead of getting the full mount that he wanted. Stiles hits a couple of punches, takes one back, then attempts to get side control. de Souza keeps him at bay. Time is ticking away, if Stiles is going to use this position to finish the match, it had better be done soon. Stiles pulls de Souza's left arm to one side and straightens it out, perhaps looking to turn it into an armbar. de Souza rolls over to stop the arm getting trapped. Stiles continues to work for it though. Time expires though, the round is over. The first round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Stiles by 10-9.

Round 2
The round starts with some tentative striking. Both fighters look to be using their strikes merely to keep the opponent off-balance while they work for an angle for a takedown, rather than actually trying to inflict too much damage. de Souza goes for the first takedown, but Stiles has it well-scouted and they merely end up in a clinch. They tussle, ending up all the way back against the cage. Both fighters try trips, but neither gets anything. Finally, the referee steps in and separates them. Stiles storms back in almost immediately and takes de Souza down, into guard. It's hard to say whether that was just a good takedown or whether de Souza just had a lapse in concentration. Stiles tries to pass the guard but can't, with de Souza employing a rubber guard now. There's a definite stalemate, de Souza is defending very well but isn't really offering any attacking threat or really trying to get out of this predicament. Stiles makes a big effort to pass, and manages to get to half guard, but de Souza has him tied up pretty well all the same. Time is ticking away, what has been a very tame round looks set to end without much in the way of highlights. It'll have to go to Stiles on points, the takedown is really the only noteworthy thing that has happened. The second round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Stiles.

Round 3
Stiles pushes de Souza up against the cage in a clinch. Stiles throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. de Souza pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. Stiles took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops Stiles against the cage, and de Souza follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls de Souza away, he wins the match by TKO. de Souza wins via TKO at 1:16 of the third round. (*)

I had a feeling that De Souza was going to win this fight, but Stiles showed good control through the fight. I have to question the chin of Stiles after getting knocked down and tko-ed by a jiu-jitsu fighter.

Light Heavyweight Division

#1 Anthony LeToussier (13-5) v. #7 Ricky Heath (9-3)

Round 1
Heath starts the round by throwing some low kicks. LeToussier checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Heath doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Heath cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch LeToussier with a beauty of a right hook. LeToussier stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Heath presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. LeToussier clinches. They remain clinched for a while. LeToussier scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Heath in the gut. Heath uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Heath gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. LeToussier reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Heath has his left arm straightened out, fortunately LeToussier has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Heath from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Heath tries to step over and fully apply it, but LeToussier breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Heath steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. LeToussier hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Heath will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Heath.

Round 2
Heath makes LeToussier back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Heath throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. LeToussier lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Heath by surprise, putting him down! LeToussier follows up and starts raining down right hands. Heath covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls LeToussier off, the match is over. The official time is 1:22. (***)

See? See? What did I say? Heath had his chance, and it was a really good one in the opening round. But ultimately it was LeToussier's power that ended the fight. He is a beast of a striker and that made for a quick end to the battle.

Heavyweight Division

#4 Stratos Papaioannou (20-4) v. #5 Harry Milne (20-6)

Round 1
Milne is forced onto the backfoot almost immediately, having to retreat to avoid a series of sharp jabs. He ends up with his back to the cage, with Papaioannou advancing. A sharp right misses, and Milne takes the opportunity to pull Papaioannou in to a tight clinch against the cage. Papaioannou tries to break free, but cannot. It looks like we know the strategies for this round already; Papaioannou wants to stand and bang, Milne wants to keep things at close quarters. Papaioannou tries for an elbow, but only succeeds in getting turned around so that he is now the one against the cage. Trip from Milne, and we're down to the ground. Milne has side control, but Papaioannou has landed with his left hand side against the cage, so that side of the body is basically safe for now. Milne will have to try to work the right-hand side, and starts by ramming a knee into the ribs. Papaioannou tries to squirm into a better position, but Milne puts a stop to that with a stiff elbow to the stomach. Milne tries to work a kimura on the right arm, but Papaioannou defends it. Papaioannou manages to bring a knee up and catch Milne in the side, something of a cheeky move given his position. Milne responds with five or six rapid-fire right hands to the face, but Papaioannou covers up and doesn't take any serious damage at all. Time is ticking away though, and so far Milne may be easily winning the round, but he is not taking full advantage of this great position. Milne tries to float over into a mount, but Papaioannou uses the cage to push away and manages to unbalance Milne enough to get to a kneeling position, then standing, albeit back into a clinch. A knee from Milne is the last action of the round. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-8 to Milne.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. Papaioannou throws out a jab, but Milne bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Milne works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Papaioannou covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Milne is making Papaioannou look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Papaioannou hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. Milne looks to be working an angle. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Milne got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Papaioannou slightly. Papaioannou initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Papaioannou looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Milne is clearly winning them. Papaioannou needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Milne tries a speculative high kick, but Papaioannou saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Papaioannou tries to work an angle, but Milne is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Milne, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Milne.

Round 3
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before Papaioannou throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Milne's jaw, but it is parried. Milne steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. Papaioannou moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Milne put a lot of weight behind it. Papaioannou hits a nice jab, then clinches. Milne hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. Papaioannou hits a low kick to the leg. Milne bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. Papaioannou goes down! Good shot from Milne! He tries to follow up and pound on Papaioannou, but Papaioannou is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Milne, sensing that Papaioannou is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. Papaioannou ends up backed up against the cage. Milne gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by Papaioannou, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Milne has in his hands is really posing Papaioannou some problems. The clinch drags on, with Milne unable to break free, and the round ends like that. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Milne. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

Milne could have won this fight twice, and Papa looked bad. Even though it ends in a draw, Milne has to feel good about his performance.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Matthew Dean (10-2) v. Challenger - #1 Fernando Amaro (15-3)

Round 1
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. Dean throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble Amaro. Kick to the thigh from Amaro, but it lacked power. Dean with a body shot. Amaro advances, right hand looking ready to strike, but Dean isn't giving him the angle that he wants. Dean darts in unexpectedly but misses with a left cross, and takes a hard body shot from Amaro. That's enough to put him down, although replays show that he already seemed to be stumbling when it hit, it's hard to say for sure whether he wasn't already on his way down anyway. Either way, Amaro follows up, smelling victory. A clubbing blow from Amaro connects, hitting home across the left cheek. Amaro gets into full mount, Dean is in enormous trouble from this position. Right hands rain down, and Dean can only cover up. One or two got through though, and there's blood coming from a cut below his left eye. Amaro pulls back and throws an absolute bomb, Dean brought his hands up to block but could do almost nothing against it, that had power to spare. Dean looks groggy, and that allows Amaro to start throwing a barrage of rights and lefts to the face. The referee has seen enough, he doesn't think Dean can defend himself, this match is over. Amaro wins via TKO at 1:06 of the first round. Fernando Amaro is the new GAMMA Middleweight champion.(**)

And that my friends is what happends when you are undeserving of the respect that you demand. Amaro could hold this title for a while, and I would guess that Dean is going to drop right out of the rankings. There are some very good fighters here in the Middleweight Division. Fernando Amaro is the new Champ.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (9-0-1) v. Challenger - #8 Peter Bracewell (17-7)

Round 1
Bracewell moves in quickly to begin, trapping Regueiro against the cage. The advantage doesn't last long though, as Regueiro uses his superior wrestling ability to turn the tables and gain the upper hand. Knee to the thigh by Regueiro, then a solid punch to the shoulder. Bracewell tries to get a punch in, but Regueiro uses his grappling to gain a better position and put a stop to that. Bracewell squirms free and away from the cage. Bracewell drives Regueiro up against the cage and sweeps him for an astonishingly easy takedown. Bracewell seems to be feeling it, he starts raining down punches! A big shot catches Regueiro right in the mouth, followed closely by one above the right eye. This could all be over very soon, Regueiro is getting creamed. Bracewell fires off another big punch, this time grazing the ear...but Regueiro suddenly snaps his guard shut, catching an overconfident Bracewell in a triangle choke! It looks like Regueiro lured him into that one. Bracewell tries to fight it, but he is caught and looks like he is fading fast. Regueiro squeezes even harder. Bracewell taps out! It's over. Official time of the triangle choke submission is 2:16 of the first round. Julio Regueiro successfully retains the GAMMA Welterweight title. (**)

That was an exciting match, just when you thought that Bracewell was going to execute his plan successfully, Juilo shows his patience and skill by finding a mistake that Bracewell makes. Julio hasn't gotten a lot of respect in the Welterweight Division either, and even though Bracewell isn't the top contnender for the title, is should still move Rugueiro up in the eyes of the fans.

Fans were underwhelmed with the card, but we still managed to gain popularity in 59 regions, while losing pop in 2. Still we made pretty good money for it.

Andrew Rush was injured in his fight and is going to be out for close to 2 months. That hurts. It looks like when he comes back he will move to one of the teams and fight there for a while. There is a good chance that he is going to take the place of Stuart Strange, as long as Strange keeps winning.

PilotMan

12-26-2007, 09:32 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown has announced their first TV Special set for National Pride TV, during the second week of September. That is 3 weeks away.

GAMMA: Meltdown Fight Card

Austin Rush v. Durham Red Raiders

Kenny Magilton III (4-1) v. Malcom O' Hearn (4-2-1)
Darren Southall (1-1-1) v. #8 Simon Vine (7-3)
Drew Jenks (3-0) v. Jethro Munter (1-2)
Vincent Chapin (10-7) v. Martin Stevens (7-0-1)
Lloyd McAllister (3-0) v. #4 Stuart Strange (9-3)

Main Show

#4 Doug Hansen (14-3) v. #5 Geoff Cahill (21-13)
#5 Jason Dalglish (9-2) v. #4 Rodolphe Gygax (16-7)
#7 Tucker Plumm (13-7) v. #8 Davis Spyrou (11-4)
Eddie Whelan (10-2) v. #7 Stafford Alois (18-7)

Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title Fight

Champion Zvonimir Asanovic (10-1) v. Challenger #2 Garry McSweegan (12-2)

PilotMan

12-26-2007, 09:32 PM

We extended the deals of Ricky Heath, Greg Atteveld, Peter Bracewell, Christian Mountfield, Julio Regeuiro, Anthony LeToussier, Mario De Souza, Marcus Speed, Dana Delaney, Alex Cole, and Charles Stiles. The contracts of current Buffalo Outlaws Heavyweight, Milton Harvey, Spokane Onslaught lightweight, Juan Pable Rique, and Buffalo Outlaws welterweight, Keith Plaice are not going to be extended. Each of them has one fight remaining until they become free agents.

We have hired Will Kane and Curt Kitson from BCF. Kane recently ran his record to 8-0 and is the #4 Pound for Pound fighter in the BCF. Kitson is the #3 Pound for Pound man, and has a record of 10-3. Both men are going to be exclusive to our promotion and will be locked down for close to two years.

Fernando Amaro, the Worlds #1 Middleweight and GAMMA Middleweight Champion was resigned. He had been on a rolling contract, but now is on a set premiere deal for us.

Gordon Idle and Aleksei Chekhov from BCF have signed deals with us. Idle has an exclusive deal and Chekhov has a shared deal. That should be interesting since he is the top Heavyweight in the BCF.

Weigh-ins for GAMMA: Meltdown were yesterday, and everyone made weight. The biggest spreads are between Marvin Stevens (265) and Vincent Chapin (210) and Eddie Whelan (206) and Stafford Alois (239).

PilotMan

12-26-2007, 09:34 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown I Previews

Austin Rush v. Durham Red Raiders

Kenny Magilton III (4-1) v. Malcom O' Hearn (4-2-1)

This fight is going to the ground between the jiu-jitsu and ground and pound fighters. O' Hearn could have the advantage with his better conditioning, but the experts are still fingering Magilton for the win and a 1-0 for Austin.

Darren Southall (1-1-1) v. #8 Simon Vine (7-3)

This fight is going to be solved on the ground as well. Southall, a jiu-jitsu fighter and Vine a ranked, Wrestler will fight for strength. Blurcat seems to think that Vine's experience is going to be enough of an advantage in an otherwise even fight. That would give Durham a point and even the score at 1-1.

Drew Jenks (3-0) v. Jethro Munter (1-2)

Another battle between two wrestlers. Munter was handled pretty easily in his last fight, but would like to stop Jenks win streak right here. Munter does have the striking advantage, and the experts think that his win will give Durham a 2-1 lead.

Vincent Chapin (10-7) v. Martin Stevens (7-0-1)

Another battle between two wrestlers (funny how that works out isn't it?) Chapin has been ranked but Stevens is undefeated. Stevens has a huge weight advantage here, and on the ground that will be significant. Can Chapin's agility help him enough here? Blurcat says so. A Chapin win evens the score at 2-2.

Lloyd McAllister (3-0) v. #4 Stuart Strange (9-3)

Strange has a natural advantage here and is ranked quite highly. McAllister is a kick boxer and will be at his best if he can keep off of his back. Strange can hit hard too, but if he can put his Greco-Roman Wrestling backround to good use he should be able to grab the win. A Strange win here gives Durham the win at 3-2.

Main Show

#4 Doug Hansen (14-3) v. #5 Geoff Cahill (21-13)

This fight is up to Hansen. Both men are strikers, but Hansen's Judo backround gives him the advantage in grappling. It will be a tough test for him though, as Cahill is very experienced. Blurcat feels that Hansen will take it to the mat for the win.

#5 Jason Dalglish (9-2) v. #4 Rodolphe Gygax (16-7)

Grappler v. Striker here. Gygax is one of the best lightweight strikers around and Dalglish was the BCF Lightweight Champion before making the jump. He is a jiu-jitsu specialist and will be in control on the ground. Blurcat likes Dalglish for the win.

#7 Tucker Plumm (13-7) v. #8 Davis Spyrou (11-4)

Plumm is a striker, Sryrou a grappler, neither is really at advantage either standing or grappling. This really could go either way. Blurcat like Spyrou for the win.

Eddie Whelan (10-2) v. #7 Stafford Alois (18-7)

Whelan and Alois were both top heavyweights for the BCF and now they get to see who is better. Both are ferocious strikers, but Alois has a big weight advantage. If they make it to the ground Whelan has a serious advantage. Whelan, unranked, should jump if he gets the predicted win here.

Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title Fight

Champion Zvonimir Asanovic (10-1) v. Challenger #2 Garry McSweegan (12-2)

In the main event, the former BCF Heavyweight champ moves down a weight class and takes on the reigning champ. Asanovic is an accomplished grappler and while McSweegan is a powerful striker. The longer this fight goes the more that Asanovic has the advantage because of his conditioning and is expected to successfully defend his title.

PilotMan

12-27-2007, 08:42 AM

GAMMA: Meltdown
Broadcast late night, from Nevada, on National Pride TV.

Thursday, Week 2
September, 1996
Attendance: 1,539

Austin Rush v. Durham Red Raiders

Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-1) v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-2-1)

Round 1
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from O'Hearn, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. O'Hearn puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Magilton covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. Low kick from Magilton, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that O'Hearn will take the round on points. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to O'Hearn.

Round 2
Magilton is quickest out, and comes at O'Hearn with a series of jabs and straight punches. O'Hearn covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. O'Hearn hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Magilton who takes it to the ground. O'Hearn pulls guard. There's a lull, as Magilton tries to pass, and O'Hearn defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. O'Hearn almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Magilton, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. The second round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Magilton by 10-9.

Round 3
The fighters come together right in the center. Magilton throws out a jab, but O'Hearn bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. O'Hearn works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Magilton covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. O'Hearn is making Magilton look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Magilton hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. A looping left from O'Hearn, but it's wide of the mark. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. O'Hearn got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Magilton slightly. Magilton initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Magilton looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but O'Hearn is clearly winning them. Magilton needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. O'Hearn tries a speculative high kick, but Magilton saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Magilton tries to work an angle, but O'Hearn is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for O'Hearn, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to O'Hearn. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

O' Hearn does well, but is ultimately unable to finish off Magilton. I was very surprised to see both men stay standing for most of the fight, but advantage moves toward Durham as Austin really needed this point. If O' Hearn had won it, that might have been enough. 0-0

Darren Southall, Rush (1-1-1) v. #8 Simon Vine, Red Raiders (7-3)

Round 1
Vine throws a straight right, batted away by Southall. Vine goes for a second, but gets beaten to the punch as Southall scores with a kick that catches Vine across the outside of the knee. Southall throws another one, and this time it lands just above the same knee. Vine backs off slightly. Southall throws a high jab, then head-fakes and comes in with a left hook from low down. Vine fires back with a crisp right hand that connects to the shoulder rather than the face. Southall throws another fizzing low kick, again connecting with the knee. Vine tried to check it, but couldn't in time. Those strikes are going to add up soon and start reducing his mobility. Southall throws another kick, this time at chest-height, but it's merely a set-up to allow him to come in fast and start throwing a series of jabs. Vine covers up, throwing occasional straight rights in return. Southall backs off, but not before cracking another kick into the thigh region. Time is running down, Vine has failed to deal with those kicks, and it has definitely cost him this round, and possibly done some damage to his knee. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Southall.

Round 2
Vine is quickest out, and comes at Southall with a series of jabs and straight punches. Southall covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. Southall hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Vine who takes it to the ground. Southall pulls guard. There's a lull, as Vine tries to pass, and Southall defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. Southall almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Vine, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Vine.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. Vine flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Southall easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Vine could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Southall moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Vine is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Vine forces Southall back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Southall in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Vine does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Southall saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Vine turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Vine is up quickly, causing Southall, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Vine was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Vine throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Southall to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Southall. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

A surprisingly good showing from Southall, who looked really bad at Lightweight, and looked quite good at Welterweight. He really kept Vine from being able to do anything at all, and keeps Austin in the match. 0-0

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-0) v. Jethro Munter, Red Raiders (1-2)

Round 1
Very, very slow start to the round. Over a minute has gone before the first meaningful strike connects. It's Munter who hits it, scoring with a shot to the chest. Jenks fires back with a couple of jabs, both of which connect with the shoulder rather than the face where they were aimed. The two fighters come together in the center and exchange punches, neither getting the clear advantage. Jenks suddenly shoots in and goes for a takedown, but Munter manages to sprawl long enough to get them all the way back to the cage, which keeps him upright. Jenks tries to complete the takedown, but realises that the leverage isn't there and instead stands and clinches. Munter hits a couple of shots to the back. Jenks hits a stomp. Munter lifts his leg to go for a knee, but that gives Jenks the opportunity to lift him and slam him down to the ground. That was a hard slam! Jenks is on top, almost sitting on top of a balled-up Munter. He throws some hard downward punches, Munter defends most of them, although one hits hard above the eye. Jenks leaves his arm in for a second too long and Munter reaches up and almost gets an armbar. Jenks gets free though, although the effort puts him off-balance enough for him to stumble, giving Munter the opportunity to scramble back up. There's a nasty mark above the eye where the earlier punch connected though. They go back to circling each other. There's not much time left. Munter tries one last big attack, swinging for the fences with two bombs, but Jenks avoids both, adding a nice shot to the stomach after the second dodge. The round ends there. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Jenks.

Round 2
Good start from Jenks, taking Munter down almost immediately! Munter scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Jenks will be disappointed with that. Munter comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Jenks to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Munter felt that one for sure. He stalks Jenks, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Jenks keeps out of the way. Munter tries a kick, but Jenks catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Jenks gets Munter down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Jenks throws some punches, then tries to pass. Munter doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Jenks easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Jenks followed by a pass attempt, with Munter blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Jenks.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Jenks forces Munter back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Jenks is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Munter clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Munter gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Jenks seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Munter who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Jenks had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Jenks ducks a right hand, but steps forward right into a brutal left cross! Munter put so much power on that swing that he almost floored himself. Jenks goes down, stunned. Munter dives on top and starts punching away, landing several big shots. The referee has seen enough, and pulls Munter off, ending the match. Munter wins via 3rd round TKO with the official time being 3:30. (*)

I really thought that Jenks was going to dominate this fight, but Munter is able to sneak in with a big shot. The fight was really boring, but hopefully we won't get killed too badly. Durham gets the first point of the match 1-0.

Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-7) v. Martin Stevens, Red Raiders (7-0-1)

Round 1
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Chapin, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Chapin puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Stevens covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. Chapin looks to be working an angle. Low kick from Stevens, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Chapin will take the round on points. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Chapin.

Round 2
Not the most interesting of starts to the round, it's mainly a lot of circling. The referee apparently gets bored, as he tells them to get on with it and fight. Stevens complies, firing off a dangerous right cross, narrowly missing. Chapin throws a couple of stiff jabs, but they only find gloves. Stevens fakes left, then comes in from the right, hitting a nice body blow. Chapin steps forward and unleashes a big kick, thundering it into Stevens's ribs. He felt that one for sure. Chapin follows up by hitting a right hand too. Stevens finds himself backed up against the cage. Chapin advances, and throws a scythe-like kick to the legs. Stevens can't get out of the way, and almost gets felled by the impact. Chapin steps in and scores with a high head kick. Stevens partially blocked it with his hands, which was probably the only thing stopping it from being a knock out blow. Stevens gets a right hand jab out in response, then pulls Chapin into a clinch. Knee strike from Chapin. They break. Stevens still looks hurt from that first kick. Chapin gets in close and gives a receipt for that earlier body blow, nailing a right hand to the gut. Stevens hits a jab to the cheek in response, then clinches again. Time runs down, the round will end before anything more can happen. Chapin has used those powerful kicks to dominate this round. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Chapin.

Round 3
The round begins with Stevens taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Chapin replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Stevens goes for the takedown, but Chapin sprawls. Stevens tries to power through, but Chapin uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Stevens defend this. Chapin is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Stevens isn't allowing it. Stevens pulls Chapin in tight, locking up both his arms. Chapin pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Chapin tries a big right hand, which Stevens defends well. He has quite a high guard, Chapin has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Stevens once again drags Chapin down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Chapin easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Chapin trying to pass guard. Stevens tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Chapin, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Chapin scores with a jab, then a second. Stevens goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Chapin enough time to take him down again. Chapin quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Stevens once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Chapin on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Chapin. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

The weight advantage did prove to be enough for Stevens. Chapin will be frustrated that he was unable to get the win here, and Stevens will be happy that he was able to keep the lead at 1-0 for Durham.

Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-0) v. #4 Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (9-3)

Round 1
Strange hits the first punch of the round, scoring with a jab to the cheek. McAllister throws a left hook in response, but it's well wide of the mark. Strange steps in and hits a low kick. McAllister ignores it and shoots in for a takedown. Strange saw it coming though, and defends it brilliantly, sprawling at first, then pushing McAllister face-down to the ground so that he can take his back. McAllister turtles up. Strange hits a couple of hard shots to the body, but can't stop McAllister working his way up and turning over, pulling guard. Strange tries to work free from the guard, but can't. McAllister reaches up to try and bring Strange down into a clinch, but the attempt gets swatted away. Strange fires off a couple of punches, leaning forward to get some leverage, and McAllister is forced to cover up. Strange switches and starts firing off some rapid-fire shots to the chest, McAllister deals with it by pulling the guard tighter and punching upward. Strange looks like he is happy to sit there and throw punches at his leisure, with no real effort to pass guard. McAllister occasionally tries to roll his hips to get free, but it may be that he has realised that this round is beyond saving, and is just making sure that he doesn't put himself into a position to be knocked out or submitted by trying to escape. Indeed, time ticks away with nothing breaking the pattern of occasional strikes and defensive positioning. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Strange.

Round 2
McAllister is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Strange with a jab to the cheek. Strange uses a nice straight left to return fire. McAllister comes in to work the body, but Strange saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put McAllister onto the floor, falling into guard. McAllister has the guard held very high. Strange throws a big right hand, but almost puts himself right into a triangle as a result, and he is forced to fight free. McAllister throws a punch and it lands right above the nose. Strange throws four massive punches as a response, threatening to try and knock McAllister right through the canvas, McAllister is forced to simply cover up and try to survive. Strange is controlling the round from this position, although it has to be said that he hasn't yet truly looked like he can stop the match from here. McAllister moves to butterfly guard and then tries to scramble back up, but Strange stops that by throwing another set of big punches, forcing McAllister to go back to the full guard. The round ends with them still like that, with Strange having totally controlled the round from the guard. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Strange.

Round 3
Strange comes out fast, but gets hit with a counter right hand strike when he throws a left hand which was too high. McAllister moves in and hits a nice body shot before they clinch. Strange gets in a short, sharp jab to the side of the head, it looked to hit right on the ear. McAllister didn't like that, and scores with two knee strikes and a punch to the cheek. They break apart. McAllister swings and hits a nice right hand. Strange fires off a series of sharp jabs, all hitting gloves. He throws out a looping left, but gets tagged with a punch to the jaw and stumbles to the ground! McAllister dives in to finish him off, but he scrambles back up quickly and they end up facing off on their feet again. Replays show that the punch barely connected, it was more of a stumble on Strange's part than anything else. It might not look that way to the judges though. McAllister looks more confident after that, and puts together a nice chain of strikes, ending with a scathing low kick that catches Strange on the outside of the calf. He definitely felt that. Time runs out, the round is over. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McAllister. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

So Strange is unable to deal with the ground game of McAllister. Even though McAllister was supposed to be in trouble if he went to his back. This has to be disappointing and could hurt Strange in the overall rankings. StillMcAllister had to win to get points for the Rush, and without that Durham wins 1-0, and takes the three points.

Main Show

#4 Doug Hansen (14-3) v. #5 Geoff Cahill (21-13)

Round 1
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. Cahill is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as Hansen picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. Cahill throws a wild punch as a counter, but Hansen ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. Cahill gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that Cahill is looking for big punches, Hansen is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and Cahill manages to back Hansen up against the cage. Cahill takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but Hansen ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before Cahill can unload. Cahill may need to think about changing tactics, Hansen is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. Cahill fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching Hansen on the thigh. Hansen presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. Cahill gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Hansen.

Round 2
Cahill goes to the center, and immediately throws some jabs, looking to engage in a striking battle. Hansen doesn't commit though, instead circling and looking for an angle. Hansen comes in, ducks a right hand, then unleashes a flurry of punches. Cahill covers up at first, then throws a scathing right hand, but Hansen is already out of range. Hansen repeats the trick, working a new angle, darting in, then firing off strikes while keeping out of the way of any counter punches. It happens a third time, and Cahill is beginning to look frustrated. Hansen's footwork and general movement is looking good, Cahill is being made to look very slow and lumbering in comparison. Furthermore, Hansen is being able to launch multiple short bursts of offense without really being in any danger, Cahill has yet to hit any sort of meaningful punch, simply because Hansen is too quick. Cahill finally gets in close enough to grapple with Hansen, clinching up. Cahill scores a nice body punch, then steps back and goes for a vicious right hand, but Hansen bobs out of the way and hits a right hook of his own. Time is ticking away, and Cahill is well behind in this round, he needs to do something special. Cahill swings for the fences, but Hansen has no problem avoiding it. The round peters out. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hansen by 10-9.

Round 3
Hansen comes out fast, and looks like he is aiming for a quick takedown, but Cahill stops that plan with some looping punches. Solid right hand from Cahill connects, and that's the best moment of the opening minute of the round. Hansen is mainly defending against punches, it looks like he is trying to work an angle to try for a takedown. Cahill seems to have noticed, as he is purposely positioning against that. Straight left from Cahill, then a low kick, then a wicked body shot. Hansen felt that, and backs off. Hansen tries to get in for a clinch, perhaps looking for a takedown from that position, but Cahill gets him to back off with some jabs. Cahill has really been able to stamp his gameplan on this round, Hansen has been blocked at every turn. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Cahill. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

Another draw, I really hope the crowd isn't minding these fights. I did think that Hansen was going to take this fight, but it wasn't to be. This result isn't really going to help anyone.

#5 Jason Dalglish (9-2) v. #4 Rodolphe Gygax (16-7)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Gygax puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Dalglish defended well. Straight right from Dalglish in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Gygax probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Dalglish gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's not going to hide the fact that Gygax had the better of that round. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Gygax.

Round 2
Gygax and Dalglish circle to start. Dalglish throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Gygax sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Dalglish comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Gygax to slip a nice jab in, catching Dalglish just underneath the right eye. Gygax comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Dalglish misses with a right cross, then backs off. Gygax stalks him, forcing Dalglish back up against the cage. Gygax doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Dalglish throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Gygax pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Dalglish covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Gygax in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Gygax throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Dalglish comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Gygax parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Gygax's favour. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Gygax.

Round 3
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Dalglish that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. Dalglish throws out a few jabs, nothing too dangerous though, Gygax easily avoided them. Gygax ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Dalglish, although no damage has actually been done yet. Dalglish looks for an opening. Gygax leads with a right hand, then comes in for a quick takedown. Dalglish saw it coming and smartly turns out of the grapple, pushing Gygax to the ground, and ending up taking his back in a great defensive move. Gygax turtles up, and takes a few heavy shots to the ribs. Dalglish gets his legs around Gygax and uses them to roll him over. Exposed, Gygax tries to turn so that he is on top, but Dalglish has already rammed one arm around his throat and has a tight choke-hold applied. Gygax is in big trouble, and obviously can't see a way out as he taps out pretty quickly. Dalglish wins via third round rear choke submission at 2:51. (*)

Pretty good fight here. I was impressed with Dalglish, I thought that he might get taken out there in the second. This is going to hurt Gygax in the long run, and should be a boon for the young Dalglish.

#7 Tucker Plumm (13-7) v. #8 Davis Spyrou (11-4)

Round 1
They come together into a clich almost right away. Spyrou gets a knee in, but that's about the total sum of the action, and the referee separates them. Plumm moves in, but gets caught with a big kick to the legs that causes him to stumble to the mat. Spyrou came in fast to try and capitalise, but Plumm uses the guard well. Spyrou stands into a half-crouching position, dragging Plumm's guard with him. Plumm reaches up, parries away a couple of strikes, and tries to grab an arm to apply an armbar to. Spyrou knocks the attempt away and nails a hard shot to the ribs before reaching over and trying to nail a downward punch to the chin. Plumm blocks it. Spyrou floats over and gets into side control. Plumm scrambles to try and get back up, but is too close to the cage, which works against him. Spyrou lays in a couple of punches to the chest to soften Plumm up, then tries to move up and isolate one of the arms. Plumm makes sure to bring his body around to give him as much protection as possible. It works, as Spyrou can't get either arm isolated properly. Spyrou changes tactics and tries to get into crucifix position. Plumm fights it for as long as he possibly can, but eventually gets caught. The length of struggle is, in itself, a good defence though, as the round ends before Spyrou can do anything with the position he has achieved, which will frustrate him enormously. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Spyrou by 10-9.

Round 2
Plumm doesn't hold back, starting by immediately shooting in for a takedown. Spyrou sprawls and keeps him at bay. Plumm pushes harder, but Spyrou has the much better position and manages to flip him over, putting Plumm on his back. Spyrou gets sucked into his guard though. Spyrou tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Plumm is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Spyrou tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Spyrou connects, but there was no real power behind it. Spyrou fakes Plumm out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Plumm manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Spyrou switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Plumm blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Spyrou looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Plumm is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Spyrou tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Plumm is safe. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Spyrou.

Round 3
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Spyrou puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Plumm defended well. Straight right from Plumm in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Spyrou probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Plumm gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's not going to hide the fact that Spyrou had the better of that round. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Spyrou. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

A tough, even match with Spyrou not able to finish the fight. He will be sad to realize how close he came to coming out on top. Tucker Plumm should feel fortunate that he came away with the draw.

Eddie Whelan (10-2) v. #7 Stafford Alois (18-7)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Whelan throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Alois from coming inside. Whelan works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Alois responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Whelan backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Alois circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Whelan blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Whelan fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Alois covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Whelan though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Whelan throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Whelan.

Round 2
Alois with a jab. Alois looks to be working an angle. Big kick from Alois! That was out of nowhere, and hit Whelan on the jaw. I don't think anyone saw that coming, least of all Whelan, and he has been laid out cold with one massively powerful kick. Official time of the knock out is 0:38 of the second. (**)

Stafford Alois with a huge, exciting finish to the match. So much for Whelan riding to the top of the division anytime soon. In fact, I am kind of hoping that he is willing to move down to the Light Heavyweight division as he would be better off there.

Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title Fight

Champion Zvonimir Asanovic (10-1) v. Challenger #2 Garry McSweegan (12-2)

Round 1
McSweegan throws a straight right, batted away by Asanovic. McSweegan goes for a second, but gets beaten to the punch as Asanovic scores with a kick that catches McSweegan across the outside of the knee. Asanovic throws another one, and this time it lands just above the same knee. McSweegan backs off slightly. Asanovic throws a high jab, then head-fakes and comes in with a left hook from low down. McSweegan fires back with a crisp right hand that connects to the shoulder rather than the face. Asanovic throws another fizzing low kick, again connecting with the knee. McSweegan tried to check it, but couldn't in time. Those strikes are going to add up soon and start reducing his mobility. Asanovic throws another kick, this time at chest-height, but it's merely a set-up to allow him to come in fast and start throwing a series of jabs. McSweegan covers up, throwing occasional straight rights in return. Asanovic backs off, but not before cracking another kick into the thigh region. Time is running down, McSweegan has failed to deal with those kicks, and it has definitely cost him this round, and possibly done some damage to his knee. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Asanovic by 10-9.

Round 2
Asanovic scores the first meaningful blow of the round, hitting a powerful overhand right that thumped past the gloves. McSweegan shakes it off though, and scores with a nice low kick to the outside of the thigh. He steps in to throw some strikes, but Asanovic moves to a new angle and scores with a series of jabs. McSweegan turns and swings a heavy right hand, but Asanovic goes underneath it and hits a wicked kick to the gut. That exchange really showed the difference between the two fighters; Asanovic looks light on his feet and very agile, McSweegan looks slow and sluggish by comparison. McSweegan will need to find a way to nullify Asanovic's footwork, perhaps by getting in close, as he has been picked apart for the first half of this round. Asanovic darts in again, and gets in a nice flurry. McSweegan manages to hit a crisp jab in return, but one of Asanovic's punches caught him above the eye, leaving a mark, so he came off the worse from that exchange. The round ends without any further big strikes happening, Asanovic controlling the round with his superior movement. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Asanovic.

Round 3
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. McSweegan throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Asanovic from coming inside. McSweegan works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Asanovic responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. McSweegan backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Asanovic circles and throws a series of high jabs, but McSweegan blocked them with ease, using the gloves. McSweegan fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Asanovic covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from McSweegan though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. McSweegan throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McSweegan.

Round 4
The round begins, and it is Asanovic who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. McSweegan defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Asanovic works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. McSweegan ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Asanovic down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of McSweegan. Interesting first minute of action, Asanovic is looking particularly sharp. McSweegan tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Asanovic back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. McSweegan tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Asanovic scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. They square up to each other in the center. Asanovic throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches McSweegan on the side of the head. McSweegan got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Asanovic has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. McSweegan tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Asanovic defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Asanovic.

Round 5
The round starts. They touch gloves. McSweegan throws a rapid-fire series of punches, forcing Asanovic to back off. Asanovic throws a nice kick that thumps into the rib cage. Another kick is thrown, this time aimed at the head, but McSweegan sees it coming and steps back. Asanovic advances and they meet in the center. McSweegan ducks a right hand, scores with a left to the gut. Asanovic throws a one-two combination, neither connecting, but it does allow him to follow up with a stinging kick to the ribs. A big red mark has appeared there. McSweegan bursts forward and goes for a big swing, Asanovic ducks under it, hits a right to the chest, then unloads another kick. This one hits the thigh, causing McSweegan to noticeably wince. It may have caught the very top of the knee judging from the replays. McSweegan tries to come in to get a measure of revenge, but is met with some low kicks that make sure that he can't get close enough to throw any bombs. Asanovic's impressively sharp kicking game is hurting McSweegan and allowing him to take firm control of this round. There's not much time left, and McSweegan is going to have to do something special to win this round now. He doesn't, as time expires without anything interesting happening. End of round 5. Blurcat.com gives that one to Asanovic by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Asanovic shows his meddle by keeping the striking power of McSweegan away with very sharp kicks. McSweegan didn't really land anything that would be particularly damaging. Asanovic retains his GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title. The crowd was really unhappy with the way the whole thing went down. Although we did gain pop in 44 regions, we lost in 4. That can't keep happening. The last fight was supposed to be a real barnburner but in the end it wasn't that hot at all. As a matter of fact, most of the fights were less that stellar.

PilotMan

12-27-2007, 08:46 AM

Malcom O' Hearn was injured and will be out for a couple of months. That should be ok though, and won't be a factor in the team competition.

The Spokane Onslaught have replaced Fatuma Roy with Ed Whelan on their roster. Roy is currently ranked in the top 10 of the Heavyweight division.

The Buffalo Outlaws have replaced Tony McCall with Rav Kapur on their roster. McCall is currently ranked in the top 10 in the Heavyweight division.

The Buffalo Outlaws also replaced Greg Atteveld, who is in the top 10, with former GAMMA Middleweight Champion, Matthew Dean. Dean was a fish out of water, and I know he would like a shot, but he will have to start here.

The Austin Rush have replaced Noach Van Der Capella with Gordon Idle. Idle has just come over from the BCF, and Capella is a top 10 fighter.

PilotMan

12-27-2007, 08:48 AM

We go back to PPV with a pretty good card featuring a match for the GAMMA Heavyweight Championship. Here is the card, set to take place in Dallas, Texas.

GAMMA: Hughes v. McCall
Friday, Week 1
October, 1996

Special Attraction Match

Lightweight Division

#5 Jackson Grey (9-3) v. #3 Mario de Souza (13-6)

Welterweight Division

#7 Allan Kendall (10-2) v. #10 Linfield Ballard (11-7)

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (0-0-1, 1pt) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-1-0, 0pt)

Ian Linderman (2-2) v. Juan Pablo Rique (4-7)
#9 Carl Ratcliffe (8-3) v. Alex Cole (5-4)
Luis Basora (7-0-1) v. David Allen (4-2)
Steve Mason (2-0-1) v. Thomas Smith (7-1)
Mike Watson (2-0) v. Elgar (10-4)

Main Show

Lightweight Division

#8 Duane Weatherly (10-7) v. #6 Beau Gorshin (22-14)

Light Heavyweight Division

#6 Rob Baines (10-2) v. #7 Aleksei Chekhov (9-2)

Middleweight Division

#3 Dan Halvorsen (22-11-3) v. #10 Petey Mack (7-1)

Welterweight Division

#1 Jack Humphreys (12-2) v. #6 Lukas Mellberg (10-0)

Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (11-0) v. Challenger #7 Tony McCall (20-4)

PilotMan

12-28-2007, 08:01 PM

[LEFT][B]GAMMA: Hughes v. McCall[/B]
Friday, Week 1
October, 1996
Dallas, Texas
Attendance: 3,318

[U][B]Special Attraction Match[/B][/U]

[B]Lightweight Division[/B]

[U]#5 Jackson Grey (9-3) v. #3 Mario de Souza (13-6)[/U]

Round 1
Slow start to the round, they're both circling, looking for an opening. de Souza tries a looping punch from way back, but Gray side steps with ease. Jab from Gray, gets one back in response. de Souza comes in, looking for the right hand lead, but Gray shoots in and uses a double-leg takedown. He winds up in a closed guard. The fight falls into a lull as a pattern develops; Gray punctuating attempts to pass guard with some sharp punches to the body and face, while de Souza parries away any big blows and puts all of his effort into making sure Gray doesn't get a better position. Things heat up as Gray manages to break the guard and get through into a half mount. de Souza hits a nice clean right hand in response. Gray throws a couple of hard punches to the stomach. He has one leg trapped, and is trying to pull that free so that he can move further up the body and really start pounding away. de Souza knows that having the leg trapped is his key to not ending up in huge trouble, and so has it locked up tight. Gray tries a half-hearted attempt at a kimura, but de Souza defends it well. The round ends with Gray still unable to transition into side control, although he has landed enough shots to have lit up de Souza's upper body with red marks, and definitely won the round on points. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Gray.

Round 2
Gray starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but de Souza avoids it without too much trouble. Gray isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with de Souza getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Gray finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. de Souza opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Gray is backed up against the cage, covering up. de Souza clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Gray hits a knee strike to the hip. de Souza slips one leg behind Gray and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Gray landed hard, with de Souza on top. They're in half guard. It's to Gray's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking de Souza from attacking the left hand side of the body. Gray is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. de Souza tries to step over to mount, but Gray keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. de Souza fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Gray doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. de Souza isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Gray ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before de Souza can get free. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 de Souza.

Round 3
They circle to begin the round. de Souza throws two short jabs, then a long-range looping right hand. Gray had to be on his toes to get out of the way, and does. de Souza goes to follow up, and narrowly avoids walking right into a right cross. He bobs underneath it, then comes in fast with a right hand. Gray parries it with his gloves, then shoots in and scores with a nice takedown. de Souza tries to sprawl, but was too late and can only pull guard as he crash-lands to the ground. Gray fires off a couple of tentative punches, testing out the guard of de Souza. Gray tries to pass the guard, but can't, de Souza isn't going to let him get a better position, as he knows that Gray will start raining down punches. Gray tries a big right hand, but it's easily defended. de Souza gets a punch of his own in, but it didn't connect properly. Gray again tries to get past the guard, but again is foiled. It's turned into a bit of a stalemate, although the referee probably won't stand them up as long as the punches continue to flow. Gray fakes an elbow before trying to pass the guard for a third time, and briefly has side mount, but de Souza fought it hard and gets back to guard within seconds. Butterfly guard by de Souza, and Gray is having trouble generating any attacking threat. He'll probably win the round as he has been more aggressive, but de Souza has defended the danger well. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Gray. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

[I]Yeah, so it wasn't the most exciting fight on the planet, much more of a defensive struggle. I was expecting a little more offense out of De Souza, but with both guys using a counter-attacking strategy there isn't a whole lot of attacking. That isn't going to really hurt either one of these two fighters in the rankings.[/I]

[U][B]Special Attraction Match[/B][/U]

[B]Welterweight Division[/B]

[U]#7 Allan Kendall (10-2) v. #10 Linfield Ballard (11-7)[/U]

Round 1
Ballard goes to the center, and immediately throws some jabs, looking to engage in a striking battle. Kendall doesn't commit though, instead circling and looking for an angle. Kendall comes in, ducks a right hand, then unleashes a flurry of punches. Ballard covers up at first, then throws a scathing right hand, but Kendall is already out of range. Kendall repeats the trick, working a new angle, darting in, then firing off strikes while keeping out of the way of any counter punches. It happens a third time, and Ballard is beginning to look frustrated. Kendall's footwork and general movement is looking good, Ballard is being made to look very slow and lumbering in comparison. Furthermore, Kendall is being able to launch multiple short bursts of offense without really being in any danger, Ballard has yet to hit any sort of meaningful punch, simply because Kendall is too quick. Ballard finally gets in close enough to grapple with Kendall, clinching up. Ballard scores a nice body punch, then steps back and goes for a vicious right hand, but Kendall bobs out of the way and hits a right hook of his own. Time is ticking away, and Ballard is well behind in this round, he needs to do something special. Ballard swings for the fences, but Kendall has no problem avoiding it. The round peters out. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Kendall.

Round 2
Bright start from Kendall, he bounds over and starts unloading with a flurry of jabs and straight rights, bobbing and weaving the entire time to avoid Ballard's counter punches. Ballard tries to score with a lunging overhand right, but Kendall side-steps it and catches him with a crunching punch to the jaw. Ballard backs off quickly, dazed, it's a surprise that he didn't go down from that. Kendall follows up, hoping to capitalise on the situation, and bombards Ballard with punches. Ballard covers up at first, then grabs Kendall and uses a clinch to prevent the attack from getting worse. They get stuck like that for a while, which works in Ballard's favour as it gives him plenty of time to recover properly. They are finally parted. Ballard goes looking for revenge, firing off several enormous punches, trying to take Kendall's head off, but Kendall is far too quick at the moment, and almost dances his way out of the way of each strike, tagging Ballard with flicked jabs as counters. Kendall's movement is noticeably better than Ballard, who is really struggling to generate any sort of meaningful attack simply because he is struggling to hit the constantly moving target that is Kendall. They exchange strikes in the center, and for the first time Ballard gets a few blows in, as Kendall looks to be tiring a little. It won't be enough to get Ballard the round though, Kendall has clearly won this on points and there's only a few seconds left. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Kendall.

Round 3
Kendall isn't hanging around, right from the start Ballard is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Ballard circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Kendall weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Kendall, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Ballard is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Kendall really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Ballard was wide open for a moment there. Kendall hits a high kick, catching Ballard on the shoulder. Jab from Ballard finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Kendall fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Ballard scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Kendall, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. End of round 3. Blurcat.com gives that one to Kendall by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

[I]Kendall should be upset that he didn't take out Ballard, who couldn't stand with him during the fight. Another draw and I can feel the anticipation for the fights waning. Ballard really had no answer for Kendall whose abilites were much better than his own.[/I]

[U][B]Pittsburgh Cyclopes (0-0-1, 1pt) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-1-0, 0pt)[/B][/U]

[U]Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (2-2) v. Juan Pablo Rique, Onslaught (4-7)[/U]

Round 1
Rique hits the first punch of the round, scoring with a jab to the cheek. Linderman throws a left hook in response, but it's well wide of the mark. Rique steps in and hits a low kick. Linderman ignores it and shoots in for a takedown. Rique saw it coming though, and defends it brilliantly, sprawling at first, then pushing Linderman face-down to the ground so that he can take his back. Linderman turtles up. Rique hits a couple of hard shots to the body, but can't stop Linderman working his way up and turning over, pulling guard. Rique stands into a half-crouching position, dragging Linderman's guard with him. Linderman reaches up, parries away a couple of strikes, and tries to grab an arm to apply an armbar to. Rique knocks the attempt away and nails a hard shot to the ribs before reaching over and trying to nail a downward punch to the chin. Linderman blocks it. Rique floats over and gets into side control. Linderman scrambles to try and get back up, but is too close to the cage, which works against him. Rique lays in a couple of punches to the chest to soften Linderman up, then tries to move up and isolate one of the arms. Linderman makes sure to bring his body around to give him as much protection as possible. It works, as Rique can't get either arm isolated properly. Rique changes tactics and tries to get into crucifix position. Linderman fights it for as long as he possibly can, but eventually gets caught. The length of struggle is, in itself, a good defence though, as the round ends before Rique can do anything with the position he has achieved, which will frustrate him enormously. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Rique.

Round 2
Linderman is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Rique with a jab to the cheek. Rique uses a nice straight left to return fire. Linderman comes in to work the body, but Rique saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Linderman onto the floor, falling into guard. Rique passes guard and gets into side control, but it's an awkward position; Linderman has the entire right hand side of his body up against the cage, and both his legs wrapped around Rique's left arm. Rique's attacking options are fairly limited. He uses a couple of back fists to strike away at the face, but Linderman covers up to defend them. Rique tries to pin down one of Linderman's arms and bring his legs around to trap them fully, but Linderman uses his free arm to stop that from happening. The ground battle enters a stalemate, as Rique finds himself unable to do any real damage other than occasional strikes, which he doesn't have the leverage to get much power behind, with virtually no chance of gaining a submission thanks to his left arm being trapped. The referee eventually stands them up, and the time expires before anything interesting can happen with them standing. The second round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Rique.

Round 3
Linderman starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Rique. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Rique goes for a single leg and puts Linderman on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Rique from getting on top. Linderman definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Rique hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Linderman again. This time Linderman isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Rique will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Linderman defends. Rique tries to slip past to get side control, but Linderman just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Rique has the side. Two big elbows land, and Linderman seems in trouble. Rique goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Rique by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

[I]Juan Pablo Rique has his last fight in GAMMA and both proves that he doesn't belong here and yet that he is still better than some guys who are here. Rique was able to take Linderman down at will, but just couldn't do much once he got there. Linderman takes a step back, and will need to train harder for his next match. The result of the fight leaves the score 0-0.[/I]

[U]#9 Carl Ratcliffe, Cyclopes (8-3) v. Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-4)[/U]

Round 1
Cole comes out quick and immediately starts pressing Ratcliffe back toward the cage. Cole tries to use the position to his advantage, pinning Ratcliffe in to prevent him from moving freely, but the exchange of punches that follows is clearly won by Ratcliffe, who catches Cole with a wicked right cross during the flurry of blows. Cole tries again, but Ratcliffe is looking sharp and parries away any dangerous shot, getting in a few crisp jabs of his own along the way. Cole finally backs off, realising that this isn't working. Ratcliffe is showing superior ability with his hands, they're fast and accurate, Cole isn't able to cope with them at close quarters, being made to look slow and ragged in comparison. Cole switches to using raking right hands and looping punches, keeping Ratcliffe back, but its effectiveness is limited as Cole's punches are easily parried away, and Ratcliffe can still hit the occasional right hand. The round ends with that being the pattern. Ratcliffe has used his better punching technique and hand speed to confound Cole, and has controlled this round almost entirely. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Ratcliffe.

Round 2
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Ratcliffe, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Ratcliffe puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Cole covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. Ratcliffe is looking the slightly more fit of the two fighters. Low kick from Cole, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Ratcliffe will take the round on points. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Ratcliffe.

Round 3
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Cole, providing the first moment of real action. Ratcliffe hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Cole side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Ratcliffe is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and the round comes to an end. The third round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Ratcliffe. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

[I]A good first round is followed by two boring rounds, and Ratcliffe fails to get any points for Pittsburgh. Cole was totally outclassed on paper, but managed to avoid being taken out in the process. So with two fights off the board the score is still 0-0.[/I]

[U]Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0-1) v. David Allen, Onslaught (4-2)[/U]

Round 1
Quick start to the round from Allen, he comes storming in with a flurry of jabs. Basora defends it well, parrying them away. Nice straight right from Basora connects. Allen gets in close and hits a pair of nice body shots, then they clinch up. Allen pushes Basora back against the cage and goes for a trip, but Basora blocks it. Basora suddenly pushes forward off the cage and uses the momentum to take Allen down to the ground, into guard. Allen tries to push free, but Basora forces him to go back to guard by raining down some jabs. Basora reaches over and tries to apply some sort of neck vice, but Allen breaks it by bringing his arms up. Basora steps through in an effort to mount Allen, but can only get to half guard as one of his legs gets trapped. Basora throws some strikes, then tries to work an armbar on the closest arm. Allen rolls over and uses his free arm to keep that from happening. That goes on for quite a long time, with Basora determined to try and work the arm free and get an armbar, while Allen uses everything at his disposal to block it. The round ends without Basora having made the breakthrough, although he clearly ran away with the round in terms of points. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Basora by 10-9.

Round 2
Basora hits the first punch of the round, scoring with a jab to the cheek. Allen throws a left hook in response, but it's well wide of the mark. Basora steps in and hits a low kick. Allen ignores it and shoots in for a takedown. Basora saw it coming though, and defends it brilliantly, sprawling at first, then pushing Allen face-down to the ground so that he can take his back. Allen turtles up. Basora hits a couple of hard shots to the body, but can't stop Allen working his way up and turning over, pulling guard. Basora tries to pass guard, but Allen doesn't allow it. Allen throws a couple of punches, but they're parried away. He breaks his guard to bring a leg across and try to kick Basora in the face, but it's a mistake as Basora pushes the leg aside and gets side control. Basora pushes them closer to the cage, near his own corner so that they can give him instructions. Following what they say, Basora throws some heavy blows to the unprotected stomach of Allen, then tries to isolate the closest arm. Allen frantically tries to stop that happening, but does indeed give it up. He does manage to roll to the side, giving himself some good leverage and preventing Basora from extending the arm. Basora continues trying to apply an armbar, but Allen is not allowing it. Eventually Basora turns and tries to get a crucifix position instead. Allen fights that off too. The round ends with Basora still doggedly trying to get an armbar submission, and Allen tenaciously stopping it. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Basora.

Round 3
Fast start by Basora, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. Allen circles, drawing a lunge from Basora, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Basora ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, Allen hopping on the other to remain vertical. Basora tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but Allen manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Basora has one leg trapped between Allen's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. Allen defends it well, without fully escaping it, Basora can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. Allen suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Basora's back. Basora was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing Allen up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. Allen throws a couple of short-range punches. Basora gets a leg in and trips Allen, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from Allen, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Basora. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

[I]A fifth straight draw for the show, but at least this was a better fight. Noone seems to really want to win any of these. Allen was really scrambling to keep from losing this fight to the better Basora. Basora stays undefeated, but can't generate any momentum. Two matches remain and the score still sits at 0-0.[/I]

[U]Steve Mason, Cyclopes (2-0-1) v. Thomas Smith, Onslaught (7-1) [/U]

Round 1
Mason is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Smith with a jab to the cheek. Smith uses a nice straight left to return fire. Mason comes in to work the body, but Smith saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Mason onto the floor, falling into guard. The fight falls into a lull as a pattern develops; Smith punctuating attempts to pass guard with some sharp punches to the body and face, while Mason parries away any big blows and puts all of his effort into making sure Smith doesn't get a better position. Things heat up as Smith manages to break the guard and get through into a half mount. Mason hits a nice clean right hand in response. Smith throws a couple of hard punches to the stomach. He has one leg trapped, and is trying to pull that free so that he can move further up the body and really start pounding away. Mason knows that having the leg trapped is his key to not ending up in huge trouble, and so has it locked up tight. Smith tries a half-hearted attempt at a kimura, but Mason defends it well. The round ends with Smith still unable to transition into side control, although he has landed enough shots to have lit up Mason's upper body with red marks, and definitely won the round on points. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Smith.

Round 2
Slow start to the round, they're both circling, looking for an opening. Mason tries a looping punch from way back, but Smith side steps with ease. Jab from Smith, gets one back in response. Mason comes in, looking for the right hand lead, but Smith shoots in and uses a double-leg takedown. He winds up in a closed guard. The fight falls into a lull as a pattern develops; Smith punctuating attempts to pass guard with some sharp punches to the body and face, while Mason parries away any big blows and puts all of his effort into making sure Smith doesn't get a better position. Things heat up as Smith manages to break the guard and get through into a half mount. Mason hits a nice clean right hand in response. Smith throws a couple of hard punches to the stomach. He has one leg trapped, and is trying to pull that free so that he can move further up the body and really start pounding away. Mason knows that having the leg trapped is his key to not ending up in huge trouble, and so has it locked up tight. Smith tries a half-hearted attempt at a kimura, but Mason defends it well. The round ends with Smith still unable to transition into side control, although he has landed enough shots to have lit up Mason's upper body with red marks, and definitely won the round on points. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Smith.

Round 3
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Mason throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Smith from coming inside. Mason works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Smith responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Mason backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Smith circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Mason blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Mason fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Smith covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Mason though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Mason throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The third round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Mason. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

[I]At least the fans aren't getting short fights. Whew, what a run. Mason should feel good that he didn't lose as Smith was the better man for most of the fight. Neither team has yet to score a point and despite this being a highly hyped event nothing much has happened. 0-0[/I]

[U]Mike Watson, Cyclopes (2-0) v. Elgar, Onslaught (10-4[/U])

Round 1
Watson and Elgar circle to start. Elgar throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Watson sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Elgar comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Watson to slip a nice jab in, catching Elgar just underneath the right eye. Watson comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Elgar misses with a right cross, then backs off. Watson stalks him, forcing Elgar back up against the cage. Watson doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Elgar throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Watson pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Elgar covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Watson in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Watson throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Elgar comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Watson parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Watson's favour. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Watson.

Round 2
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Watson works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Elgar backed up against the cage. Watson gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Elgar, who uses his legs well to defend. Watson pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Elgar gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Watson follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Watson hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Elgar tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Elgar leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. The second round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Watson by 10-9.

Round 3
Watson misses a right hand and is off balance, allowing Elgar to come in for a takedown. Watson pulls guard, and it's a particulary high one, Elgar has to be careful that he doesn't get careless and end up in a triangle choke. Watson bats away a couple of punches with his hands. Elgar tries to pass guard, but leaves an arm in for just a fraction of a second too long, and Watson is able to clamp his legs around it and pull. That's a tight arm bar, and Elgar is going to have really trouble getting free. He tries to pull free, but it's no use. Elgar taps out to the armlock. Watson wins via 3rd round armbar submission with the official time being 0:44. (***)

[I]Thank God that we didn't end this with another tie. Watson keeps his winning streak going and knocks Elgar down a few notches. Clearly, he is going to be a fantasic fighter here in a year or two. Watson was very patient and didn't seem concerned with any offense or tactic that the old man sent to him. The Pittsburgh Cyclopes get their first win with a 1-0 victory on the back of Mike Watson's victory. [/I]

[U][B]Main Show[/B][/U]

[B]Lightweight Division[/B]

[U]#8 Duane Weatherly (10-7) v. #6 Beau Gorshin (22-14)[/U]

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Gorshin throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Weatherly from coming inside. Gorshin works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Weatherly responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Gorshin backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Weatherly circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Gorshin blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Gorshin fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Weatherly covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Gorshin though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Gorshin throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Gorshin by 10-9.

Round 2
Weatherly leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Gorshin deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Gorshin uses a knee to the ribs before backing Weatherly up against the cage. Right hand from Weatherly connects though, that was well timed. Gorshin breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Weatherly was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Gorshin sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Weatherly fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They exchange punches. Weatherly hits a nice jab just above the left eye, but takes a hard punch to the cheek at the same time. Weatherly momentarily loses his footing and drops his hands, that shot having really rung his bell. Gorshin shoots off another right hand to capitalise, and this time it's the killer blow, Weatherly falls back and crash-lands on the floor, he was out cold from the instant that punch hit. A knock out victory for Gorshin. Gorshin wins via 2nd round knock out with the official time being 3:22. (**)

[I]A solid KO victory for the old guy. Thirty-seven fights later and the guy is no slouch. As for Weatherly, he is probably going to fall out of the top rankings and will need to string a few wins together to get back to a potential title shot. [/I]

[B]Light Heavyweight Division[/B]

[U]#6 Rob Baines (10-2) v. #7 Aleksei Chekhov (9-2)[/U]

Round 1
Quick start to the round from Chekhov, he comes storming in with a flurry of jabs. Baines defends it well, parrying them away. Nice straight right from Baines connects. Chekhov gets in close and hits a pair of nice body shots, then they clinch up. Chekhov pushes Baines back against the cage and goes for a trip, but Baines blocks it. Baines suddenly pushes forward off the cage and uses the momentum to take Chekhov down to the ground, into guard. Chekhov tries to push free, but Baines forces him to go back to guard by raining down some jabs. Baines reaches over and tries to apply some sort of neck vice, but Chekhov breaks it by bringing his arms up. Baines steps through in an effort to mount Chekhov, but can only get to half guard as one of his legs gets trapped. Baines throws some strikes, then tries to work an armbar on the closest arm. Chekhov rolls over and uses his free arm to keep that from happening. That goes on for quite a long time, with Baines determined to try and work the arm free and get an armbar, while Chekhov uses everything at his disposal to block it. The round ends without Baines having made the breakthrough, although he clearly ran away with the round in terms of points. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Baines.

Round 2
Baines starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Chekhov checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Baines doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Baines cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Chekhov with a beauty of a right hook. Chekhov stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Baines presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Chekhov clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Chekhov scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Baines in the gut. Baines uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Baines gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Chekhov reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Baines has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Chekhov has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Baines from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Baines tries to step over and fully apply it, but Chekhov breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Baines steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Chekhov hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Baines will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Baines.

Round 3
Nice fast-paced start from Baines, who gets right in Chekhov's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as Chekhov side-stepped. Chekhov fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Baines steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from Chekhov. Baines is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Baines sweeps Chekhov's standing leg and takes them to the ground. Chekhov quickly pulls guard. Baines tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Chekhov is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Baines tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Baines connects, but there was no real power behind it. Baines fakes Chekhov out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Chekhov manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Baines switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Chekhov blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Baines looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Chekhov is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Baines tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Chekhov is safe. The third round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Baines by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

[I]Baines really showed a lot more than I had anticipated. Chekhov never got the big punch or kick in that he intended. Instead he found himself on the back foot and defending for most of the fight. He gets a draw, but leaves the fight realizing that he probably should have lost.[/I]

[B]Middleweight Division[/B]

[U]#3 Dan Halvorsen (22-11-3) v. #10 Petey Mack (7-1)[/U]

Round 1
Halvorsen is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Mack with a jab to the cheek. Mack uses a nice straight left to return fire. Halvorsen comes in to work the body, but Mack saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Halvorsen onto the floor, falling into guard. Halvorsen tries to push free, but Mack forces him to go back to guard by raining down some jabs. Mack reaches over and tries to apply some sort of neck vice, but Halvorsen breaks it by bringing his arms up. Mack steps through in an effort to mount Halvorsen, but can only get to half guard as one of his legs gets trapped. Mack throws some strikes, then tries to work an armbar on the closest arm. Halvorsen rolls over and uses his free arm to keep that from happening. That goes on for quite a long time, with Mack determined to try and work the arm free and get an armbar, while Halvorsen uses everything at his disposal to block it. The round ends without Mack having made the breakthrough, although he clearly ran away with the round in terms of points. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Mack.

Round 2
Slow start, Mack looks content to sit back and let Halvorsen commit himself, perhaps looking to capitalise on any mistake. Halvorsen does indeed commit himself, and it's to throw a big right hand, and it hits hard into the gloves, forcing Mack to back up against the cage. Halvorsen steps in and unleashes a second, but this time Mack was ready and a right hand counter hits Halvorsen, who is leaning in to his own punch, right on the chin. Halvorsen goes down, stunned. Mack dives in and hits a beauty of a right hand, but gets sucked into the guard before he can do any more damage. Good recovery from Halvorsen. Mack tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Halvorsen is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Mack tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Mack connects, but there was no real power behind it. Mack fakes Halvorsen out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Halvorsen manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Mack switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Halvorsen blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Mack looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Halvorsen is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Mack tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Halvorsen is safe. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Mack.

Round 3
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Mack works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Halvorsen backed up against the cage. Mack gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Halvorsen, who uses his legs well to defend. Mack pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Halvorsen gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Mack follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Mack hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Halvorsen tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Halvorsen leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mack. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

[I]And so the theme of the night continues with draw after draw being recorded. Mack showed that he is good enough to hang for 20 minutes with the #3 ranked Middleweight. However, Halvorsen is able to put an end to his win streak. I think that if he could have kept the fight up he probably would have won the fight. [/I]

[B]Welterweight Division[/B]

[U]#1 Jack Humphreys (12-2) v. #6 Lukas Mellberg (10-0)[/U]

Round 1
Humphreys leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Mellberg deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Mellberg uses a knee to the ribs before backing Humphreys up against the cage. Right hand from Humphreys connects though, that was well timed. Mellberg breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Humphreys was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Mellberg sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Humphreys fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Mellberg makes Humphreys back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Mellberg throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Humphreys lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Mellberg by surprise, putting him down! Humphreys follows up and starts raining down right hands. Mellberg covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Humphreys off, the match is over. The official time is 8:27. (**)

[I]And that my friends is why Humphreys is the #1 fighter in the Welterweight division. Mellberg was feeling really good coming in and there had been a lot of smack talking over the last few weeks. Right now, Mellberg looks like he got hit by a freight train. Clearly he is upset at the way that this fight has turned out. Humphreys moves himself into position to get a shot the title.[/I]

[U][B]Main Event[/B][/U]

[B]GAMMA Heavyweight Title[/B]

[U]Champion Raul Hughes (11-0) v. Challenger #7 Tony McCall (20-4)[/U]

Round 1
Slow start to the round. Not much happens before they wind up clinched together, struggling for supremacy. Hughes uses a trip to make a takedown, but doesn't go down himself, instead staying back. He pushes the raised legs away and dives in to get side control, but McCall scrambles and manages to get up, pushing Hughes down to the ground. McCall ends up on top, in guard. McCall throws out a right hand, parried away by Hughes. The guard is quite tight, for the moment at least McCall looks content to stay there and throw some punches. Hughes isn't offering any sort of attacking threat yet, instead concentrating on keeping the strikes from landing. A big punch is driven into the ribs, Hughes thought it was going for the face. Another punch lands in the same place, and a red mark starts to develop. Hughes reaches up and pulls McCall down into a clinch, and tries to work an armbar from the bottom. McCall defends it easily, and gets in a sharp jab to the face too. He stands up slightly, leaning forward into the guard, and starts throwing some right hands. One gets through, the others are parried. Hughes looked like he might be considering trying to apply a triangle then, as McCall was very exposed, but he didn't get a chance due to the ferocity of the punches. McCall gets back down to kneeling in the guard. Another right hand lands to the ribs. Hughes fires off two punches from his back, but McCall defends them easily by simply leaning backward out of reach. McCall stands again, the guard remaining tight around him, and throws another couple of bombs. This time Hughes does try to apply the triangle, and an armbar at the same time, but McCall breaks free. Time is ticking down, looks like Hughes will survive this ground and pound attack. The round ends without further note. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to McCall by 10-9.

Round 2
A couple of straight lefts from Hughes start the round, but neither got past the gloves of McCall. They clinch, with McCall looking like he initiated it. They struggle for supremacy. Hughes gets taken down, but traps McCall in guard. McCall fires off a couple of tentative punches, testing out the guard of Hughes. McCall tries to pass the guard, but can't, Hughes isn't going to let him get a better position, as he knows that McCall will start raining down punches. McCall tries a big right hand, but it's easily defended. Hughes gets a punch of his own in, but it didn't connect properly. McCall again tries to get past the guard, but again is foiled. It's turned into a bit of a stalemate, although the referee probably won't stand them up as long as the punches continue to flow. McCall fakes an elbow before trying to pass the guard for a third time, and briefly has side mount, but Hughes fought it hard and gets back to guard within seconds. Butterfly guard by Hughes, and McCall is having trouble generating any attacking threat. He'll probably win the round as he has been more aggressive, but Hughes has defended the danger well. End of round 2. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 McCall.

Round 3
McCall starts fast, coming out almost immediately with a three punch combination. None of them get through, and Hughes manages to squeeze a jab of his own through and score just above the left cheek. They exchange a flurry of blows right in the center, it's difficult to see who got the best of it, and both of them retreat a few steps to recover. Good start to the round, early indications are that this is going to be all about the striking, neither fighter has even hinted at going for a takedown. Hughes uses a low kick to set up a nice right hand, and McCall is forced back against the cage. Hughes picks his shots and gets a big punch to the body in. McCall uses a couple of looping punches to make Hughes keep back, but it doesn't last for long, as Hughes bursts forward and hits two big right hands, taking a counter punch to the body though, and they wind up in a clinch. They exchange weak-looking blows from that position, before the referee grows tired of the inactivity and breaks them apart. McCall scores with a low kick. Hughes with a body shot. Hughes unwinds a right hook that narrowly misses. That will be the last action of the round though. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Hughes.

Round 4
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Hughes throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep McCall from coming inside. Hughes works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, McCall responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Hughes backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. McCall circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Hughes blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Hughes fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. McCall covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Hughes though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Hughes throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The fourth round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Hughes.

Round 5
Hughes is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging McCall with a jab to the cheek. McCall uses a nice straight left to return fire. Hughes comes in to work the body, but McCall saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Hughes onto the floor, falling into guard. The fight falls into a lull as a pattern develops; McCall punctuating attempts to pass guard with some sharp punches to the body and face, while Hughes parries away any big blows and puts all of his effort into making sure McCall doesn't get a better position. Things heat up as McCall manages to break the guard and get through into a half mount. Hughes hits a nice clean right hand in response. McCall throws a couple of hard punches to the stomach. He has one leg trapped, and is trying to pull that free so that he can move further up the body and really start pounding away. Hughes knows that having the leg trapped is his key to not ending up in huge trouble, and so has it locked up tight. McCall tries a half-hearted attempt at a kimura, but Hughes defends it well. The round ends with McCall still unable to transition into side control, although he has landed enough shots to have lit up Hughes's upper body with red marks, and definitely won the round on points. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McCall. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

[I]I am sure that Hughes didn't want to find himself on his back for any portion of this fight, but the fact that he was there for most of the first half of the fight says something. Hughes really should have taken advantage of McCall's weak chin, but couldn't. Instead, McCall was wishing that we had judges so that he might have actually won this fight. Hughes won't gain much prestige for himself with this tie. He loses his win streak but retains the title.[/I]

[I]The fans certainly felt like they got their money's worth from tonight's fights, and that result helped us gain popularity in 59 regions while losing in 2. I am not happy with these low ratings. I really think that the fights are better than this, but I also think that part of it has to do with the popularity of the region. Texas is pretty high up for us, but the US is still lower than Japan. [/I][/LEFT]

PilotMan

12-28-2007, 08:03 PM

Chekhov injured got a pectoral injury in his match with Baines and is going to be out for one to two months. Steve Mason was also injured with some sort of stomach injury that is going to see him out of action close to 4 months.

While I was going through my recap and rosters, I noticed that Linfield Ballard had no business being booked for this card. He is currently on the Austin Rush and isn't going to be able to fight in the next event against the Buffalo Outlaws. That is my fault for just not checking close enough.

GAMMA heads back to California and to TV. This time we are booking for GAMMA: Exposure, our TV show that will run late Saturday night at the end of October. We are trying to increase our exposure to the general public without killing the pocketbook. The fact that we have already run a successful show this month will help to defray the cost of running a show on TV.

PilotMan

12-28-2007, 08:04 PM

GAMMA: Exposure
San Jose, California

Buffalo Outlaws (1-0-0, 3pts) v. Austin Rush, (0-1-0, 0 pts)

Bruce Steven (4-1) v. Richie Stiller (0-2)
Phil Ball (7-6) v. Lloyd McAllister (3-0-1)
Nathan Chambers (5-0) v. #10 Gordon Idle (7-2)
Milton Harvey (9-9) v. Vincent Chapin (10-7-1)
Ashley Ballard (4-0) v. Faas Smit (5-0)

Main Show

Welterweight Division

#2 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-4) v. #4 Doug Hansen (14-3-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

JJ Reid (12-1) v. #7 Lenny McFadden (9-4)

Middleweight Division

#3 Greg Atteveld (16-10) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (13-4-1)

Heavyweight Division

#2 Lefter Oktay (7-0) v. #8 Fatuma Roy (16-5)

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (21-9) v. Challenger #2 Jason Dalglish (10-2)

PilotMan

12-29-2007, 11:32 AM

I have hired heavyweight fighter Russell McPhee to replace Milton Harvey on the Buffalo Outlaws roster after this next event. McPhee is a pretty inexperienced MMA fighter, but he is a very good athlete.

GAMMA has resigned Elgar, Beau Gorshin, Jack Humphreys, Luis Basora, Linfield Ballard, David Allen, Carl Ratcliffe, and Jackson Gray. I have renegotiated the deals of Mike Watson and Darren Southall. Watson is now on a set premiere deal, meaning that now we have him locked up without any fear of him leaving. He is a future top fighter in this organization. Darren Southall also gets a modest raise. Apparently, he felt like he needed a raise.

Everyone made weight so we are set to go with Exposure.

PilotMan

12-29-2007, 11:32 AM

GAMMA: Exposure Previews
San Jose, California

Buffalo Outlaws (1-0-0, 3pts) v. Austin Rush, (0-1-0, 0 pts)

Bruce Steven (4-1) v. Richie Stiller (0-2)

On paper Steven looks like the favorite here. Steven will look to take this to the ground where Stiller will need to show something. Stiller's best bet is stay upright, and use his kick boxing to keep Steven from coming in. Blurcat like Steven by submission. That would give the Outlaws a 1-0 lead.

Phil Ball (7-6) v. Lloyd McAllister (3-0-1)

Muay Thai v. Kick Boxing, a battle of strikers. Both men have big kicks and both are quite strong. Ball has more experience and Blurcat thinks that will be the difference. That would give the Outlaws a 2-0 lead.

Nathan Chambers (5-0) v. #10 Gordon Idle (7-2)

Gordon Idle makes his debut in GAMMA and draws a tough opponent in undefeated Nathan Chambers. Idle will need to take the fight in close and work well on the ground in order to win. Chambers will need to use his superior striking skills to keep Idle away. Both guys are a young 22, and both could have a long run in MMA. Blurcat thinks that Chambers gets the TKO win. That gives the Outlaws the 3-0 win.

Milton Harvey (9-9) v. Vincent Chapin (10-7-1)

Neither fighter has a big advantage in this fight. Harvey is a pretty well balanced fighter and Chapin would like to take it to the mat, because his striking skills aren't as good. This is Harvey's last fight in GAMMA primarily because of his age and the lack of future for him in MMA. Chapin could be in trouble and will need to really bring it. Blurcat likes Harvey to win via TKO, and another point for Buffalo, 4-0.

Ashley Ballard (4-0) v. Faas Smit (5-0)

Ballard is a kick boxer with very heavy, quick hands, and Faas Smit is a wrestler who knows how to get submissions. One thing has to give. Blurcat thinks that Smit will finally get Austin on the board at 4-1. Smit by submission.

Main Show

Welterweight Division

#2 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-4) v. #4 Doug Hansen (14-3-1)

Hansen is coming off of his dissapointing draw, and Hinchcliffe is moving himself in line to get a title shot. If one of them can get the win it will be a huge boost to their careers. This is Hincliffe's first fight after his injury. Blurcat like Hansen by submission. His ground game is going to be too much for Hinchcliffe.

Light Heavyweight Division

JJ Reid (12-1) v. #7 Lenny McFadden (9-4)

Reid needs to get back on the horse after his KO loss to Sharpe. McFadden should really get the win, but his strengths play right into the strengths of Reid. However, if Reid gets caught on his back, he could be in for another repeat of the Sharpe match. Reid by submission.

Middleweight Division

#3 Greg Atteveld (16-10) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (13-4-1)

The best of the best are here with Atteveld and De Vries going at it. Atteveld is the better ground fighter, but his strikes can keep up with De Vries too. De Vries is considered one of the best natural athletes in MMA, and Atteveld although past his prime, but he is going to look for De Vries to make a mistake and finish the match. Atteveld by submission.

Heavyweight Division

#2 Lefter Oktay (7-0) v. #8 Fatuma Roy (16-5)

Oktay is currently the hottest fighter in GAMMA. His matches are all that is talked about and all that is desired. Roy is getting a real chance to do some damage to that reputation. Roy is a good striker and his Judo backround means that he isn't bad on the ground, but Oktay's sambo backround means that he too, is well balanced. Oktay is a bit stronger, and more well rounded, but the experience of Roy might help him considerably. The experts like Oktay by TKO.

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (21-9) v. Challenger #2 Jason Dalglish (10-2)

One match removed from the BCF Lightweight Title and Jason Dalglish has a chance to win the GAMMA trophy. Silva is one of the best pound for pound fighters in GAMMA, and Dalglish is very hot. Both men are on winning streaks and both are well matched. Dalglish will want to get Silva on his back where he can position himself for a submission attempt, while Silva will try and strike his way to victory. Both men are evenly matched, but Blurcat like Dalglish for the title.

PilotMan

12-29-2007, 11:34 AM

GAMMA: Exposure live on Pop! TV
Late Night, Saturday, Week 4, October, 1996
San Jose, California
Attendance: 3,033

Buffalo Outlaws (1-0-0, 3pts) v. Austin Rush, (0-1-0, 0 pts)

Bruce Steven, Outlaws (4-1) v. Richie Stiller, Rush (0-2)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Stiller puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Steven defended well. Straight right from Steven in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Stiller probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Steven gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's not going to hide the fact that Stiller had the better of that round. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Stiller.

Round 2
Steven throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Stiller throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Steven steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Stiller hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Steven. They struggle all the way back, with Steven ending up backed up against the cage. Stiller hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Steven stomps downward onto his foot. Steven manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Stiller gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Steven ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Steven tries a high kick to start, but Stiller saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Stiller who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Steven on the nose. Steven hits a straight right, enough to stop Stiller from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Stiller.

Round 3
Stiller moves in quickly to begin, trapping Steven against the cage. The advantage doesn't last long though, as Steven uses his superior wrestling ability to turn the tables and gain the upper hand. Knee to the thigh by Steven, then a solid punch to the shoulder. Stiller tries to get a punch in, but Steven uses his grappling to gain a better position and put a stop to that. Stiller squirms free and away from the cage. Stiller gets Steven backed up against the cage and throws a flurry of jabs, but doesn't do any real damage. Steven tries to get back to the center, but almost invites the takedown attempt, which promptly comes. Stiller drives him down with a waist-high tackle...but gets caught! The takedown left his head exposed and Steven applied a guillotine on the way down. Stiller is caught, that is on really tight. There's the tap out, Stiller was clearly unable to breathe with a forearm crushing his wind-pipe. Steven wins via 3rd round guillotine choke submission with the official time being 2:23. (*)

As predicted, Steven gets the Outlaws on the board first. Stiller's stay in GAMMA is likely to be short. One more of those, and he is probably out of here. Honestly, Stiller just got a little to aggressive there, and looked like he was angling for the draw. Outlaws 1, Rush 0.

Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-6) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-0-1)

Round 1
They circle to begin the round. McAllister throws two short jabs, then a long-range looping right hand. Ball had to be on his toes to get out of the way, and does. McAllister goes to follow up, and narrowly avoids walking right into a right cross. He bobs underneath it, then comes in fast with a right hand. Ball parries it with his gloves, then shoots in and scores with a nice takedown. McAllister tries to sprawl, but was too late and can only pull guard as he crash-lands to the ground. Ball rains down three big punches, McAllister covers up and doesn't take too much damage. Ball works one leg free, but McAllister has the other tightly wrapped up between his own. Ball fires off three rapid-fire elbows to the ribs to try and soften McAllister up, but can't get the leg free. This is not a good position for McAllister though, and Ball is looking dangerous. Ball pushes down, then brings his free leg forward to drive a knee into the lower back. McAllister can't do a lot to stop that strike. Ball hits a further knee, and that is enough to allow him to move into side control. McAllister is in huge trouble here. Elbow to the face, only partially blocked. Ball briefly gets a forearm across the throat of McAllister, but it is knocked away before it can develop into a choke. McAllister tries to scramble out of it, and almost manages to pull guard again, but Ball maintains side control. Knee to the ribs again. McAllister is taking a lot of punishment from those knee strikes. Ball switches tactic and tries to grab an arm lock of some kind, McAllister almost got caught by surprise but not quite. The round is almost over, and there is no question that this round has gone to Ball, it has been utter dominance. McAllister tries to get a knee strike of his own in, but it misses and Ball responds with a hard elbow to the chest. That'll be the last action of the round. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Ball.

Round 2
Ball isn't hanging around, right from the start McAllister is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. McAllister circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Ball weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Ball, the timing had to be perfect and it was. McAllister is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Ball really should have taken advantage of that mistake, McAllister was wide open for a moment there. Ball hits a high kick, catching McAllister on the shoulder. Jab from McAllister finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Ball fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. McAllister scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Ball, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Ball.

Round 3
McAllister is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Ball with a jab to the cheek. Ball uses a nice straight left to return fire. McAllister comes in to work the body, but Ball saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put McAllister onto the floor, falling into guard. Ball rains down three big punches, McAllister covers up and doesn't take too much damage. Ball works one leg free, but McAllister has the other tightly wrapped up between his own. Ball fires off three rapid-fire elbows to the ribs to try and soften McAllister up, but can't get the leg free. This is not a good position for McAllister though, and Ball is looking dangerous. Ball pushes down, then brings his free leg forward to drive a knee into the lower back. McAllister can't do a lot to stop that strike. Ball hits a further knee, and that is enough to allow him to move into side control. McAllister is in huge trouble here. Elbow to the face, only partially blocked. Ball briefly gets a forearm across the throat of McAllister, but it is knocked away before it can develop into a choke. McAllister tries to scramble out of it, and almost manages to pull guard again, but Ball maintains side control. Knee to the ribs again. McAllister is taking a lot of punishment from those knee strikes. Ball switches tactic and tries to grab an arm lock of some kind, McAllister almost got caught by surprise but not quite. The round is almost over, and there is no question that this round has gone to Ball, it has been utter dominance. McAllister tries to get a knee strike of his own in, but it misses and Ball responds with a hard elbow to the chest. That'll be the last action of the round. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Ball. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Ball finished a dominating fight with a draw. Too bad, McAllister was really getting beaten up out there. The Outlaws really should have gotten the second point of the match, and Ball should have finished the match with ease. 1-0 Outlaws.

Nathan Chambers, Outlaws (5-0) v. #10 Gordon Idle, Rush (7-2)

Round 1
The two fighters touch gloves as the round begins. Idle starts brightly, throwing out a series of jabs and raking punches, but Chambers is too light on his feet and avoids all of them. Chambers steps in and hits a lovely overhand right, then a low kick to the outside of the thigh. Idle throws a vicious right cross, but Chambers goes under it and catches Idle with a scathing left hand to the gut. The next few minutes follow a very similar pattern; Chambers using his excellent movement to 'hit and run', coming in from a variety of angles to score with crisp punches, dodging out of the way of Idle's counters. Idle is being made to look sluggish by comparison, and the amount of punches that Chambers has landed in comparison to him is becoming huge. None of them have been particularly big punches, certainly nothing likely to end a fight, but the sheer number of them must be hurting Idle. Idle finally hits a meaningful blow, catching Chambers coming in with a low kick. Chambers still gets a crisp jab in though, and is back out of range before Idle can apply a second strike. The round comes to an end with Chambers having dominated. The round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Chambers.

Round 2
Chambers starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Idle. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Idle goes for a single leg and puts Chambers on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Idle from getting on top. Chambers definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Idle hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Chambers again. This time Chambers isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Idle will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Chambers defends. Idle tries to slip past to get side control, but Chambers just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Idle has the side. Two big elbows land, and Chambers seems in trouble. Idle goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Idle by 10-9.

Round 3
Chambers doesn't waste any time, scoring with a big right hook almost immediately. Idle was caught sleeping, and that really landed hard, if it had been more accurate it might have been a knock out blow. Idle hits two sharp body shots in return, but it's clear that he is rattled. Idle narrowly misses a right cross. They get in close and exchange punches, it's not clear who got the better of that. Chambers hits a good looping punch to the side of the head, that's another one that's rattled Idle. Chambers is getting more force behind his punches at the moment, and that's the key difference. Idle narrowly misses a right cross. Time ticks away, and Idle offers nothing that would make you think that he has any chance of winning this round on points. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Chambers. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

Chambers landed some big blows and protected himself when it looked like he was in trouble. He lost his streak but stays undefeated. Idle made a descent debut but it was far from impressive. Outlaws remain ahead 1-0.

Milton Harvey, Outlaws (9-9) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-7-1)

Round 1
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Harvey lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Chapin sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Harvey on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Chapin manages to get the better position, pushing Harvey up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Chapin. Harvey hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Chapin tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Harvey was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Chapin down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Chapin covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Harvey hits a big elbow to the ribs, Chapin definitely felt that. Harvey drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Chapin brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Harvey will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Chapin defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Harvey unable to generate any attacks, and Chapin unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Harvey will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Harvey.

Round 2
Harvey throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Chapin defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Chapin makes Harvey back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Chapin throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Harvey lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Chapin by surprise, putting him down! Harvey follows up and starts raining down right hands. Chapin covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Harvey off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 1:48 of the second round. (**)

And the GAMMA career of Milton Harvey comes to an end with a bang. A killer fight from Harvey, and a very poor showing for Chapin. Who knows where Harvey will go from here, but best of luck to him. Maybe we will bring him back sometime in the future, but who knows. The Outlaws go up 2-0 and get their second win.

Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0) v. Faas Smit, Rush (5-0)

Round 1
Not the most interesting of starts to the round, it's mainly a lot of circling. The referee apparently gets bored, as he tells them to get on with it and fight. Smit complies, firing off a dangerous right cross, narrowly missing. Ballard throws a couple of stiff jabs, but they only find gloves. Smit fakes left, then comes in from the right, hitting a nice body blow. Ballard steps forward and unleashes a big kick, thundering it into Smit's ribs. He felt that one for sure. Ballard follows up by hitting a right hand too. Smit finds himself backed up against the cage. Ballard advances, and throws a scythe-like kick to the legs. Smit can't get out of the way, and almost gets felled by the impact. Ballard steps in and scores with a high head kick. Smit partially blocked it with his hands, which was probably the only thing stopping it from being a knock out blow. Smit gets a right hand jab out in response, then pulls Ballard into a clinch. Knee strike from Ballard. They break. Smit still looks hurt from that first kick. Ballard gets in close and gives a receipt for that earlier body blow, nailing a right hand to the gut. Smit hits a jab to the cheek in response, then clinches again. Time runs down, the round will end before anything more can happen. Ballard has used those powerful kicks to dominate this round. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Ballard.

Round 2
Smit starts strongly, hitting two stiff jabs to the gloves, stinging the hands of Ballard. The third strike is a meaty left hook that narrowly misses. If that had hit, Ballard may well have been decapitated. Despite leaning backwards, Ballard throws a mighty kick that explodes across the chest, Smit staggers back. That was an enormously powerful blow, and Smit didn't see it coming at all. They circle for a moment, sizing each other up. Ballard throws a flurry of jabs, but Smit blocks them easily. A right hand from Smit lands below the eye, and a straight left glances off the shoulder. Another exchange doesn't see either fighter get an advantage. Smit throws a heavy left, but Ballard goes underneath it. Another hard kick from Ballard, this time smashing into the left thigh. Smit almost get knocked down. He throws a left hook in retaliation which misses by a mile, and gives Ballard the chance to hit another big kick, this time to the ribs. The round has been pretty even, with the exception of those kicks by Ballard which have really made a big difference. As the round comes to an end, it looks like those will make sure that Ballard wins the round on points. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Ballard.

Round 3
The round begins, and it is Ballard who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Smit defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Ballard works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Smit ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Ballard down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Smit. Interesting first minute of action, Ballard is looking particularly sharp. Smit tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Ballard back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Smit tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Ballard scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. Ballard looks to be working an angle. They square up to each other in the center. Ballard throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Smit on the side of the head. Smit got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Ballard has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Smit tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Ballard defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Ballard. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

I would have expected Smit to try and go to the ground at some point, but I guess those kicks from Ballard were just too much. Ballard did a very nice job in the fight, but neither figher was able to really hurt the other. This match will be good for Ballard, but bad for the Rush, as they are shut out for a second match in a row. This time 2-0.

Main Show

Welterweight Division

#2 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-4) v. #4 Doug Hansen (14-3-1)

Round 1
The fighters come together right in the center. Hansen throws out a jab, but Hinchcliffe bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Hinchcliffe works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Hansen covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Hinchcliffe is making Hansen look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Hansen hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. For a second it looked like Hinchcliffe was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Hinchcliffe got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Hansen slightly. Hansen initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Hansen looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Hinchcliffe is clearly winning them. Hansen needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Hinchcliffe tries a speculative high kick, but Hansen saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Hansen tries to work an angle, but Hinchcliffe is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Hinchcliffe, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hinchcliffe by 10-9.

Round 2
Tentative circling to begin with. They meet in the center, but quickly fall into a clinch. Hinchcliffe gets a nice shot in to the ribs. Hansen gets a pair of punches to the side of the head, but they lacked power. The referee breaks them up eventually. Hinchcliffe presses forward, flicking out straight rights. Hansen leans in to throw a looping left hand. Hinchcliffe avoids it, and it allows him to throw a powerful counter punch that catches Hansen right above the ear. Great punch. Hinchcliffe moves in and throws a devastating right hand. Hansen just about manages to parry it, but it still caught him on the shoulder. Hansen throws a right hand counter, but Hinchcliffe swats it aside and lands a big left to the chest. Hansen clinches up again. So far, Hinchcliffe's power is allowing him to control this round, Hansen is simply being out-gunned thus far. They end up next to the cage. Hansen gets in a couple of nasty right hands to the chest. That's the first time this round that he looks to have actually hurt Hinchcliffe. Hinchcliffe pushes Hansen up against the cage and unloads with three big right hands. One got through and caught Hansen above the left eye, the other two hit home across the chest. Hansen clinches up again to avoid getting obliterated, and the round ends before they are broken up. The second round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Hinchcliffe.

Round 3
Hansen starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Hinchcliffe checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Hansen doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Hansen cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Hinchcliffe with a beauty of a right hook. Hinchcliffe stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Hansen presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Hinchcliffe clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Hinchcliffe scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Hansen in the gut. Hansen uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Hansen gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Hinchcliffe reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Hansen has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Hinchcliffe has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Hansen from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Hansen tries to step over and fully apply it, but Hinchcliffe breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Hansen steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Hinchcliffe hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Hansen will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. End of round 3. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Hansen. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Hansen looked like he started a little slow, but almost put an end to it at the end of the 3rd. Hinchcliffe was the better man overall, but never did significantly hurt Hansen. With neither man able to finish the other the match is ruled a draw and shouldn't seriously hurt either man.

Light Heavyweight Division

JJ Reid (12-1) v. #7 Lenny McFadden (9-4)

Round 1
Reid meets McFadden in the center. They exchange tentative long-range punches. McFadden steps in to press the action, but gets caught with a right hand. Reid scores with a left too, then a crisp jab. McFadden backs off, that exchange did not go in his favour by any means. Reid presses the advantage and gets in a couple more jabs, forcing McFadden onto the back-foot, all the way until he is up against the cage. Reid stands just in range and starts throwing occasional straight rights, forcing McFadden to try and react in time. McFadden parries a few shots away, but also gets caught with a couple. He steps forward and tries to get a clinch, but Reid keeps away from it and continues to flick quick jabs out. McFadden is really getting schooled so far, Reid's hand speed and technique have allowed him to completely control everything about this round, McFadden hasn't been able to generate anything of note. McFadden tries to change that by coming after Reid, but Reid meets him in the center and exchanges punches, again winning the encounter comfortably. The final minute of the round sees McFadden try two more times, and in neither can he manage to break Reid's control. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Reid.

Round 2
Reid starts fast, immediately going on the attack with jabs and straight rights. McFadden covers up from the initial burst, then starts throwing some raking rights and lefts. Reid bobs and weaves out of harm's way, countering by flicking off jabs whenever possible, peppering McFadden with strikes. None of them are likely to knock McFadden down, but they will add up over time. McFadden moves in and tries to back Reid up against the cage, but he is too quick, and won't allow himself to get caught. McFadden is having a real problem with Reid's movement, which is allowing him to dart in and out almost at will, hitting quick jabs and avoiding any counters. There's another example, as Reid scores with a sharp left hand to the chest, and is gone before the big right hand of McFadden hits. McFadden looks frustrated, and switches tactics, no longer looking for the big punches but trying to stop Reid getting in close by using low kicks and long, raking punches. Reid is kept from doing any further damage, but McFadden isn't generating any offence either. Reid comes in from an angle, takes a right hand, but scores with a flurry of his own. McFadden tries to hit a low kick, but misses. Time is running down, Reid is going to take this round on points, he has been able to dominate it thanks to his superior movement. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Reid.

Round 3
Reid is quickest out, and comes at McFadden with a series of jabs and straight punches. McFadden covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. McFadden hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Reid who takes it to the ground. McFadden pulls guard. There's a lull, as Reid tries to pass, and McFadden defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. McFadden almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Reid, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Reid. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

I think that Reid had a good plan and he was clearly the better man standing up, but if could have taken the fight to the floor he might have had an even better opportunity to win the whole thing. McFadden really posed no problem to him at all during the fight, but not winning will be more upsetting to him than anything else.

Middleweight Division

#3 Greg Atteveld (16-10) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (13-4-1)

Round 1
A fizzing right hand from De Vries opens the round; it didn't find its intended target of Atteveld's chin, but it did land hard on the left shoulder instead. Atteveld fights back with a jab, but takes a hard shot to the body after leaning in too far. De Vries pins him to the cage with a quick burst, and unloads with lefts and rights. Atteveld looks for a moment like he may be about to get overwhelmed, especially after a right hand appears to hit flush on the chin, but he recovers well and works his way back to the center. De Vries is looking the more confident of the two by far. He smells blood, and comes in looking for a big right hand, only to walk right into a takedown. Atteveld had to time that perfectly, and did. De Vries doesn't pull guard, instead scrambling, ending up onto his knees, with Atteveld taking his back! Atteveld tries to go for a choke, but De Vries bucks and twists, scrambling back to his feet and backing off. A big right hand and a high kick prevent Atteveld from following too closely. After that frenetic minute of action, things die down, with the fighters circling. De Vries scores with two leg kicks, Atteveld hits a tasty right hand to the body, but otherwise nothing much happens for the next couple of exchanges. Indeed, the clock runs down and the round ends without further noteworthy events. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to De Vries by 10-9.

Round 2
Right hand from De Vries was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Atteveld. De Vries follows up by coming in close, but Atteveld is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Atteveld with a low kick, but without much power. He comes in close and hits a nice body shot, then an elbow to the face. The impact staggers De Vries back, taking him out of range of an uppercut, leaving Atteveld slightly off balance. De Vries hits a kick as he staggers and it lands dead on the jaw. Atteveld drops like a ton of bricks, he is out cold. That single moment of lost balance was all the opportunity De Vries needed. De Vries wins via second round knock out at 1:19. (***)

If you ever needed a definition of killer instinct that was it. De Vries looked like he had his hands full, but he was able to take a single moment of opportunity and turn it into a devastating victory. That loss is going to set back Atteveld and put him out of commission for some time. De Vries patiently waits for his title shot.

Heavyweight Division

#2 Lefter Oktay (7-0) v. #8 Fatuma Roy (16-5)

Round 1
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. Roy throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble Oktay. Kick to the thigh from Oktay, but it lacked power. Other than a few half-hearted jabs, there's been a definite lull over the past minute. Roy steps in to throw a right hand, but Oktay was waiting on it and nails a massive kick to the head! Roy goes down in a heap, and that allows Oktay the chance to come in to try and pound his way to victory. Oktay presses the advantage and starts wailing away, although most of the punches aren't landing very well. A few are though, and Roy can't do much more than cover up. An elbow finds its way through, and looked like it landed on the bridge of the nose. Big right hand from Oktay, who is expending a lot of energy on this attack. Roy tries to grab a guillotine, but can't get it. Left hand, connects, from Oktay. That landed hard on the chin, and that convinces the referee to get in and stop the match. A controversial decision. The official time is 1:54. (***)

That is only going to add to the legend of Lefter Oktay. Roy is quite dissatisfied with the way that the fight ended but Oktay can make a good claim. I don't think that Oktay is one person that you want to be giving free reign over your body. I think that Roy's time was up before the bell even rang. The buildup to a potential Oktay v. Foster match is unparalleled.

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (21-9) v. Challenger #2 Jason Dalglish (10-2)

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Silva forces Dalglish back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Silva is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Dalglish clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Dalglish gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Silva seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Dalglish who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Silva had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Dalglish gets caught with a solid right hand out of nowhere, and is rocked. Silva follows up with another one, and Dalglish looks in trouble all of a sudden. He is backed up against the cage and Silva is unloading. The punches are raining down, Dalglish is covering up. The referee has seen enough and stops the fight, clearly feeling that Dalglish was unable to defend himself intelligently. Silva wins. Silva wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 7:21. Giovani Silva retains the GAMMA Lightweight title. (**)

Talk about making me look bad. Just as I settled into my seat for a thinking mans fight, this happened. Silva proves that he is the real deal in the lightweight division, and poor Dalglish will go back to beating everyone else to earn another shot at the top. Sean Morrison is waiting in the wings for Silva v. Morrison III, but he will need a couple of tuneup fights first. Those should be coming in the coming months.

We finish the show with 3 straight stoppages, which I find personally fufilling. But the crowd gave us a so-so rating. We gain popularity in all but 4 regions. We will have our next show up soon. The Welterweight Title will be on the line.

PilotMan

12-29-2007, 11:35 AM

The Pop! Network was very happy with our ratings yesterday. There were no major injuries to report.

GAMMA has resigned Duane Weatherly to a 16/8 contract. He isn't that great but I would like to keep the current roster together for a while and see what develops.

Some more news on the team front. Austin Rush have made some moves with Middleweight Linfield Ballard leaving the team and dropping into the Welterweight division (This was actually a move that I made earlier but somehow missed it, that was the reason for Ballard getting booked in a match that he shouldn't have. This will clean things up a bit.) Taking his place at Middleweight with the Rush is Drew Jenks, who moves down from Light Heavyweight. Jenks is a natural Middleweight and the move will benefit him in the long run. Replacing Jenks is Ricky Heath. You will remember Heath had LeToussier in trouble but he hasn't fought since. Our Middleweight roster was a little thin and with LH being a little fat this was an easy move.

Milton Harvey has left GAMMA and the Buffalo Outlaws. His place on the Outlaws was taken by Russell McPhee. McPhee is a kick boxer from Canada and boasts a 3-0 record. This of course, is a much bigger stage than the little po-dunk places that he started. He is strong and fast, with very good power in his kicks and great conditioning, but he is also one-dimensional and will need to work on his ground game.

Richie Stiller has one match left with GAMMA and then he will be let go. We are not interested in retaining his services at this time.

PilotMan

12-29-2007, 11:37 AM

Here is rundown of some of rankings, standings and other things of note. Fighters are ranked and champions are given no favor in the rankings.

Lightweight Division
Champion: Giovani Silva

Giovani Silva
Sean Morrison
Mario De Souza
Beau Gorshin
Jackson Grey
Jason Dalglish
Rodolphe Gygax
Charles Stiles
Bruce Steven, Buffalo Outlaws
Callum Henson, Durham Red Raiders

Welterweight Division
Champion: Julio Regueiro

Jack Humphreys
Joe Hinchcliffe
Juliio Regueiro
Doug Hansen
Geoff Cahill
Alan Kendall
Linfield Ballard
Noach Van Der Capellen
Will Kane
Ichisaki Miyagi

Middleweight Division
Champion: Fernando Amaro

Fernando Amaro
Maarten De Vries
Dan Halvorsen
Jim Carpenter
Tucker Plumm
Stuart Strange, Durham Red Raiders
Petey Mack
Davis Spyrou
Carl Ratcliffe, Pittsburgh Cyclopes
Buddy Garner, Spokane Onslaught

Light Heavyweight Division
Champion: Zvonimir Asanovic

Anthony LeToussier
Garry McSweegan
George Laurent
Christopher Sharp
Zvonimir Asanovic
Curt Kitson
Rob Baines
Aleksei Chekhov
Lenny McFadden
John Rivero, Pittsburgh Cyclopes

Heavyweight Division
Champion: Raul Hughes

James Foster
Lefter Oktay
Rick Stanley
Stratos Papaioannou
Harry Milne
Stafford Alois
Tony McCall
Tim Boyer
Raul Hughes
Frank Sheedy, Pittsburgh Cyclopes

GAMMA Team Standings

Buffalo Outlaws 2-0-0, 4-1 6pts
Durham Red Raiders 1-0-1, 2-1 4pts
Pittsburgh Cyclopes 1-0-1, 2-1 4pts
Spokane Onslaught 0-1-1, 1-3 1pts
Austin Rush 0-2-0, 0-3 0pts

We are making money hand over fist right now. I need to spend more money on advertising. We have made over 5 million dollars in the last 5 months. The only month that we lost was due to our show being on TV. That will continue for the next year or so. Right now, we have over 7.5 mil in the bank. Our merchandise revenue has doubled during this time, so things are heading in the right direction.

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:40 PM

GAMMA announces biggest card yet!

Set for Mid-November, GAMMA announced their PPV special, and the fight matchups for that evening.

GAMMA: Regueiro v. Van Der Capellen
San Diego, California
Sunday, November (third week), 1996

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

#4 Christopher Sharp (10-1) v. #6 Curt Kitson (10-3)

Special Attraction Match

Heavyweight Division

#3 Rick Stanley (20-7-3) v. #6 Stafford Alois (19-7)

Durham Red Raiders (1-0-1, 3pts) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-1-1, 1pt)

Jethro Munter (2-2) v. Nick Detroit (5-2-1)
Ray Eton (6-2-1) v. David Allen (4-2-1)
#6 Stuart Strange (9-3-1) v. Alex Cole (5-4-1)
#10 Callum Henson (4-0-1) v. Luke Hilton (4-1)
Martin Stevens (7-0-2) v. Thomas Smith (7-1-1)

Main Show

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-1) v. #8 Davis Spyrou (11-4-1)

Lightweight Division

#2 Sean Morrison (12-4) v. #7 Rodolphe Gygax (16-8)

Light Heavyweight Division

#1 Anthony LeToussier (14-5) v. #2 Garry McSweegan (12-2-1)

Heavyweight Division

#1 James Foster (16-2) v. #8 Tim Boyer (16-4-2)

Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (10-0-1) v. Challenger #8 Noach Van Der Capellen (10-3)

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:41 PM

We extended the deals of Joe Hinchcliffe, Bruce Steven, Phil Ball, Giovani Silva, Maarten De Vries, Lefter Oktay, Nathan Chambers, Duane Weatherly, and Darrin Southall. Richie Stiller's departure is imminent as his contract is about to expire. His position on the roster of the Austin Rush is going to be replaced by that of Jaime Hewitt. Hewitt is a very new fighter at 1-0, but is contracted to the BCF. I wanted to bring him in on an exclusive deal, but he is loyal enough to not want to leave yet. So, instead, I brought him in a on a deal that will allow us to use him as much as possible with no limit, and hopefully, over time allow us to secure a exclusive deal. Hewitt, is a sparkplug of a fighter, and hopefully a bright future.

Everyone made weight for tomorrow's fights. There are some big boys fighting tomorrow. Rick Stanley weighed in at 260lbs, while Stafford Alois was 239. Thomas Smith comes in at 210, while his opponent Marvin Stevens comes in at 265lbs. Finally, James Foster is 222lbs, while Tim Boyer comes in at 262. Hopefully, the big matchups pay off and come out the way that I want them too.

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:41 PM

GAMMA: Regueiro v. Van Der Capellen Previews
San Diego, California
Sunday, November (third week), 1996

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

#4 Christopher Sharp (10-1) v. #6 Curt Kitson (10-3)

Curt Kitson makes his GAMMA debut against highly touted Chis Sharp. Sharp has great hands, and could really take control if he takes the fight to the ground. Kitson is no slouch, but he has a rough fight to make his debut in. This match shapes up to have great potential for a first fight. Experts say that this is Sharp's fight to lose and think that he will take Kitson out.

Special Attraction Match

Heavyweight Division

#3 Rick Stanley (20-7-3) v. #6 Stafford Alois (19-7)

This fight could be a main even fight, but with the talent that GAMMA has right now in the Heavyweight division, this is the next best place for it. Hopefully, fans see it as a very nice bonus match. Stanley and Alois is a fight that has KO written on it somewhere. Both men are seasoned vets, who possess obscene KO power and will stand up all night long. It is going to be a very exciting fight. Blurcat thinks that Stanley and Alois are equals upright, but if the fight goes to the ground, Stanley's skills could mean the difference. Stanley by KO.

Durham Red Raiders (1-0-1, 3pts) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-1-1, 1pt)

Jethro Munter (2-2), Red Raiders v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-2-1)

Neither man has really esablished himself as an up and comer so the result of this could be difficult to forsee. Detroit is more experienced, but both men are pretty equal competitors. Blurcat, thinks that Munter will secure the victory and give Durham a 1-0 lead.

Ray Eton, Red Raiders (6-2-1) v. David Allen, Onslaught (4-2-1)

Both men prefer to be on the ground, and neither man really has any momentum. Eton is a more dangerous striker, and if he goes to the ground he will need to watch out as Allen is a good submission artist. Experts feel that Eton will secure the win and give Durham a 2-0 lead.

#6 Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (9-3-1) v. Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-4-1)

Stuart Strange has a chance to give the Red Raiders another victory, and possibly his last fight as a member of the Red Raiders squad, and a possible title shot. Strange had a bad fight last time out with a grappler, and he is with another here. Strange is going to be at his best with his ground strikes. The experts think that will be the deal breaker. Strange by TKO, and the Red Raiders go up 3-0.

#10 Callum Henson, Red Raiders (4-0-1) v. Luke Hilton, Onslaught (4-1)

Henson takes on Luke Hilton in Hilton's big GAMMA debut. Hilton is no pushover for the ranked Henson. Both men are pretty equal on the ground or standing up. Blurcat likes Hilton to get the win in his debut. 3-1 Red Raiders

Martin Stevens, Red Raiders (7-0-2) v. Thomas Smith, Onslaught (7-1-1)

Can Smith move the much bigger man? Will Stevens mount enough of an offense to get a win? Both men are grapplers, and only have one loss between their 19 fights. Stevens is 55lbs heavier, but that also means that he isn't as agile as the younger Smith. Experts just don't think that Smith is good enough to overcome the giant physical difference, but they don't think that Stevens is good enough either. Draw. Red Raiders get the win 3-1.

Main Show

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-1) v. #8 Davis Spyrou (11-4-1)

Both men had their win streaks stopped and that makes this fight even bigger for the two of them. Spyrou gets the not if the fight is on the ground, but if Rush is allowed to throw his big kicks from the outside, Spyrou could be KO'ed. Blurcat likes Rush via a KO.

Lightweight Division

#2 Sean Morrison (12-4) v. #7 Rodolphe Gygax (16-8)

Morrison's road back to the spotlight begins here. Gygax has had two really bad fights where he has been beaten. Morrison is still a very dangerous fighter, so he isn't likely to win this one either. His best bet is to watch lots of tape from the Silva match, where Morrison was beaten because he hurried in. Blurcat likes Morrison by TKO.

Light Heavyweight Division

#1 Anthony LeToussier (14-5) v. #2 Garry McSweegan (12-2-1)

LeToussier's winning ways are in danger against McSweegan, on the other had, McSweegan is coming off of a draw with the champ, and is as dangerous as ever. This match is going to be fought upright, and both men know how to hit. Who has the better chin? That seems to be what it is going to come down to. LeToussier is the guy to beat if you want a shot at the title. If LeToussier gets the win, there is a good chance he will fight for the title next. Blurcat thinks draw here.

Heavyweight Division

#1 James Foster (16-2) v. #8 Tim Boyer (16-4-2)

Boyer is so much physically bigger than Foster you would think that he is the favorite, but Foster is the face of GAMMA, and is the best pound for pound fighter in GAMMA. The result of this match could further a matchup with Stanley, Oktay or possibly Hughes. Blurcat thinks Foster by KO. That would be bad for the popular Boyer.

Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (10-0-1) v. Challenger #8 Noach Van Der Capellen (10-3)

Regueiro picks a tough guy to defend against, although he isn't the top ranked fighter in the Welterweight Division he is 5 inches taller than the champ. Van Der Capellen is a stand up fighter, with heavy hands but is impatient and struggles on the ground. Reguriro is deadly either way. Blurcat thinks that the fight will end in a draw, and that Regueiro will retain the title.

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:43 PM

GAMMA: Regueiro v. Van Der Capellen
San Diego, California
Sunday, November (third week), 1996
Attendance: 4,906

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

#4 Christopher Sharp (10-1) v. #6 Curt Kitson (10-3)

Round 1
Kitson hits a nice left hook. Sharp felt it, and throws a ragged punch in response, missing by a mile. Kitson comes in close and hits a couple of big body shots, bobbing out of the way of the jabs that were aimed for his jaw. Sharp clinches up, but gets pushed all the way back to the cage, where Kitson uses a trip to send them both down to the ground. Sharp is forced into defending an attempted armbar straight away, although in truth Kitson was leaning into it and really didn't have the leverage to apply it, he would need to get past the guard to really make that a dangerous tactic. Speaking of which, Kitson does try to pass guard, but Sharp keeps him tightly caught up in the guard. Kitson shuffles them all the way over to the cage, so that he can get instructions from the corner. A couple of punches come raining down, but Sharp covers up nicely. Sharp tries to generate some attacking threat of his own, reaching up and trying to secure a guillotine, but Kitson pops his head out quite easily. Sharp drags him down into a clinch, and they remain that way for a while, with Kitson throwing the occasional punch to the ribs, Sharp throwing them to the back. Kitson breaks free and quickly tries to pass guard, getting as far as half guard. He tries to secure an armbar, but Sharp brings his legs in to defend it. Kitson stands, still holding the arm, and ends up almost sitting on top of a balled-up Sharp. He can't do a great deal from that position, although Sharp will have found it hard to breathe, and the time expires without any more noteworthy strikes hitting. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Kitson.

Round 2
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Kitson throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Sharp from coming inside. Kitson works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Sharp responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Kitson backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Sharp circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Kitson blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Kitson fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Sharp covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Kitson though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Kitson throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Kitson.

Round 3
Sharp may have realised that he left the gas on back at home, as he starts the round as if he needs to get this fight finished quickly, throwing two giant-sized right hand bombs and a vicious uppercut within the first thirty seconds. Kitson dealt with them well though, avoiding the first two and parrying the uppercut away. Kitson fakes a takedown, causing Sharp to back up, ready to sprawl. Sharp stalks Kitson, forcing him back toward the cage. Sharp moves in, looking to throw another big shot, but Kitson springs forward and connects with a great punch, crunching his fist into the cheek. Sharp goes down! Kitson tries to pounce and pound his way to victory, but Sharp has enough awareness to ensnare Kitson in the guard position as he dives in. Kitson tries to move quickly into side control, but Sharp isn't letting that happen. Sharp reaches up and tries to grab an arm, but takes a right hand to the cheek in response. Kitson tries to power him way through, raining down four or five hammer fists, but Sharp covered up well. Kitson pushes a leg down and moves to the side, but Sharp spins out. Kitson moves with him though and gets his back! No, Sharp scrambled like crazy and manages to turn right back over and pull guard again. That was an exciting sequence though, and the fans enjoyed it. Kitson won't be pleased that he had both side control and the back, but didn't hold onto either for more than a few seconds. The fight unfortunately enters a lull, as Kitson punctuates unsuccessful attempts to pass guard with easily defended jabs. The referee eventually gets them back up to their feet due to inactivity. Not much time left in the round though. Sharp will need to do something a bit special to avoid losing the round on points. He tries just that, throwing a big right hand and a high kick, but Kitson backs off, safe in the knowledge that he has won this round. The time expires. The third round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Kitson by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Kitson makes a great debut! He really controlled the action. It was his aggressiveness that lead him control the fight on the ground, however, Sharp seemed to be the better fighter on the ground. Sharp to his credit, didn't get beaten, but he won't be happy with his overall performance.

Special Attraction Match

Heavyweight Division

#3 Rick Stanley (20-7-3) v. #6 Stafford Alois (19-7)

Round 1
Stanley hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Alois to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Stanley hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Alois tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Stanley having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Alois. Stanley throws a right hand, narrowly missing. Alois almost seems to be inviting him on to throw punches, he could be trying to lure him into over-committing. Stanley throws a jab that connects, albeit without much power, but it causes Alois to back up quickly, back toward the cage. Stanley comes in quickly, throwing looping punches, but gets reckless and Alois grabs the opportunity by nailing a big right cross! Stanley collapses in a heap, his left leg buckling underneath him in at an awkward angle. Alois has knocked him out cold with a killer punch. Alois wins via 1st round knock out with the official time being 3:17. (**)

Stafford Alois has just made a huge name for himself in GAMMA. By knocking out one of the most recognizable fighters in the division, and doing it in style. This is two straight KO's for Alois, both were one punch or one kick blows and ended the fight convincingly. For Stanley, this is going to be a hard result to deal with as he is no longer going to be considered the top KO artist in GAMMA, and maybe some will look at him as being past his prime. So much for Stanley getting Oktay, Foster, or Hughes. Now it will be Alois who looks to make his title run.

Durham Red Raiders (1-0-1, 3pts) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-1-1, 1pt)

Jethro Munter, Red Raiders (2-2) v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-2-1)

Round 1
Detroit starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Munter on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Detroit to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Munter, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Detroit, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Munter is looking a little lost so far, Detroit is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Detroit leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Munter was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Munter comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Munter is that although Detroit clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Detroit.

Round 2
There is some tentative circling to begin with, before they meet in the center for the first action of the round. It's a tight affair, both fighters heavily using the jab, but Detroit looks to get the better of it, landing with one crisp strike to the face in particular. Munter backs off, a little shaken. Replays show that it landed right on the nose. Detroit press the action, forcing Munter back against the cage and upping the tempo with rapid-fire lefts and rights, bobbing and weaving at the same time to keep from getting caught with a counter punch. Munter clinches up. Detroit is displaying a much more accomplished and confident striking game than Munter, the technique and speed with which the punches are being delivered is leaving Munter looking ragged in comparison. The pattern continues once they've been separated, with Detroit looking the sharper of the two. He isn't overwhelming Munter by any means, but he is comfortably controlling the pace and tempo of the round, and preventing Munter from stamping any sort of mark on it. The round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Detroit.

Round 3
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Detroit, providing the first moment of real action. Munter hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Detroit side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Munter is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and the round comes to an end. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Munter. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Well that was a letdown of a match, but hardly surprising considering what was expected from these two. Neither man really did a whole lot here individually, and I suppose the biggest benefit goes to the Onslaught for keeping the Red Raiders at 0-0.

Ray Eton, Red Raiders (6-2-1) v. David Allen, Onslaught (4-2-1)

Round 1
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Allen is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Eton blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Allen is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Eton is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Allen can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Allen some problems later on. Allen moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Eton is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Allen before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Allen off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Allen goes for a trip, but Eton cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Eton may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Eton.

Round 2
Eton and Allen circle to start. Allen throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Eton sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Allen comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Eton to slip a nice jab in, catching Allen just underneath the right eye. Eton comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Allen misses with a right cross, then backs off. Eton stalks him, forcing Allen back up against the cage. Eton doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Allen throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Eton pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Allen covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Eton in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Eton throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Allen comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Eton parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Eton's favour. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Eton by 10-9.

Round 3
Two jabs from the left hand of Eton set up a hard waist-high kick, but Allen steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Eton moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Allen uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Eton finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Allen is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Allen scores with a jab, then another, then comes in fast with a takedown. Eton scrambles and after an extended period of struggling manages to get himself into north and south position, on top of Allen. Eton hits a hard right to the chest, then turns and gets a full mount. Allen is really struggling, and can barely get his arms up to cover up from the strikes that Eton is now raining down. A quick transition and Eton has an arm and applies an americana. Allen has no choice, there's the tap out. Official time of the americana submission is 2:45 of the third round. (**)

A very nice fight for the Red Raiders, Eton. He was really the better man in the fight, and his overall ability ouclassed that of Allen. Durham gets the first points with Spokane heading into two difficult fights. 1-0 Red Raiders.

#6 Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (9-3-1) v. Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-4-1)

Round 1
Strange throws a straight right, batted away by Cole. Strange goes for a second, but gets beaten to the punch as Cole scores with a kick that catches Strange across the outside of the knee. Cole throws another one, and this time it lands just above the same knee. Strange backs off slightly. Cole throws a high jab, then head-fakes and comes in with a left hook from low down. Strange fires back with a crisp right hand that connects to the shoulder rather than the face. Cole throws another fizzing low kick, again connecting with the knee. Strange tried to check it, but couldn't in time. Those strikes are going to add up soon and start reducing his mobility. Cole throws another kick, this time at chest-height, but it's merely a set-up to allow him to come in fast and start throwing a series of jabs. Strange covers up, throwing occasional straight rights in return. Cole backs off, but not before cracking another kick into the thigh region. Time is running down, Strange has failed to deal with those kicks, and it has definitely cost him this round, and possibly done some damage to his knee. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Cole.

Round 2
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Strange works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Cole backed up against the cage. Strange gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Cole, who uses his legs well to defend. Strange pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Cole gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Strange follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Strange hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Cole tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Cole leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. The second round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Strange by 10-9.

Round 3
The round starts. They touch gloves. Strange throws a rapid-fire series of punches, forcing Cole to back off. Cole throws a nice kick that thumps into the rib cage. Another kick is thrown, this time aimed at the head, but Strange sees it coming and steps back. Cole advances and they meet in the center. Strange ducks a right hand, scores with a left to the gut. Cole throws a one-two combination, neither connecting, but it does allow him to follow up with a stinging kick to the ribs. A big red mark has appeared there. Strange bursts forward and goes for a big swing, Cole ducks under it, hits a right to the chest, then unloads another kick. This one hits the thigh, causing Strange to noticeably wince. It may have caught the very top of the knee judging from the replays. Strange tries to come in to get a measure of revenge, but is met with some low kicks that make sure that he can't get close enough to throw any bombs. Cole's impressively sharp kicking game is hurting Strange and allowing him to take firm control of this round. There's not much time left, and Strange is going to have to do something special to win this round now. He doesn't, as time expires without anything interesting happening. The third round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Cole by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Strange gets away with another bad fight and Cole is unlucky not to come away with more here. This draw isn't going to help Spokane get back in the match, but at least it keeps Durham from clinching a tie. Cole proved that he had a good gameplan coming in and executed it perfectly. This may put Strange down in the rankings a couple of more spots, so his chances of getting off the team just got a little lower. He only has one more fight left with for the season anyway.

#10 Callum Henson, Red Raiders (4-0-1) v. Luke Hilton, Onslaught (4-1)

Round 1
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Henson gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. Henson fires off a high kick, but it's more spectacular than dangerous. Hilton throws a tight jab, leading to a low kick. Henson defends it well, then storms in quickly and hits a quick one-two combination. Hilton goes for a counter-punch, but Henson gets in a big third shot before backing out of range. That last shot landed quite hard, and it looks to have opened up a cut above the left eye. Not sure the referee has noticed yet, he's on the wrong side of Hilton to see it. They come together again. Hilton throws a nice left to the body, then narrowly missed with a right. Henson hits two punches to the gloves, bobs and weaves, then fires off a nice straight right, not missing by much. The referee stops them there and calls for the time to be stopped. Hilton may have problems here; that earlier punch definitely opened up a cut, and blood has started flowing quite heavily during that last exchange of strikes, even though none of Henson's strikes landed in that area. The referee brings Hilton back to the corner and gets the doctor to look at it. It looks deep. Hilton's corner might have problems doing a great deal with that, it's a really ugly looking wound, and is spitting out blood at an alarming rate. The doctor shakes his head and the referee gives the signal, Henson is going to take home the victory because Hilton cannot continue with that cut sending a lot of blood down into his eye. The official time is 1:39. (**)

Oooooh, too bad for Hilton there. A cut like that is a hard thing to plan for, and we really didn't get to see his potential. As for Henson, he should feel really good about his performance. For the short match, he did look pretty good. Henson will move up the rankings with this win, even if the fight was kind of a stinker. The Red Raiders get the match win going up 2-0 with one to go.

Martin Stevens, Red Raiders (7-0-2) v. Thomas Smith, Onslaught (7-1-1)

Round 1
Smith hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Stevens to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Smith hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Stevens tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Smith having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Stevens. They clinch. Smith hits a knee. Body shot from Stevens. Smith goes for a second knee, but gets shoved away. He seems to stumble as he steps backward, and falls to the floor in an awkward moment. Stevens is on him fast, and scores with a big punch that landed sweetly. Smith covers up, but Stevens is raining down punches from the half mount position. At least two hard shots get through. Stevens moves up into side control, briefly looks like he is considering trying to take an arm, then goes back to teeing off on Smith's head with fists. Smith tries to wriggle free, but isn't really getting anywhere because Stevens is lying right across his upper body. Stevens uses his legs to ensnare Smith's right arm, and then starts firing off more and more punches. With only his left hand to try and block them, Smith is taking more punches than he is blocking. The referee is looking very closely at this, unless Smith does something dramatic pretty soon, I doubt this will go much longer. Stevens stops to take a deep breath, then starts firing off another barrage. Smith takes at least three hard shots to the face during the attack, and that's enough for the referee, he calls an end to the match. The official time is 4:43. (***)

Stevens size was a big factor in this match, especially when Smith was made to fight from his back. Stevens didn't show a whole lot in his first match, and Smith has looked really good. Stevens remains undefeated and gives the Durham Red Raiders a dominating 3-0 victory.

Main Show

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-1) v. #8 Davis Spyrou (11-4-1)

Round 1
Spyrou starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Rush checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Spyrou doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Spyrou cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Rush with a beauty of a right hook. Rush stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Spyrou presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Rush clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Rush scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Spyrou in the gut. Spyrou uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Spyrou gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Rush reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Spyrou has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Rush has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Spyrou from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Spyrou tries to step over and fully apply it, but Rush breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Spyrou steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Rush hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Spyrou will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Spyrou.

Round 2
Rush leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Spyrou deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Spyrou uses a knee to the ribs before backing Rush up against the cage. Right hand from Rush connects though, that was well timed. Spyrou breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Rush was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Spyrou sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Rush fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They clinch. Rush gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Rush landed hard with Spyrou right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Spyrou hits three big punches to the face, and Rush is rocked. Spyrou gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Rush has no alternative but to tap out. Official time of the kimura submission is 3:30 of the second. (**)

Well, the former BCF Middleweight Champion is now oh-fer-two in GAMMA. Spyrou, who also came over from BCF had a fantastic match, and really accentuated the weak ground game of Rush, who was submitted for the second match in a row. With Rush being unranked I am not sure how much that will move Spyrou up in the rankings other than to just give him some momentum for his next match.

Lightweight Division

#2 Sean Morrison (12-4) v. #7 Rodolphe Gygax (16-8)

Round 1
Nice fast-paced start from Morrison, who gets right in Gygax's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as Gygax side-stepped. Gygax fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Morrison steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from Gygax. Morrison is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Morrison sweeps Gygax's standing leg and takes them to the ground. Gygax quickly pulls guard. Gygax has the guard held very high. Morrison throws a big right hand, but almost puts himself right into a triangle as a result, and he is forced to fight free. Gygax throws a punch and it lands right above the nose. Morrison throws four massive punches as a response, threatening to try and knock Gygax right through the canvas, Gygax is forced to simply cover up and try to survive. Morrison is controlling the round from this position, although it has to be said that he hasn't yet truly looked like he can stop the match from here. Gygax moves to butterfly guard and then tries to scramble back up, but Morrison stops that by throwing another set of big punches, forcing Gygax to go back to the full guard. The round ends with them still like that, with Morrison having totally controlled the round from the guard. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Morrison.

Round 2
Morrison starts the round like a house on fire, hitting three quick jabs and a vicious right hook. Gygax covered up well, but at least one of the jabs got through and landed above the left eye. Gygax backs up to buy some time, but Morrison keeps coming and lands a right hand to the body. Gygax scores with a jab in return, then goes with a kick to the waist. Morrison catches the leg though and quickly rushes forward with a takedown. Gygax pulls guard. Morrison fires off a couple of tentative punches, testing out the guard of Gygax. Morrison tries to pass the guard, but can't, Gygax isn't going to let him get a better position, as he knows that Morrison will start raining down punches. Morrison tries a big right hand, but it's easily defended. Gygax gets a punch of his own in, but it didn't connect properly. Morrison again tries to get past the guard, but again is foiled. It's turned into a bit of a stalemate, although the referee probably won't stand them up as long as the punches continue to flow. Morrison fakes an elbow before trying to pass the guard for a third time, and briefly has side mount, but Gygax fought it hard and gets back to guard within seconds. Butterfly guard by Gygax, and Morrison is having trouble generating any attacking threat. He'll probably win the round as he has been more aggressive, but Gygax has defended the danger well. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Morrison.

Round 3
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Morrison is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Gygax blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Morrison is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Gygax is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Morrison can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Morrison some problems later on. Morrison moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Gygax is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Morrison before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Morrison off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Morrison goes for a trip, but Gygax cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Gygax may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Gygax. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Well this match had a little bit of everything. Morrison did very good, but fails to gain a whole lot of momentum with the tie, and Gygax proves that he is no pushover either, by successfully defending on the ground and surviving the incredible pace of the first two rounds. Good match for Morrison, bad result. Descent match for Gygax, and a good result. This doesn't really get us any closer to Morrison-Silva III though.

Light Heavyweight Division

#1 Anthony LeToussier (14-5) v. #2 Garry McSweegan (12-2-1)

Round 1
The two competitors start slowly, circling and looking for an opening. LeToussier fakes shooting in for a takedown, but McSweegan didn't buy it for a second. In comes LeToussier from an angle to the right, but McSweegan had it covered all the way, and not only easily steps out of the way of the attempted right hand, but manages to score with a solid right hand to the side of the head. LeToussier felt that, and is forced to cover up quickly as McSweegan steps in quickly and unloads with a flurry of powerful blows, looking to capitalise on the earlier strike. LeToussier is forced back against the cage, but to his credit, he did a good job defending those strikes and didn't seem to take any significant damage. McSweegan doesn't get in too close, realising that it would likely mean getting caught in a clinch, so he stands slightly back instead and throws some low kicks and looping punches. LeToussier responds by throwing out some straight jabs, but neither fighter is really doing any damage to their opponent. McSweegan clearly grows tired of the wait, and moves in to hit a body blow. It connects, but LeToussier is quick to tie him up in a clinch. That lasts quite a while, until the referee gets in there and breaks them up, telling them to fight. Other than a few half-hearted jabs, there's been a definite lull over the past minute. McSweegan scores with a stiff jab, and bobs and weaves to avoid all three of the rapid-fire punches that come back from LeToussier. Nicely done. LeToussier, realising that he is losing this round, comes forward with a sense of urgency, throwing right hands to put McSweegan on the back foot. McSweegan handles it well though, refusing to let LeToussier get an angle, and using some nice counter punches to the body to further cement the fact that this round is going to him on points. Time expires with LeToussier throwing increasingly desperate punches. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for McSweegan.

Round 2
McSweegan isn't hanging around, right from the start LeToussier is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. LeToussier circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but McSweegan weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from McSweegan, the timing had to be perfect and it was. LeToussier is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. McSweegan really should have taken advantage of that mistake, LeToussier was wide open for a moment there. McSweegan hits a high kick, catching LeToussier on the shoulder. Jab from LeToussier finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. McSweegan fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. LeToussier scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of McSweegan, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for McSweegan.

Round 3
LeToussier clinches up with McSweegan, who was looking ready to unload a right hand. Their grappling doesn't last long though, as LeToussier uses a trip to take McSweegan down. McSweegan pulls guard. LeToussier gets past the guard, but only just, one leg is trapped by McSweegan. A couple of right hands by LeToussier leave ugly red marks where they hit the unprotected stomach of McSweegan. LeToussier gets both legs free and transitions higher up the body, putting McSweegan in huge trouble. LeToussier manages to get a forearm firmly across the throat of McSweegan and he pushes down. McSweegan, with no way of getting out, has no alternative but to tap out. The official time of the choke submission is 0:42 of round 3. (***)

Betcha didn't think that was going to happen, eh? LeToussier, loses the first two rounds and then changes tactics to get a dominant position and change the entire outcome of the fight. McSweegan has to feel disheartened. He drops down a weight class, but instead of being more dominant, he gets a draw with the champ, and is submitted by the #1 contender. Still, is has fought the two toughest guys in this weight class, so you have to think that maybe he bit off more than he could chew right away.

Heavyweight Division

#1 James Foster (16-2) v. #8 Tim Boyer (16-4-2)

Round 1
Boyer starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but Foster avoids it without too much trouble. Boyer isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with Foster getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Boyer finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. Foster opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Boyer is backed up against the cage, covering up. Foster clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Boyer hits a knee strike to the hip. Foster slips one leg behind Boyer and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Boyer landed hard, with Foster on top. They're in half guard. It's to Boyer's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking Foster from attacking the left hand side of the body. Boyer is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. Foster tries to step over to mount, but Boyer keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. Foster fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Boyer doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. Foster isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Boyer ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before Foster can get free. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Foster by 10-9.

Round 2
Foster hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Boyer to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Foster hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Boyer tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Foster having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Boyer. Boyer tries an ill-advised head kick, but Foster ducks and comes straight underneath it. Grabbing the leg, he lifts Boyer up and then violently plants him into the ground with a slam. Foster dives in, but gets pulled into guard. Foster stands, and uses his arms to push Boyer's guard apart. Leaning down between the legs, he starts throwing vicious punches. Boyer tries to bring his legs back in to pull guard again, while simultaneously covering up, but he is having trouble; Foster is using his body to keep the legs from coming in. More punches rain down, and Boyer is starting to get really pounded. A big shot lands hard on the nose, then a left hand crunches into his cheek. The referee has seen enough and pulls Foster away, signalling the end of this match. The official time of the TKO is 3:35 of round 2. (****)

Foster is still the best pound for pound guy in GAMMA, and his nickname is the 'King of the Ground and Pound' and he sure showed why today. Sure, Tim Boyer is no championship, caliber fighter, but he is a seasoned vet, who just got pounded into submission in the second round. Foster looks like he is ready for Oktay or maybe even Alois for his next matchup. Boyer is going to slide off the rankings if some of the younger guys ever get their acts together.

Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (10-0-1) v. Challenger #8 Noach Van Der Capellen (10-3)

Round 1
Van Der Capellen leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Regueiro deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Regueiro uses a knee to the ribs before backing Van Der Capellen up against the cage. Right hand from Van Der Capellen connects though, that was well timed. Regueiro breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Van Der Capellen was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Regueiro sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Van Der Capellen fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Van Der Capellen goes down! It came out of absolutely nowhere, Regueiro hit a huge punch that Van Der Capellen never saw coming. He is dazed, and that gives Regueiro the chance to follow up. Regueiro is firing off punches while kneeling across Van Der Capellen's upper body in a half-mount, and there's not a lot Van Der Capellen can do about it. He needs to get out of there, or at least pull guard, but can do neither as he can't get his hips free. Regueiro rains down the punches even faster, and Van Der Capellen is just getting pounded into oblivion; even though he managed to block three quarters of the shots coming in, that's still five or six good shots that have gotten through. Those five or six shots are enough for the referee at any rate, as he calls an end to the match, obviously feeling that Van Der Capellen was getting overwhelmed by that barrage. The official time is 4:43. Julio Regueiro successfully retains the GAMMA Welterweight title. (***)

So, Julio Regueiro is just that much better. The size wasn't an issue, but VDC is supposedly hard to KO. That didn't keep Julio from really laying him out, and of course, go in for the kill. A pretty entertaining match-up. Hopefully, Julio will be ready to face some bigger competition for his next defense. VDC was on the Austin Rush roster to start the season, but was deemed to seasoned when younger guys joined GAMMA.

This was the best card that GAMMA has put together under my leadership, and we were able to gain popularity in all 61 regions that we have coverage in. I have a hard time believing that the Stanley-Alois fight was as well received as the Munter-Detroit fight. Foster-Boyer was the best fight since I began as GM.

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:45 PM

GAMMA has risen to Massive status. I am assuming that will mean better sponsor offers as well as the opportunity to move into other countries.

Following his last match, Rodolphe Gygax has decided to step up to the Welterweight division. Personally, I am against such a move as I think that he just won't be able to compete. He is going to be one of the lightest men in the division too.

Heavyweight Thomas Smith, of the Spokane Onslaught, sustained a knee injury during his loss to Marvin Stevens. Doctors say that he is going to be out for up to two months. Rookie, Luke Hilton, also of the Onslaught, is also out with an injury for close to two months. It shouldn't impact his next match though, that was a nasty cut.

GAMMA: Meltdown has been set to air on National Pride TV on a Monday night, the third week of December. The main event of this special television event will be the highly anticipated rematch of GAMMA Middleweight Champion, Fernando Amaro and former GAMMA Middleweight Champion and current #1 contender Maarten De Vries. The other highlight will be the GAMMA Team Battle between the Pittsburgh Cyclopes and the Buffalo Outlaws.

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:45 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
live on National Pride TV
Austin, Texas

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (1-0-1, 4pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (2-0-0, 6 pts)

Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-6-1) v. Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (6-2)
Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0-2)v. Nathan Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-1)
#9 Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes (10-6) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0)
Mike Watson, Cyclopes (3-0) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-1)
Randy Carsley, Cyclopes (5-0) v. Marcus Speed , Outlaws(3-0)

Main Show

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (17-8) v. Lukas Mellberg (10-1)

Heavyweight Division

Eddie Whelan (10-3) v. #6 Tony McCall (20-4-1)

Lightweight Division

#5 Jackson Gray (9-3-1) v. #8 Charles Stiles (8-2-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

#2 George Laurent (13-1) v. #8 Lenny McFadden (9-4-1)

Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (16-3) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (14-4-1)

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:52 PM

We extended the contracts of Rick Stanley, Nick Detroit, Callum Henson, and Thomas Smith. Richie Stiller's contract has expired and he has left the promotion. Welterweight, Keith Plaice is the next to go, as his contract will officially exprire within the month.

Alan Kendall (10-2-1) and the #6 Welterweight in GAMMA has failed a drug test and is suspended for the next 12 months. His contract only runs slightly longer than that, but it is expected that he will be resigned. If there is one place that we are fat, it is in the Welterweight category. I hate to lose a fighter of his caliber, but he has to pay for breaking the rules.

PilotMan

12-30-2007, 08:53 PM

Weigh Ins are complete and everyone successfully made weight. The biggest weight difference is between Sheedy and McPhee. Where Sheedy outweighs him by 55 pounds.

GAMMA: Meltdown Previews
set for the third week of December
live on National Pride TV
Austin, Texas

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (1-0-1, 4pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (2-0-0, 6 pts)

Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-6-1) v. Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (6-2)

Thomas is pegged to get the W and put the Cyclopes on the board first. Both men are fairly even standing up. Ball will use his Muay-Thai backround while Thomas is more of a freestyle fighter. If Thomas gets control on the ground Ball will be in trouble. Blurcat likes Thomas by KO. That would give the Cyclopes the 1-0 lead.

Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0-2) v. Nathan Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-1)

Both of these men have seen their win streaks end, but both are still undefeated. Chambers is a kick boxer who is exciting to watch, and Basora uses his Judo training to work submissions. This is Chambers' match to lose. He will be at a large advantage if he can stay upright. If the fight goes to the ground Basora will have a better chance to win. Blurcat like Chambers for the win and Buffalo to even the score at 1-1.

#9 Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes (10-6) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0)

Sheedy is more experienced, 5 inches taller, 55 pounds heavier, and generally more skilled than the Outlaws' McPhee. If McPhee can even pull off a draw here it will be a big plus for his team. Blurcat doesn't think that he can, and that the Cyclopes go up 2-1.

Mike Watson, Cyclopes (3-0) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-1)

A battle of two undefeated fighters. Watson is practically a prodigy in the MMA world, but Ballard is a tough opponent. Both men are kick boxers with good power. I think that someone will find a way to end this fight, but blurcat thinks that it will end in a draw. That would leave Pittsburgh still up 2-1 with one to go.

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes (5-0) v. Marcus Speed , Outlaws(3-0)

Another good fight between two undefeated fighters. Carsley is a tad bit more experienced but will hold the advantage on the ground. Speed is a hard striker, but is known to be weaker on the ground. Tactics are going to determine the winner here. Blurcat thinks that winner is going to be Carsley to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 win and the first defeat for the Buffalo Outlaws.

Main Show

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (17-8) v. Lukas Mellberg (10-1)

Both Bracewell and Mellberg are coming off of defeats against tough opponents. Tonight they are fighting each other in a welterweight battle that each one of them hope will vault them back into the top 10 and possibly to a title fight. Bracewell is mainly a wrestler, however he also possess good striking skills too. Mellberg is a Jiu-Jitsu fighter who is a submission artist. If Mellberg controls the ground Bracewell could be in trouble. Blurcat likes Mellberg by submission for the win.

Heavyweight Division

Eddie Whelan (10-3) v. #6 Tony McCall (20-4-1)

Whelan was knocked out by Stafford Alois in his last fight, while McCall fought the Champ, Raul Hughes to a draw. Whelan is much less experienced than McCall. Whelan should be a better fighter standing up, but not by much and on the ground McCall will have a slight advantage. I still was hoping that Whelan would move down to Light Heavyweight, but that is yet to materialize. Blurcat like McCall by TKO.

Lightweight Division

#5 Jackson Gray (9-3-1) v. #8 Charles Stiles (8-2-1)

He who controls the ground controls the fight. Stiles will be nearly unstoppable if he is in control. His ability to submit opponents from any position is going to make him very tough to beat. If Gray gets control he will utilize his striking ability to get through Stiles' defense. Blurcat likes Stiles by submission. If Gray gets the win, he will put himself in line for a title shot with Silva. If and only If, and he still may not be the #1.

Light Heavyweight Division

#2 George Laurent (13-1) v. #8 Lenny McFadden (9-4-1)

McFadden was noted in the press that he would beat Laurent. If he can pull off the upset of the #2 LH he would get a lot of respect. Laurent is very dangerous with his hands, either standing or on the ground. McFadden is more comfortable on the ground, but he will need to be dominant to do it. McFadden is younger by 8 years, but Laurent is still spry. Look for Laurent to KO McFadden.

Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (16-3) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (14-4-1)

Their first fight was in February of 1995, almost 2 years ago. That time, De Vries knocked Amaro out in the second round and won the GAMMA Middleweight Title. De Vries reign lasted almost a year before he lost to Matthew Dean in what some call a fluke. Dean did exploit De Vries weak ground game in the process. Dean then lost his title to Amaro. Amaro has now been the Champion for 4 months and is looking to get revenge for his loss to De Vries. De Vries is a bit one sided, but holds a solid advantage in striking. If Amaro can get him down, and in position, he should get the win. Blurcat likes Amaro to get the win via TKO over De Vries.

PilotMan

12-31-2007, 02:40 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
live on National Pride TV
Monday Night, Third week of December
Austin, Texas
Attendance: 1,933

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (1-0-1, 4pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (2-0-0, 6 pts)

Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-6-1) v. Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (6-2)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Thomas puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Ball defended well. Straight right from Ball in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Thomas probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Ball gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's not going to hide the fact that Thomas had the better of that round. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Thomas by 10-9.

Round 2
Thomas and Ball circle to start. Ball throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Thomas sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Ball comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Thomas to slip a nice jab in, catching Ball just underneath the right eye. Thomas comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Ball misses with a right cross, then backs off. Thomas stalks him, forcing Ball back up against the cage. Thomas doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Ball throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Thomas pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Ball covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Thomas in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Thomas throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Ball comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Thomas parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Thomas's favour. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Thomas.

Round 3
Right hand from Ball was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Thomas. Ball follows up by coming in close, but Thomas is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Ball comes in hard and fast, throwing a scorching right hand, but it's a long way wide and Thomas is able to clinch up. Ball hits a knee to the ribs, then a second. He goes to the well once too often though, as the third knee gets caught, and Thomas uses it for leverage to complete a takedown, ending up in Ball's guard. Thomas stands, and uses his arms to push Ball's guard apart. Leaning down between the legs, he starts throwing vicious punches. Ball tries to bring his legs back in to pull guard again, while simultaneously covering up, but he is having trouble; Thomas is using his body to keep the legs from coming in. More punches rain down, and Ball is starting to get really pounded. A big shot lands hard on the nose, then a left hand crunches into his cheek. The referee has seen enough and pulls Thomas away, signalling the end of this match. Thomas wins via TKO at 1:57 of the third round. (**)

Ball must not have read the preview, because he would have seen that if he lost control on the ground Thomas would win. And he did. Thomas gets the win that he needed and a point for the Pittsburgh Cyclopes. Cyclopes 1-0.

Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0-2)v. Nathan Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-1)

Round 1
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before Basora throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Chambers's jaw, but it is parried. Chambers steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. Basora moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Chambers put a lot of weight behind it. Basora hits a nice jab, then clinches. Chambers hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. Basora hits a low kick to the leg. Chambers bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. Basora goes down! Good shot from Chambers! He tries to follow up and pound on Basora, but Basora is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Chambers, sensing that Basora is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. Basora ends up backed up against the cage. Chambers gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by Basora, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Chambers has in his hands is really posing Basora some problems. The clinch drags on, with Chambers unable to break free, and the round ends like that. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Chambers.

Round 2
Touch of gloves starts the round. Chambers comes in quickly, and unloads with a beauty of a combination, two jabs, a hook, a body punch and an uppercut. One of the jabs and the body shot definitely got through, the others were blocked. Basora backs off, only offering a wayward right hand in response. They circle, then Chambers once again comes in with an aggressive rush. They exchange blows in a flurry, with Chambers bobbing and weaving excellently while throwing out crisp jabs. Basora got a leg kick in, but his jabs didn't find their mark. Chambers is relying on his superior striking skills so far, and it is paying dividends, Basora is getting picked apart and is looking increasingly unable to to contend with his opponent's better technique. Chambers throws a low kick, and that is really the first mistake of the round from him, as it is sloppy and allows Basora to move in and grab a clinch. Basora forces Chambers back against the cage, and is clearly happy to have gained a position where Chambers cannot unload with strikes as effectively. Basora hits a knee, then gets three or four small punches in to the side of the head. Not much power in them though. Chambers sneaks in an elbow, and then attempts to get free, to no avail. Basora goes for a trip, but Chambers pushes free and quickly gets back to the center. Basora keeps his distance for a few moments to recover his composure, then gets ready to fight again. Chambers works an angle, throwing quick jabs all the time, then switches stance and hits a long looping punch that finds gloves. A right hand follows up though, and that does find the mark, causing Basora to throw a wild haymaker in response. Chambers tries to capitalise with a further flurry, and hits a nice left hook, but Basora soon has them back in a clinch. That goes on for a while, until the clock runs down. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Chambers.

Round 3
Good start from Basora, taking Chambers down almost immediately! Chambers scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Basora will be disappointed with that. Chambers comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Basora to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Chambers felt that one for sure. He stalks Basora, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Basora keeps out of the way. Chambers tries a kick, but Basora catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Basora gets Chambers down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Basora throws some punches, then tries to pass. Chambers doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Basora easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Basora followed by a pass attempt, with Chambers blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Basora by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

Basora survived one hell of an assault and kept his wits the whole time. In fact, his third round was outstanding. Chambers could really have been beaten there. Basora really got one for his team there. Both men are having trouble getting wins lately. Cyclopes still lead 1-0.

#9 Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes (10-6) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0)

Round 1
Sheedy comes out fast, and looks like he is aiming for a quick takedown, but McPhee stops that plan with some looping punches. Solid right hand from McPhee connects, and that's the best moment of the opening minute of the round. Sheedy is mainly defending against punches, it looks like he is trying to work an angle to try for a takedown. McPhee seems to have noticed, as he is purposely positioning against that. Straight left from McPhee, then a low kick, then a wicked body shot. Sheedy felt that, and backs off. Sheedy tries to get in for a clinch, perhaps looking for a takedown from that position, but McPhee gets him to back off with some jabs. McPhee has really been able to stamp his gameplan on this round, Sheedy has been blocked at every turn. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McPhee.

Round 2
There's a few minor exchanges of punches to start the round, and McPhee gets the better of them. Neither fighter is throwing any bombs, but McPhee is showing the better technique, and has hit a few nice body shots. They come together again, and McPhee shows quick hands to get in three nice shots. Sheedy definitely felt them. Neither fighter seems interested in taking this to the ground, they're just circling, throwing a few punches, then regrouping. Sheedy is struggling to inflict much damage. He may need to switch tactics, as so far McPhee is looking very comfortable. Sheedy comes in with left, but McPhee saw it coming and slipped in a great right hand counter punch. Sheedy is getting frustrated. The remainder of the round is no different, as the occasional exchanges of strikes are clearly go the way of McPhee's superior technique. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for McPhee.

Round 3
McPhee starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and Sheedy is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from McPhee. Sheedy tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from Sheedy, but it only caught McPhee on the shoulder. Another kick connects from McPhee, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping Sheedy from doing very much. For a second it looked like Sheedy was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. Right hand from Sheedy, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to McPhee by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

What a great match for McPhee. Sheedy did nothing at all, and despite his huge size, and experience advantage. McPhee loses his win streak but is a nice addition for the Outlaws since the departure of Milton Harvey. Too bad they didn't get the point, and Pittsburgh still holds on to their 1-0 lead.

Mike Watson, Cyclopes (3-0) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-1)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Watson throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Ballard from coming inside. Watson works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Ballard responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Watson backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Ballard circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Watson blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Watson fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Ballard covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Watson though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Watson throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Watson.

Round 2
There's a few minor exchanges of punches to start the round, and Watson gets the better of them. Neither fighter is throwing any bombs, but Watson is showing the better technique, and has hit a few nice body shots. They come together again, and Watson shows quick hands to get in three nice shots. Ballard definitely felt them. Neither fighter seems interested in taking this to the ground, they're just circling, throwing a few punches, then regrouping. Ballard is struggling to inflict much damage. He may need to switch tactics, as so far Watson is looking very comfortable. Ballard comes in with left, but Watson saw it coming and slipped in a great right hand counter punch. Ballard is getting frustrated. The remainder of the round is no different, as the occasional exchanges of strikes are clearly go the way of Watson's superior technique. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Watson.

Round 3
Touch of gloves starts the round. Watson comes in quickly, and unloads with a beauty of a combination, two jabs, a hook, a body punch and an uppercut. One of the jabs and the body shot definitely got through, the others were blocked. Ballard backs off, only offering a wayward right hand in response. They circle, then Watson once again comes in with an aggressive rush. They exchange blows in a flurry, with Watson bobbing and weaving excellently while throwing out crisp jabs. Ballard got a leg kick in, but his jabs didn't find their mark. Watson is relying on his superior striking skills so far, and it is paying dividends, Ballard is getting picked apart and is looking increasingly unable to to contend with his opponent's better technique. Watson throws a low kick, and that is really the first mistake of the round from him, as it is sloppy and allows Ballard to move in and grab a clinch. Ballard forces Watson back against the cage, and is clearly happy to have gained a position where Watson cannot unload with strikes as effectively. Ballard hits a knee, then gets three or four small punches in to the side of the head. Not much power in them though. Watson sneaks in an elbow, and then attempts to get free, to no avail. Ballard goes for a trip, but Watson pushes free and quickly gets back to the center. Ballard keeps his distance for a few moments to recover his composure, then gets ready to fight again. Watson works an angle, throwing quick jabs all the time, then switches stance and hits a long looping punch that finds gloves. A right hand follows up though, and that does find the mark, causing Ballard to throw a wild haymaker in response. Watson tries to capitalise with a further flurry, and hits a nice left hook, but Ballard soon has them back in a clinch. That goes on for a while, until the clock runs down. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Watson by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Watson shows the better skills, but Ballard keeps him from beating him. Watson has still stays undefeated as does Ballard, but neither fighter gains any head of steam toward the top. Ballard keeps Buffalo in the match. If Speed can get a win the Outlaws will at least get a draw and a point. Cyclopes still lead 1-0.

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes (5-0) v. Marcus Speed , Outlaws(3-0)

Round 1
Speed starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Carsley. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Carsley goes for a single leg and puts Speed on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Carsley from getting on top. Speed definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Carsley hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Speed again. This time Speed isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Carsley will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Speed defends. Carsley tries to slip past to get side control, but Speed just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Carsley has the side. Two big elbows land, and Speed seems in trouble. Carsley goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Carsley.

Round 2
Good start from Carsley, taking Speed down almost immediately! Speed scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Carsley will be disappointed with that. Speed comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Carsley to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Speed felt that one for sure. He stalks Carsley, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Carsley keeps out of the way. Speed tries a kick, but Carsley catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Carsley gets Speed down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Carsley throws some punches, then tries to pass. Speed doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Carsley easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Carsley followed by a pass attempt, with Speed blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Carsley.

Round 3
Carsley doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Speed easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Speed throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Speed and Carsley exchange strikes, ending when Speed goes too high on a swing, allowing Carsley to duck under and dart a left hand punch to the face. Speed felt that, and feels the follow up straight right as well. Speed backs up, and some blood is visible above his right eye. It looks like that straight right hand may have split his eyebrow wide open; there's certainly an awful lot of blood. The referee steps in and calls for the clock to be stopped. Speed doesn't look like he even knew why until the referee pointed out the wound. Blood is now starting to leak into Speed's eye. The doctor comes in to check the cut. It's hard to see how deep it is, but it's definitely in an awkward position, it's right above the eye. It takes a while, but finally the doctor gives a signal to the referee, who calls for an end to the fight. Apparently the cut was too dangerous, Speed cannot continue. The official time is 1:32. (**)

No fighter wants his first loss to come from a cut, but Speed really had no answer for Carsley and his ground game. Carsley was so close to ending it in the first round, but time was his enemy. The win cements the victory for the Pittsburgh Cyclops 2-0 over the previously undefeated Buffalo Outlaws.

Main Show

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (17-8) v. Lukas Mellberg (10-1)

Round 1
There's a few minor exchanges of punches to start the round, and Mellberg gets the better of them. Neither fighter is throwing any bombs, but Mellberg is showing the better technique, and has hit a few nice body shots. They come together again, and Mellberg shows quick hands to get in three nice shots. Bracewell definitely felt them. Neither fighter seems interested in taking this to the ground, they're just circling, throwing a few punches, then regrouping. Bracewell is struggling to inflict much damage. He may need to switch tactics, as so far Mellberg is looking very comfortable. Bracewell comes in with left, but Mellberg saw it coming and slipped in a great right hand counter punch. Bracewell is getting frustrated. The remainder of the round is no different, as the occasional exchanges of strikes are clearly go the way of Mellberg's superior technique. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-8 to Mellberg.

Round 2
Mellberg starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Bracewell on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Mellberg to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Bracewell, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Mellberg, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Bracewell is looking a little lost so far, Mellberg is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. Bracewell throws out a few jabs, nothing too dangerous though, Mellberg easily avoided them. Mellberg leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Bracewell was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Bracewell comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Bracewell is that although Mellberg clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Mellberg.

Round 3
Bracewell throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Mellberg throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Bracewell steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Mellberg hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Bracewell. They struggle all the way back, with Bracewell ending up backed up against the cage. Mellberg hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Bracewell stomps downward onto his foot. Bracewell manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Mellberg gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Bracewell ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Bracewell tries a high kick to start, but Mellberg saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Mellberg who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Bracewell on the nose. Bracewell hits a straight right, enough to stop Mellberg from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Mellberg by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

Both guys come off the loss ok, but it is Mellberg that looks best. If Mellberg would have gone to the ground he would have really had the match, but as it was Bracewell keeps him from getting the win outright. It wasn't a great fight, but it served to separate the skills of the two unranked fighters.

Heavyweight Division

Eddie Whelan (10-3) v. #6 Tony McCall (20-4-1)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Whelan throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep McCall from coming inside. Whelan works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, McCall responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Whelan backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. McCall circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Whelan blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Whelan fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. McCall covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Whelan though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. There's only a few seconds remaining. Whelan throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Whelan.

Round 2
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. McCall is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as Whelan picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. McCall throws a wild punch as a counter, but Whelan ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. McCall gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that McCall is looking for big punches, Whelan is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and McCall manages to back Whelan up against the cage. McCall takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but Whelan ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before McCall can unload. McCall may need to think about changing tactics, Whelan is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. McCall fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching Whelan on the thigh. Whelan presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. McCall gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. The second round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Whelan.

Round 3
Whelan starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and McCall is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from Whelan. McCall tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from McCall, but it only caught Whelan on the shoulder. Another kick connects from Whelan, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping McCall from doing very much. McCall looks to be working an angle. Right hand from McCall, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Whelan. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

McCall didn't do anything worthwhile in this fight. Whelan did well, and kept from getting tagged, while landing good counters and kicks. Whelan has to feel better about this fight as opposed to his loss to Alois. Not a whole lot of excitement here though. I was hoping for a better fight overall. McCall was a dissapointment.

Lightweight Division

#5 Jackson Gray (9-3-1) v. #8 Charles Stiles (8-2-1)

Round 1
Gray leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Stiles deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Stiles uses a knee to the ribs before backing Gray up against the cage. Right hand from Gray connects though, that was well timed. Stiles breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Gray was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Stiles sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Gray fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Stiles misses with a right hand, and leaves himself open to a left hook. Stiles goes down, although replays confirm that it was a stumble, Gray was a few inches away from connecting with that left. Gray tries to quickly mount Stiles to capitalise, but is out-maneuvered almost immediately and Stiles slips out and gets his back! Gray turtles up, and takes a few heavy shots to the ribs. Stiles gets his legs around Gray and uses them to roll him over. Exposed, Gray tries to turn so that he is on top, but Stiles has already rammed one arm around his throat and has a tight choke-hold applied. Gray is in big trouble, and obviously can't see a way out as he taps out pretty quickly. Stiles wins via 1st round rear choke submission with the official time being 8:16. (*)

A good recovery match for Stiles, his quickness on the ground was too much. Gray was too aggressive coming in after Stiles fell. Clearly, Stiles is dangerous from any position. This will keep Gray out of the title picture for a while. I am glad that this didn't go too long, as neither of these fighters is very exciting.

Light Heavyweight Division

#2 George Laurent (13-1) v. #8 Lenny McFadden (9-4-1)

Round 1
Quick start to the round from Laurent, he comes storming in with a flurry of jabs. McFadden defends it well, parrying them away. Nice straight right from McFadden connects. Laurent gets in close and hits a pair of nice body shots, then they clinch up. Laurent pushes McFadden back against the cage and goes for a trip, but McFadden blocks it. McFadden suddenly pushes forward off the cage and uses the momentum to take Laurent down to the ground, into guard. McFadden tries to work free from the guard, but can't. Laurent reaches up to try and bring McFadden down into a clinch, but the attempt gets swatted away. McFadden fires off a couple of punches, leaning forward to get some leverage, and Laurent is forced to cover up. McFadden switches and starts firing off some rapid-fire shots to the chest, Laurent deals with it by pulling the guard tighter and punching upward. McFadden looks like he is happy to sit there and throw punches at his leisure, with no real effort to pass guard. Laurent occasionally tries to roll his hips to get free, but it may be that he has realised that this round is beyond saving, and is just making sure that he doesn't put himself into a position to be knocked out or submitted by trying to escape. Indeed, time ticks away with nothing breaking the pattern of occasional strikes and defensive positioning. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McFadden.

Round 2
Laurent starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but McFadden avoids it without too much trouble. Laurent isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with McFadden getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Laurent finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. McFadden opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Laurent is backed up against the cage, covering up. McFadden clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Laurent hits a knee strike to the hip. McFadden slips one leg behind Laurent and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Laurent landed hard, with McFadden on top. They're in half guard. It's to Laurent's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking McFadden from attacking the left hand side of the body. Laurent is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. McFadden tries to step over to mount, but Laurent keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. McFadden fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Laurent doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. McFadden isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Laurent ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before McFadden can get free. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for McFadden.

Round 3
They circle to begin the round. Laurent throws two short jabs, then a long-range looping right hand. McFadden had to be on his toes to get out of the way, and does. Laurent goes to follow up, and narrowly avoids walking right into a right cross. He bobs underneath it, then comes in fast with a right hand. McFadden parries it with his gloves, then shoots in and scores with a nice takedown. Laurent tries to sprawl, but was too late and can only pull guard as he crash-lands to the ground. McFadden tries to work free from the guard, but can't. Laurent reaches up to try and bring McFadden down into a clinch, but the attempt gets swatted away. McFadden fires off a couple of punches, leaning forward to get some leverage, and Laurent is forced to cover up. McFadden switches and starts firing off some rapid-fire shots to the chest, Laurent deals with it by pulling the guard tighter and punching upward. McFadden looks like he is happy to sit there and throw punches at his leisure, with no real effort to pass guard. Laurent occasionally tries to roll his hips to get free, but it may be that he has realised that this round is beyond saving, and is just making sure that he doesn't put himself into a position to be knocked out or submitted by trying to escape. Indeed, time ticks away with nothing breaking the pattern of occasional strikes and defensive positioning. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to McFadden by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Boo! On that stinker of a fight. McFadden did well to avoid the punches and take the fight to his strength, control on the ground. Laurent never really landed the KO puch that he was looking for, and McFadden's tactics proved to be very good against the tough opponent. This isn't good for Laurent, and will certainly take some steam off of the big PPV that he could have been a part of.

Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (16-3) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (14-4-1)

Round 1
Amaro is forced onto the backfoot almost immediately, having to retreat to avoid a series of sharp jabs. He ends up with his back to the cage, with De Vries advancing. A sharp right misses, and Amaro takes the opportunity to pull De Vries in to a tight clinch against the cage. De Vries tries to break free, but cannot. It looks like we know the strategies for this round already; De Vries wants to stand and bang, Amaro wants to keep things at close quarters. De Vries tries for an elbow, but only succeeds in getting turned around so that he is now the one against the cage. Trip from Amaro, and we're down to the ground. Amaro has side control, but De Vries has landed with his left hand side against the cage, so that side of the body is basically safe for now. Amaro will have to try to work the right-hand side, and starts by ramming a knee into the ribs. De Vries tries to squirm into a better position, but Amaro puts a stop to that with a stiff elbow to the stomach. Amaro tries to work a kimura on the right arm, but De Vries defends it. De Vries manages to bring a knee up and catch Amaro in the side, something of a cheeky move given his position. Amaro responds with five or six rapid-fire right hands to the face, but De Vries covers up and doesn't take any serious damage at all. Time is ticking away though, and so far Amaro may be easily winning the round, but he is not taking full advantage of this great position. Amaro tries to float over into a mount, but De Vries uses the cage to push away and manages to unbalance Amaro enough to get to a kneeling position, then standing, albeit back into a clinch. A knee from Amaro is the last action of the round. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Amaro.

Round 2
Amaro starts the round by throwing some low kicks. De Vries checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Amaro doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Amaro cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch De Vries with a beauty of a right hook. De Vries stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Amaro presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. De Vries clinches. They remain clinched for a while. De Vries scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Amaro in the gut. Amaro uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Amaro gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. De Vries reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Amaro has his left arm straightened out, fortunately De Vries has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Amaro from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Amaro tries to step over and fully apply it, but De Vries breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Amaro steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. De Vries hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Amaro will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Amaro.

Round 3
De Vries may have realised that he left the gas on back at home, as he starts the round as if he needs to get this fight finished quickly, throwing two giant-sized right hand bombs and a vicious uppercut within the first thirty seconds. Amaro dealt with them well though, avoiding the first two and parrying the uppercut away. Amaro fakes a takedown, causing De Vries to back up, ready to sprawl. De Vries stalks Amaro, forcing him back toward the cage. De Vries moves in, looking to throw another big shot, but Amaro springs forward and connects with a great punch, crunching his fist into the cheek. De Vries goes down! Amaro tries to pounce and pound his way to victory, but De Vries has enough awareness to ensnare Amaro in the guard position as he dives in. Amaro throws out a right hand, parried away by De Vries. The guard is quite tight, for the moment at least Amaro looks content to stay there and throw some punches. De Vries isn't offering any sort of attacking threat yet, instead concentrating on keeping the strikes from landing. A big punch is driven into the ribs, De Vries thought it was going for the face. Another punch lands in the same place, and a red mark starts to develop. De Vries reaches up and pulls Amaro down into a clinch, and tries to work an armbar from the bottom. Amaro defends it easily, and gets in a sharp jab to the face too. He stands up slightly, leaning forward into the guard, and starts throwing some right hands. One gets through, the others are parried. De Vries looked like he might be considering trying to apply a triangle then, as Amaro was very exposed, but he didn't get a chance due to the ferocity of the punches. Amaro gets back down to kneeling in the guard. Another right hand lands to the ribs. De Vries fires off two punches from his back, but Amaro defends them easily by simply leaning backward out of reach. Amaro stands again, the guard remaining tight around him, and throws another couple of bombs. This time De Vries does try to apply the triangle, and an armbar at the same time, but Amaro breaks free. Time is ticking down, looks like De Vries will survive this ground and pound attack. The round ends without further note. The third round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Amaro.

Round 4
Quick start to the round from De Vries, he comes storming in with a flurry of jabs. Amaro defends it well, parrying them away. Nice straight right from Amaro connects. De Vries gets in close and hits a pair of nice body shots, then they clinch up. De Vries pushes Amaro back against the cage and goes for a trip, but Amaro blocks it. Amaro suddenly pushes forward off the cage and uses the momentum to take De Vries down to the ground, into guard. Amaro tries to work free from the guard, but can't. De Vries reaches up to try and bring Amaro down into a clinch, but the attempt gets swatted away. Amaro fires off a couple of punches, leaning forward to get some leverage, and De Vries is forced to cover up. Amaro switches and starts firing off some rapid-fire shots to the chest, De Vries deals with it by pulling the guard tighter and punching upward. Amaro looks like he is happy to sit there and throw punches at his leisure, with no real effort to pass guard. De Vries occasionally tries to roll his hips to get free, but it may be that he has realised that this round is beyond saving, and is just making sure that he doesn't put himself into a position to be knocked out or submitted by trying to escape. Indeed, time ticks away with nothing breaking the pattern of occasional strikes and defensive positioning. The fourth round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Amaro by 10-9.

Round 5
De Vries starts off by throwing two excellent low kicks to the leading leg of Amaro. Those will accumulate fast and give Amaro some problems moving. De Vries switches it up and throws a big right hand, missing. Amaro, who has been overwhelmed for the first thirty seconds of this round, steps in and throws a bomb of a right hand...and it connects! De Vries goes down from the first strike that Amaro has thrown since the round began! Amaro doesn't dive in, instead taking his time. De Vries recovered well from the punch, and remains seated on the floor, ready to defend. Amaro throws a pair of kicks to the legs, then gets in closer, looking for a way to get past the guard. Another kick to the legs precedes him trying to swiftly get past the legs, but it is to no avail as De Vries is able to pull guard, just, that was close. The fight falls into a lull as a pattern develops; Amaro punctuating attempts to pass guard with some sharp punches to the body and face, while De Vries parries away any big blows and puts all of his effort into making sure Amaro doesn't get a better position. Things heat up as Amaro manages to break the guard and get through into a half mount. De Vries hits a nice clean right hand in response. Amaro throws a couple of hard punches to the stomach. He has one leg trapped, and is trying to pull that free so that he can move further up the body and really start pounding away. De Vries knows that having the leg trapped is his key to not ending up in huge trouble, and so has it locked up tight. Amaro tries a half-hearted attempt at a kimura, but De Vries defends it well. The round ends with Amaro still unable to transition into side control, although he has landed enough shots to have lit up De Vries's upper body with red marks, and definitely won the round on points. End of round 5. Blurcat.com gives that one to Amaro by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

A very good match from my POV, and Amaro is able to keep the title. De Vries was really schooled as he was consistently taken down to the ground. Amaro nearly scored a TKO with his total domination from the top, but De Vries was able to do just enough. If this had gone to the cards, Amaro would have handily won. I think he was able to avenge his loss with his show today.

Fans thought that it was a good show. We managed to gain popularity in 47 of our 50 target regions with National Pride TV. One other note. Ed Whelan, who normally fights for Spokane was slotted to this fight because both Milne and Papa are taking extended breaks from fighting. Their absence has caused the heavyweight division to be a little tight, talent wise. It will not affect his appearance limit with the Onslaught.

PilotMan

12-31-2007, 02:48 PM

GAMMA Middleweight Champion Fernando Amaro sustained an ankle injury last night in Texas. His timetable for return is currently set at 2 months time. He shouldn't miss his next title defense. Buffalo Outlaws' Marcus Speed is also going to be out for some time to allow his cut to heal properly. The TV ratings on the National Pride Network were good. Hopefully, when this show runs it's course, we can hook up with a bit bigger station and really get some good coverage.

We have put together another very good card for our next PPV coming to you from Las Vegas, Nevada. This card features two title fights in one night, along with a GAMMA Team Battle between the Pittsburgh Cyclopes and Austin Rush. The fight will be in three weeks, and the first of the new year.

PilotMan

12-31-2007, 02:49 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. De Souza
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tuesday, Second week of January, 1997

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-8) v. #4 Christopher Sharp (10-1-1)

Special Attraction Match

Welterweight Division

#8 Will Kane (8-0) v. Noach Van Der Capellen (10-4)

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-1-0, 7pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-0, 0pts)

Due to the injury to Steve Mason, and the recovery of Frank Sheedy, unranked Fatuma Roy will sub for the Cyclopes.

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-1) v. Gordon Idle, Rush (7-2-1)
Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (2-2-1) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-1-1)
#9 Carl Ratcliffe, Cyclopes (8-3-1) v. Drew Jenks, Rush (3-1)
#8 John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-0) v. Faas Smit, Rush (5-0-1)
Fatuma Roy, Cyclopes (16-6) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-8-1)

Main Show

Welterweight Division

#10 Ichsake Miyagi (14-7) v. #5 Geoff Cahill (21-13-1)

Middleweight Division

Greg Atteveld (16-11) v. #3 Davis Spyrou (12-4-1)

Welterweight Division

#1 Jack Humphreys (13-2) v. Rodolphe Gygax (16-8-1)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Zvonimir Asanovic (10-1-1) v. Challenger #1 Anthony LeToussier (15-5)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (22-9) v. Challenger #2 Mario De Souza (13-6-1)

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 09:58 AM

GAMMA extended the contracts of Pittsburgh Cyclopes heavyweight and middleweight fighters Frank Sheedy, and Patrick Thomas. GAMMA also has hired Derek South, who has the unique position of being the only fighter to fight for not only GAMMA, but ALPHA-1, and the BCF. He has lot's of potential even if his record is only 1-0. GAMMA has also hired Bixente Fontaine to bolster the middleweight division. Fontaine (9-3) will still fight for BCF, and in fact is going to fight for the BCF Middleweight Title in the BCF's next PPV event.

Keith Plaice has left GAMMA. He was fighting for the Buffalo Outlaws in the welterweight division. His place on the roster is going to be replaced in an annoucement following our PPV event in January.

We are really struggling with some of our older fighters taking time off. Harry Milne, Rick Stanley, Stratos Papa, and Stafford Alois all are taking extended time off from fighting and won't be back until spring at the earliest. Jim Carpenter, who was signed, is still recovering from a serious neck injury and won't be back for a year, along with Allan Kendall who is suspended. The biggest pain is in the heavyweight division though, those are 4 of our biggest names.

One of the problems that I have been having up to this point is the large number of draws that have served to sap momentum from my fighters. I am still opposed to the idea of judges, so to answer that, I am making every effort to allow the fights to be resolved in the cage. Effective immediately, match length is now 3 10-minute rounds (instead of 1-10 and 2-5) for non-title fights and 5 10-minute rounds for title fights. This will bring us up to the same as Alpha-1, who is considered the grandfather of MMA leagues. If we are going to compete with them globally, we need to bring ourselves up to their level.

All fighters made weight for our Las Vegas show, so everything is on schedule for tomorrow's show. Here is a look at each of the fights.

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 10:10 AM

GAMMA: Silva v. De Souza Preview
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tuesday, Second week of January, 1997

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-8) v. #4 Christopher Sharp (10-1-1)

Van Den Hauwe is fighting for the first time in August. He is coming off of a defeat at the hands of George Laurent, while Sharp is coming off of his draw with Curt Kitson. Van Den Hauwe has very good upperbody strength and is in very good shape. He is equally good up or down, but prefers to be down. Sharp is a very good striker, who is equally comfortable pounding on the ground. Sharp has the advantage and is favored to win the fight.

Special Attraction Match

Welterweight Division

#8 Will Kane (8-0) v. Noach Van Der Capellen (10-4)

VDC is fresh off of his loss in his title fight, and has dropped right out of the top 10. He is up against an inexperienced fighter who is still undefeated. Kane is fighting for the first time in GAMMA. He is going to use his feet, knees and hands to deal with VDC. He has very good power, but so does VDC. This fight will be fought upright, and initially VDC's reach should help him. He is also 6 years younger than Kane, so that may play into it as well. Blurcat likes Kane to keep his streak alive.

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-1-0, 7pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-0, 0pts)

Due to the injury to Steve Mason, and the recovery of Frank Sheedy, unranked Fatuma Roy will sub for the Cyclopes.

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-1) v. Gordon Idle, Rush (7-2-1)

Bruno Epps gets his first fight since I took over GAMMA, and it is against Idle, also a relative newcomer. Epps is fast and agile, but very rough around the edges. Idle fought well in his last fight, a draw with Nathan Chambers 3 months ago. There is a good chance that this fight ends on the ground. Epps would like to pound away, while Idle is capable of grappling or striking on the ground. Blurcat thinks that it will be Idle for the win. Giving the Austin Rush their first point of the year. 1-0 Rush

Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (2-2-1) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-1-1)

Linderman is a striker who is going to want to stay up, while Magilton is a grappler who is going to do his best work on the ground. Magilton has flirted with the top 10 in the lightweight division, and a win for him could put him back there. Both men are very green, so this fight has a lot riding for both of them. Blurcat likes Linderman via a TKO, to even the score at 1-1.

#9 Carl Ratcliffe, Cyclopes (8-3-1) v. Drew Jenks, Rush (3-1)

Ratcliffe is a ranked fighter who had a draw in his last fight. He is quite well rounded and good at striking as well as defending on his back. He takes on Jenks, who is at Middleweight for the first time since dropping weight. Jenks has a good chin and can control his opponent on the ground, but struggles to finish him. As long as Ratcliffe can defend Jenks' takedowns he should be able to win. Ratcliffe via TKO. Pitt 2-1.

#8 John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-0) v. Faas Smit, Rush (5-0-1)

A battle between two undefeateds. Both men are well rounded and can trade standing up, or grapple well. Smit is a good wrestler, so the may have a better shot on the ground, but his striking shouldn't be underestimated. Meanwhile, Rivero is a ranked fighter, who is in better shape, and generally more feared than Smit. This will be tough for Smit, as Rivero is picked for the win, giving the Cyclopes a 3-1 win.

Fatuma Roy, Cyclopes (16-6) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-8-1)

Roy is a very good sub for the Cyclopes, too bad for Austin, Chapin just isn't good enough to beat him. Chapin would be hard pressed to beat either Mason or Sheedy either. Roy is a much better striker, the only way that Chapin has a chance is if he can gain control on the ground. Even that will be tough as Roy is a judo expert, so his submissions and takedowns are going to be hard to beat. Roy will give the Cyclopes a 4-1 win.

Main Show

Welterweight Division

#10 Ichsake Miyagi (14-7) v. #5 Geoff Cahill (21-13-1)

Miyagi is fighting for the first time since July where he was stopped with a cut. He is fighting 36yo Geoff Cahill, who is nearing the end of his career and trying for that last gasp title shot. Cahill will try and stay up, and Miyagi will want to strike from the ground where he feels more comfortable. Cahill is more than capable of defending on the ground so this should be a good fight. Cahill is predicted to get the win.

Middleweight Division

Greg Atteveld (16-11) v. #3 Davis Spyrou (12-4-1)

A battle between two Jiu-jitsu fighters here. Spyrou is trying to cement his place at the top of the Middleweight division, while Atteveld, who has been in and out is trying to get back to the top. Atteveld was last knocked out by Maarten De Vries, while Spyrou was able to submit Austin Rush in a very good fight. Atteveld has 8 years on Spyrou, and 10 more fights and that could be the difference between these two very evenly matched fighters. Atteveld is pegged for the win.

Welterweight Division

#1 Jack Humphreys (13-2) v. Rodolphe Gygax (16-8-1)

Gygax has fought the best at Lightweight and now he steps up in weight and fights the best at Welterweight. Being unranked this is his best shot to really make an impression on the weight class. Humphreys is very well known and likely to be a big favorite here. Gygax is also 5 inches shorter than the very dangerous Humphrey. Blurcat likes Humphreys by KO.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Zvonimir Asanovic (10-1-1) v. Challenger #1 Anthony LeToussier (15-5)

The first of the Main Event title fights, sees top ranked LeToussier get a chance to prove that he is the best at this weight class, when many already consider him the best. For Asanovic, he is trying to prove that he is as good as his title, and record indicate. He has held the title for a year now, defending it twice. Both men are very dangerous fighters, and this could go either way, but either way, I hope it's a good fight. Blurcat likes Asanovic to retain in a draw.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (22-9) v. Challenger #2 Mario De Souza (13-6-1)

The other main event title fight sees Silva defend against the very dangerous De Silva. De Souzas weakness is Silva's strength. Silva will hold a big advantage as long as he is in control and upright. If for some reason De Souza gets control or gets in position for a good submission it could be all over. Both men are very experienced, but De Souza holds a 5 inch height advantage over the Champ. Blurcat thinks that Silva will be able to maintain control, stay up, and eventually TKO the challenger.

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 11:29 AM

GAMMA: Silva v. De Souza
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tuesday, Second week of January, 1997
Attendance: 2,411

Special Attraction Match

Light Heavyweight Division

Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-8) v. #4 Christopher Sharp (10-1-1)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Sharp, providing the first moment of real action. Van Den Hauwe hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Sharp side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Van Den Hauwe is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Van Den Hauwe by 10-9.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Van Den Hauwe forces Sharp back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Van Den Hauwe is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Sharp clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Sharp gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Van Den Hauwe seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Sharp who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Van Den Hauwe had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Van Den Hauwe tries an ill-advised head kick, but Sharp ducks and comes straight underneath it. Grabbing the leg, he lifts Van Den Hauwe up and then violently plants him into the ground with a slam. Sharp dives in, but gets pulled into guard. Sharp tries to pass the guard. Van Den Hauwe is holding it quite high, which is helping. Sharp throws a couple of loose punches, then grabs the legs and turns Van Den Hauwe over. Van Den Hauwe tries to scramble free, but Sharp is already on top of him and has his back! Sharp doesn't waste any time, he starts throwing bombs with both left and right fists, slamming them into the side of Van Den Hauwe's head. He is trying to cover up, but a lot of shots are getting through. The referee is watching closely. A vicious right hand thunders into the ear of Van Den Hauwe, then another to the side of the nose. That's all the referee wants to see, he pulls Sharp off. Official time of the TKO is 4:35 of the second. (**)

As expected Sharp gets the TKO win over VDH. This will be good for Sharp and will give him a little push up. Not so good for VDH, who now has a losing streak to deal with. Shape looks sharp and could contend for the title maybe by the end of the year.

Special Attraction Match

Welterweight Division

#8 Will Kane (8-0) v. Noach Van Der Capellen (10-4)

Round 1
The round begins, and it is Van Der Capellen who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Kane defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Van Der Capellen works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Kane ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Van Der Capellen down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Kane. Interesting first minute of action, Van Der Capellen is looking particularly sharp. Kane tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Van Der Capellen back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Kane tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Van Der Capellen scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. A looping left from Van Der Capellen, but it's wide of the mark. They square up to each other in the center. Van Der Capellen throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Kane on the side of the head. Kane got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Van Der Capellen has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Kane tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Van Der Capellen defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Van Der Capellen.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Van Der Capellen forces Kane back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Van Der Capellen is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Kane clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Kane gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Van Der Capellen seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Kane who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Van Der Capellen had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Kane makes Van Der Capellen back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Kane throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Van Der Capellen lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Kane by surprise, putting him down! Van Der Capellen follows up and starts raining down right hands. Kane covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Van Der Capellen off, the match is over. The official time is 5:39. (**)

And our first match that gets a finish outside of what would have been the end of the round. I like that. VDC proves that he is especially dangerous, but giving Kane his first loss of his career. That will help him to get back on the map after his loss against Regueiro. I was a little surprised that it was a punch that took Kane down, but it was good to see killer instinct like that.

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-1-0, 7pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-0, 0pts)

Due to the injury to Steve Mason, and the recovery of Frank Sheedy, unranked Fatuma Roy will sub for the Cyclopes.

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-1) v. Gordon Idle, Rush (7-2-1)

Round 1
The round starts with some tentative striking. Both fighters look to be using their strikes merely to keep the opponent off-balance while they work for an angle for a takedown, rather than actually trying to inflict too much damage. Epps goes for the first takedown, but Idle has it well-scouted and they merely end up in a clinch. They tussle, ending up all the way back against the cage. Both fighters try trips, but neither gets anything. Finally, the referee steps in and separates them. Idle storms back in almost immediately and takes Epps down, into guard. It's hard to say whether that was just a good takedown or whether Epps just had a lapse in concentration. Idle tries to pass the guard but can't, with Epps employing a rubber guard now. There's a definite stalemate, Epps is defending very well but isn't really offering any attacking threat or really trying to get out of this predicament. Idle makes a big effort to pass, and manages to get to half guard, but Epps has him tied up pretty well all the same. Time is ticking away, what has been a very tame round looks set to end without much in the way of highlights. It'll have to go to Idle on points, the takedown is really the only noteworthy thing that has happened. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Idle.

Round 2
Idle is quickest out, and comes at Epps with a series of jabs and straight punches. Epps covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. Epps hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Idle who takes it to the ground. Epps pulls guard. There's a lull, as Idle tries to pass, and Epps defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. Epps almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Idle, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Idle by 10-9.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Epps forces Idle back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Epps is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Idle clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Idle gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Epps seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Idle who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Epps had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Epps swings for the fences, but Idle ducks under and comes in closer, into grappling range. He scoops up Epps onto his shoulder, and then flattens him with a slam. The crowd pop for it. Idle gets side control, but loses it almost immediately as Epps is able to regain composure and pull guard. Idle fights his way out into half guard. Big clubbing blow from Idle, Epps dealt with it well. Idle half-stands, his right leg still trapped between Epps's, and starts unloading with a barrage of bombing right hands. Epps takes one right to the jaw, then another smashes hard into his nose. More devastating punches rain down, and the referee pulls Idle off, preventing Epps from taking any more damage. Idle wins via TKO at 8:11 of the third round. (**)

Another fight that would have ended in a tie, sees a finish in match. Idle's experience and Epps weak standing game were the primary reasons for the way it ended. Gordon Idle, in his second fight for the Austin Rush have given the Rush their first point of the year. 1-0 Rush

Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (2-2-1) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-1-1)

Round 1
Linderman starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Magilton. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Magilton goes for a single leg and puts Linderman on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Magilton from getting on top. Linderman definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Magilton hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Linderman again. This time Linderman isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Magilton will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Linderman defends. Magilton tries to slip past to get side control, but Linderman just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Magilton has the side. Two big elbows land, and Linderman seems in trouble. Magilton goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Magilton.

Round 2
Magilton hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Linderman to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Magilton hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Linderman tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Magilton having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Linderman. Linderman throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Magilton steps in and fires off one of his own, but Linderman bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Magilton turns and swings, just as Linderman also unloads...and it's Linderman who connects first! Magilton's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Linderman follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Magilton. The referee doesn't even wait for Linderman to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Magilton is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Official time of the TKO is 5:42 of the second. (*)

Clearly the change in the length of the rounds has been the correct decision. Another fight that may have ended in a draw, sees it proper end. I really thought that Magilton was going to win this. The striking and speed of Linderman gets the Cyclopes on the board at 1-1.

#9 Carl Ratcliffe, Cyclopes (8-3-1) v. Drew Jenks, Rush (3-1)

Round 1
They come together, both throwing punches. Ratcliffe gets a nice clean shot in, and Jenks stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Ratcliffe is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Ratcliffe wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 0:25. (**)

Holy shit. Drew Jenks doesn't even have a chance in this one. Ratcliffe does well, and will move up in the Middleweight rankings with this impressive win. Cyclopes take the lead 2-1.

#8 John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-0) v. Faas Smit, Rush (5-0-1)

Round 1
Rivero makes Smit back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Rivero throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Smit lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Rivero by surprise, putting him down! Smit follows up and starts raining down right hands. Rivero covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Smit off, the match is over. Smit wins via TKO at 1:43 of the first round. (**)

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS Smit! That was a shocking end for sure. Rivero wasn't to be worried about his striking at all, a sneaky counterpunch against a guy who is known for being patient and very deterimined. Rivero suffers his first loss, and Smit stays undefeated. The Rush have tied the score at 2-2.

Fatuma Roy, Cyclopes (16-6) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-8-1)

Round 1
Roy starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Chapin on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Roy to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Chapin, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Roy, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Chapin is looking a little lost so far, Roy is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. Roy looks to be working an angle. Roy leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Chapin was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Chapin comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Chapin is that although Roy clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Roy.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. Chapin throws out a jab, but Roy bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Roy works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Chapin covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Roy is making Chapin look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Chapin hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. Chapin with a body shot. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Roy got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Chapin slightly. Chapin initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Chapin looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Roy is clearly winning them. Chapin needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Roy tries a speculative high kick, but Chapin saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Chapin tries to work an angle, but Roy is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Roy, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Roy.

Round 3
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Roy puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Chapin defended well. Straight right from Chapin in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Roy probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Chapin gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Roy. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Roy. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

That was really the best that Chapin could have hoped for against Roy. He holds on, and gets the tie for Austin. The final score is 2-2 with both teams taking home a point.

Main Show

Welterweight Division

#10 Ichsake Miyagi (14-7) v. #5 Geoff Cahill (21-13-1)

Round 1
Cahill starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Miyagi. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Miyagi goes for a single leg and puts Cahill on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Miyagi from getting on top. Cahill definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Miyagi hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Cahill again. This time Cahill isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Miyagi will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Cahill defends. Miyagi tries to slip past to get side control, but Cahill just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Miyagi has the side. Two big elbows land, and Cahill seems in trouble. Miyagi goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Miyagi.

Round 2
Miyagi hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Cahill to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Miyagi hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Cahill tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Miyagi having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Cahill. Cahill clinches with Miyagi. A quick trip sends Miyagi falling backward, pulling guard to take Cahill down with him. Miyagi is forced to cover up as Cahill starts hammering away with enormous strikes from the guard, trying to simply power the shots through. Some do cause some damage, landing as Miyagi tries unsuccessfully to throw some counters. Cahill transitions to side control without any issues and starts finding the punches down again, this time with more leverage and therefore more power. Miyagi tries to defend them, but a lot of them are getting through. The referee finally has enough and calls an end to the match, feeling that Miyagi was getting overwhelmed. The official time is 7:54. (**)

A solid win for Cahill. He really did well, and got the win on the ground, where Miyagi was supposed to be the better man. This is two losses in two fights for Miyagi, he will need to start back at the bottom after this dissapointing loss. For Cahill, a good fight and it sets up a possible match with Regueiro or Humphreys.

Middleweight Division

Greg Atteveld (16-11) v. #3 Davis Spyrou (12-4-1)

Round 1
Atteveld is quickest out, and comes at Spyrou with a series of jabs and straight punches. Spyrou covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. Spyrou hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Atteveld who takes it to the ground. Spyrou pulls guard. There's a lull, as Atteveld tries to pass, and Spyrou defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. Spyrou almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Atteveld, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Atteveld.

Round 2
The round begins with Spyrou taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Atteveld replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Spyrou goes for the takedown, but Atteveld sprawls. Spyrou tries to power through, but Atteveld uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Spyrou defend this. Atteveld is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Spyrou isn't allowing it. Spyrou pulls Atteveld in tight, locking up both his arms. Atteveld pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Atteveld tries a big right hand, which Spyrou defends well. He has quite a high guard, Atteveld has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Spyrou once again drags Atteveld down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Atteveld easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Atteveld trying to pass guard. Spyrou tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Atteveld, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Atteveld scores with a jab, then a second. Spyrou goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Atteveld enough time to take him down again. Atteveld quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Spyrou once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Atteveld on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Atteveld.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Spyrou forces Atteveld back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Spyrou is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Atteveld clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Atteveld gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Spyrou seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Atteveld who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Spyrou had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. They come together, both throwing punches. Spyrou gets a nice clean shot in, and Atteveld stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Spyrou is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. The official time of the TKO is 3:53 of round 3. (***)

A pretty boring fight in all truth. A match between a pair of grapplers who specialize in defense kind of always is, but it was the striking of Spyrou, despite not being in control for most of the fight, that ultimately finished the fight. Another loss for Atteveld, and another win for Spyrou, to keep his name high at the top of the middleweight division.

Welterweight Division

#1 Jack Humphreys (13-2) v. Rodolphe Gygax (16-8-1)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Gygax, providing the first moment of real action. Humphreys hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Gygax side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Humphreys is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Humphreys.

Round 2
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Gygax fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Humphreys. They clinch, and Humphreys winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Gygax tries to push Humphreys back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. Gygax hits a solid left, then a right. Humphreys felt both of them, and backs off a little. Gygax charges right in to follow up though, and unleashes a powerful right hook, and Humphreys took it flush on the chin! Gygax doesn't even bother following up on that, because Humphreys was out cold from the instant that that hit. Incredible punch. Gygax wins via knock out at 6:41 of the second round. (***)

WOW! That is one way to make an impression in a new weight class. Typically guys moving up do gain some power, and when you are a dangerous power puncher already that really sets the tone. For Humphreys to lose to an unranked fighter, especially when he was considered one of the best pound for pound in the world is huge news. Gygax will certainly be in the top 10 tomarrow, and Humphreys will be pleading for a rematch.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Zvonimir Asanovic (10-1-1) v. Challenger #1 Anthony LeToussier (15-5)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from LeToussier, providing the first moment of real action. Asanovic hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but LeToussier side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Asanovic is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Asanovic.

Round 2
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Asanovic throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep LeToussier from coming inside. Asanovic works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, LeToussier responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Asanovic backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. LeToussier circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Asanovic blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Asanovic fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. LeToussier covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Asanovic though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. Asanovic throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of round 2. Blurcat.com gives that one to Asanovic by 10-9.

Round 3
Asanovic isn't hanging around, right from the start LeToussier is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. LeToussier circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Asanovic weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Asanovic, the timing had to be perfect and it was. LeToussier is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Asanovic really should have taken advantage of that mistake, LeToussier was wide open for a moment there. Asanovic hits a high kick, catching LeToussier on the shoulder. Jab from LeToussier finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Asanovic fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. LeToussier scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Asanovic, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. End of round 3. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Asanovic.

Round 4
The two competitors start slowly, circling and looking for an opening. LeToussier fakes shooting in for a takedown, but Asanovic didn't buy it for a second. In comes LeToussier from an angle to the right, but Asanovic had it covered all the way, and not only easily steps out of the way of the attempted right hand, but manages to score with a solid right hand to the side of the head. LeToussier felt that, and is forced to cover up quickly as Asanovic steps in quickly and unloads with a flurry of powerful blows, looking to capitalise on the earlier strike. LeToussier is forced back against the cage, but to his credit, he did a good job defending those strikes and didn't seem to take any significant damage. Asanovic doesn't get in too close, realising that it would likely mean getting caught in a clinch, so he stands slightly back instead and throws some low kicks and looping punches. LeToussier responds by throwing out some straight jabs, but neither fighter is really doing any damage to their opponent. Asanovic clearly grows tired of the wait, and moves in to hit a body blow. It connects, but LeToussier is quick to tie him up in a clinch. That lasts quite a while, until the referee gets in there and breaks them up, telling them to fight. Asanovic gets pinned against the cage, and the referee eventually has to separate them. Asanovic scores with a stiff jab, and bobs and weaves to avoid all three of the rapid-fire punches that come back from LeToussier. Nicely done. LeToussier, realising that he is losing this round, comes forward with a sense of urgency, throwing right hands to put Asanovic on the back foot. Asanovic handles it well though, refusing to let LeToussier get an angle, and using some nice counter punches to the body to further cement the fact that this round is going to him on points. Time expires with LeToussier throwing increasingly desperate punches. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Asanovic.

Round 5
LeToussier throws a couple of scorching jabs; neither hit, but it forces Asanovic to back pedal all the way back to the cage. LeToussier follows in and throws a stinging kick to the ribs. Asanovic tries to catch it, but couldn't. Asanovic throws a right hand to try and catch LeToussier coming in, but it's wide of the mark. LeToussier throws a head kick, and it's a beauty, landing flush to the cheek. It was delivered with enormous power, and Asanovic drops to the floor immediately, he is out cold. The referee stops LeToussier from following up, it's all over. LeToussier wins via fifth round knock out at 1:18. Anthony LeToussier is the new GAMMA Light Heavyweight champion. (*****)

Asanovic controlled and had the fight cleanly in hand but can't quite get out of the way of the killer kicks of LeToussier. The GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title changes hands, and even though Asanovic will lose a lot of fans because of this, he should feel good, and that there is a strong chance that he will get another chance at LeToussier before too long. I was worried about the aggressiveness of Asanovic especially once he was ahead, he just took too clean a power shot.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (22-9) v. Challenger #2 Mario De Souza (13-6-1)

Round 1
de Souza hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Silva to back up against the cage, where they clinch. de Souza hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Silva tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with de Souza having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Silva. Silva forces de Souza back against the cage, where they clinch up. Silva has the better position, all the leverage is with him. He uses that to lift de Souza up onto his shoulder, turns...and hits a running slam that gets the crowd going crazy! Big power takedown from Silva. de Souza pulls guard, but he has to be stunned from that. Silva drops a bomb of a right hand, smashing into the hands of de Souza and forcing them back into his face. Another right hand finds its way through, landing right above the eye, stunning de Souza. With his opponent's wits scrambled, Silva moves from the guard into a mount with ease, and starts unloading with rights and lefts. de Souza tries to cover up, but is getting decimated, and the referee is forced to come in and pull Silva off, signalling the win. Official time of the TKO is 4:08 of the first. Giovani Silva successfully retains the GAMMA Lightweight title. (**)

Silva must have watched the last fight and decided to come out like a house of fire. De Souza never got a chance to get going and never had an answer for the power of Silva. Silva is a tough competitor, despite his age. He should be around for a while.

The fans felt that the show was very good, and we gained pop in all 61 regions where we have converage. The Asanovic – LeToussier match goes down as the best match in the history of my reign of GAMMA. I really liked the result of the fights with the extended match lengths. It worked well for both regular fights as well as the Team Battle.

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 11:40 AM

Carl Ratcliffe sustained some sort of leg injury in his :25 demolition of Drew Jenks. His departure shouldn't be too big of a problem. He is only going to be out for up to a couple of months. Gordon Idle, whose victory helped Austin get their first point of the season, may need to undergo surgery is going to be out for around 4 months. That will hurt Austin, as he will miss at least one match.

Dan Halvorsen, who was one of the highest ranked fighters in the Middleweight Division has dropped a weight class and is now fighting at welterweight. His addition along with Gygax, and an already fat division are going to make things interesting. I will have to see how to handle it.

Steve Mason, who was fighting for Pittsburgh in the Heavyweight division, has dropped down to the Light Heavyweight division. It will mean that he will need to drop 35lbs. I certainly wouldn't have sanctioned this move, but it is his choice. I really have no idea what this will mean for either Pittsburgh or Mason.

Keith Plaice's spot on the Buffalo Outlaws has been filled by 19 year old Eli Harris. Harris is new to MMA, and has yet to debut.

Spokane Onslaught Lightweight Liam O' Donnell (1-1) hasn't had a fight and is starting to get impatient. He is threatening to leave if he doesn't fight soon.

GAMMA returns to television with a special on The POP! Network. The show is scheduled for the first week of February, 1997. The show has a couple of good fights, and no real stinkers. I will feature the GAMMA Team Battle between the Durham Red Raiders and the Buffalo Outlaws. Two teams at the top of the Team Battle.

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 11:42 AM

GAMMA: Exposure
to air live, late night, on The POP! Network
First week of February, 1997

Durham Red Raiders (2-0-1, 7pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (2-1-0, 6pts)

Gary Sampson, Red Raiders (16-11-1) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0-1)
Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-2-2) v. #10 Bruce Steven, Outlaws (5-1)
Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-2)
Ray Eton, Red Raiders (7-2-1) v. Nate Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-2)
#9 Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (9-3-2) v. Matthew Dean, Outlaws (10-3)

Main Show

Light Heavyweight Division

JJ Reid (12-1-1) v. #6 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-1)

Middleweight Division

#8 Petey Mack (7-1-1) v. #5 Tucker Plumm (13-7-1)

Lightweight Division

#6 Charles Stiles (9-2-1) v. #3 Beau Gorshin (23-14)

Welterweight Division

#2 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-4-1) v. #6 Dan Halvorsen (22-11-4)

Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (11-0-1) v. Challenger #2 Lefter Oktay (8-0)

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 11:44 AM

I extended the deal of Liam O' Donnell, he still has his ultimatum though. It wouldn't kill me if he left, but he is still the kind of fighter that I want to keep around. He isn't due to fight for Spokane for a while, maybe I can sneak him in at the end of the month.

Mario De Souza, who recently lost to Silva for the lightweight title was injured during training. The elbow injury will keep De Souza on the sidelines for over 4 months.

We have signed 3 more fighters simply to keep Alpha-1 from getting their hands on them. They are Thorbjorn Rekdal, a middleweight with a record of 3-1-1. Next is new BCF Middleweight Champion Korekiyo Anzai, who is 7-1. He is under a shared deal with BCF. I am hoping to bleed these shared deals for a while, and then sign them to exclusive offers. Last is BCF Heavyweight, Mugur Boc, a big heavyweight with a record of 4-0. He will be exclusive to us in one month.

Good news on the economic front. The USA is in for a boom period, this along with a declining economy in Japan are good news for us against Alpha-1.

Well, not so fast, news is coming in about a second boom for Japan. Maybe at least it will give us better exposure over there.

PilotMan

01-02-2008, 11:48 AM

GAMMA: Exposure is about to get underway. All the fighters made weight again. Here is our preview.

GAMMA: Exposure Preview
to air live, late night, on The POP! Network
First week of February, 1997

Durham Red Raiders (2-0-1, 7pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (2-1-0, 6pts)

Gary Sampson, Red Raiders (16-11-1) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0-1)

Samson has the age, skill and experience, but McPhee is a fantastic physical speciman. McPhee also fought well in his last match against another more experienced fighter. Both men have kick boxing backrounds, but Sampson likes to pound his opponents on the ground. McPhee is fairly one dimensional and will be in trouble if he has to defend on the ground. How far can his age and physical condition count? Blurcat likes Sampson by KO. That would be 1-0 for the Red Raiders.

Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-2-2) v. #10 Bruce Steven, Outlaws (5-1)

Both men are going to look to fight on the ground, but it seems that Steven is going to be the hardest to beat with his grappling skills. O' Hearn is going to try and beat Steven into the mat. His punches are going to need to be very strong to win. O' Hearn is a better athlete though, but in the end Steven should pull it out and tie the score 1-1.

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-2)

A toss up. That is what they are saying. Hyde sees his first action for Durham, both men are green, and both like to fight standing up. Blurcat likes Hyde via TKO. That would be 2-1 for Durham.

Ray Eton, Red Raiders (7-2-1) v. Nate Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-2)

Both Chambers and Eton have been ranked but with the growing competition in the welterweight division they both have been shuffled. A win for either of these guys here would be good for them. Both men are well rounded and can finish the fight standing or on the ground. It should be an exciting fight. The experts are predicing Chambers by KO, to give the outlaws a 2-2 tie.

#9 Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (9-3-2) v. Matthew Dean, Outlaws (10-3)

A few weeks ago, this would have been for the title. But Dean was beaten and Strange is coming off of a pair of draws. Dean will try and control Strange on the ground, but Strange is strong and has good striking skills. That is something that Dean doesn't have. A win for either fighter will put them higher up in the rankings. Experts think that Strange will get the win and the win for Durham.

Main Show

Light Heavyweight Division

JJ Reid (12-1-1) v. #6 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-1)

Reid will try and and avoid the bombs of Chekhov and take him to the ground. If he can get ground control he will be tough to beat. If Chekhov can keep him off, his big strikes will make him the favorite. Blurcat likes Reid by submission.

Middleweight Division

#8 Petey Mack (7-1-1) v. #5 Tucker Plumm (13-7-1)

Mack has been a monster no matte who he fights. Plumm fought at lightweight in the BCF, and here he is at Middleweight. Mack was a light heavy who moved down. You do the math. Both men are good up or down. But Mack has the slight advantage both ways. Plumm will need to draw on all of his experience to get the win. Blurcat likes Mack for the win.

Lightweight Division

#6 Charles Stiles (9-2-1) v. #3 Beau Gorshin (23-14)

If Gorshin wants a title shot against Silva he will have to take on Stiles first. Stiles has tremendous ground skills while Gorshin will have to land some big blows. Stiles is coming off of a win over Jackson Gray, while Gorshin got a win over Duane Weatherly. Blurcat likes Stiles by submission.

Welterweight Division

#2 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-4-1) v. #6 Dan Halvorsen (22-11-4)

Halvorsen was the #3 ranked fighter in the Middleweight division, and now he is #6 in a lower weight class. Hinchcliffe would really like a shot at a title, and beating a legend like Halvorsen would really drive that point home. Hinchcliffe likes to stay up, but he will need to keep Halvorsen away. Halvorsen will try and put Hinchcliffe on his back and utilize his superior ground skills to control the fight. Experts like Halvorsen by KO.

Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (11-0-1) v. Challenger #2 Lefter Oktay (8-0)

No surprise here. Both of these boys can hit. Hughes likes to hit standing, while Oktay will try and take Hughes down and pound him down. Hughes knocked out Foster, who is considered the greatest ground and pounder of all time, and Oktay is not far behind, even though he is far less experienced. Oktay might be a little before his time here, and I really wonder if a fighter who only has 8 pro fights should be fighting for one of the most prestigious titles around. An Oktay win could set up a huge battle between him and James Foster, a match that already has fans jumping out of their skin. Blurcat thinks that Oktay will get the takedown and control Hughes before the Champ can get control. Hopefully it will play well on live TV.

PilotMan

01-03-2008, 10:53 PM

GAMMA: Exposure
airing live, late night, on The POP! Network
from Sacramento, California
Thurday, First week of February, 1997
Attendance: 2,945

Durham Red Raiders (2-0-1, 7pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (2-1-0, 6pts)

Gary Sampson, Red Raiders (16-11-1) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0-1)

Round 1
Bright start from McPhee, he bounds over and starts unloading with a flurry of jabs and straight rights, bobbing and weaving the entire time to avoid Sampson's counter punches. Sampson tries to score with a lunging overhand right, but McPhee side-steps it and catches him with a crunching punch to the jaw. Sampson backs off quickly, dazed, it's a surprise that he didn't go down from that. McPhee follows up, hoping to capitalise on the situation, and bombards Sampson with punches. Sampson covers up at first, then grabs McPhee and uses a clinch to prevent the attack from getting worse. They get stuck like that for a while, which works in Sampson's favour as it gives him plenty of time to recover properly. They are finally parted. Sampson goes looking for revenge, firing off several enormous punches, trying to take McPhee's head off, but McPhee is far too quick at the moment, and almost dances his way out of the way of each strike, tagging Sampson with flicked jabs as counters. McPhee's movement is noticeably better than Sampson, who is really struggling to generate any sort of meaningful attack simply because he is struggling to hit the constantly moving target that is McPhee. They exchange strikes in the center, and for the first time Sampson gets a few blows in, as McPhee looks to be tiring a little. It won't be enough to get Sampson the round though, McPhee has clearly won this on points and there's only a few seconds left. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for McPhee.

Round 2
They circle each other. Sampson misses with a low kick, and McPhee darts in to hit a jab before retreating. They come together and exchange punches, both got a few shots in. McPhee is looking much lighter on his feet, and keeps moving in, hitting a few punches, then getting back out of range. Sampson is trying to catch him coming in, but doesn't have the timing quite right. It happens again. McPhee isn't getting much power on the punches, but he is getting ahead on points. Sampson tries to get in close, but McPhee is keeping moving, and isn't letting himself get cornered. McPhee is looking the slightly more fit of the two fighters. McPhee gets a solid punch in, catching Sampson just above the left eye. Sampson finally gets a clinch, forcing McPhee up against the cage, but it's too little, too late as the round ends. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McPhee.

Round 3
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. McPhee throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Sampson from coming inside. McPhee works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Sampson responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. McPhee backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Sampson circles and throws a series of high jabs, but McPhee blocked them with ease, using the gloves. McPhee fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Sampson covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from McPhee though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. McPhee throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The third round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 McPhee. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

Again, McPhee wasn't supposed to have a prayer in this fight, and again, he fights well, and uses his youth and conditioning to his advantage. Sampson looked bad out there. He really should have gone for at least one takedown. He could have really done something if he had. McPhee keeps the Red Raiders off the scoreboard and keeps it 0-0.

Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-2-2) v. #10 Bruce Steven, Outlaws (5-1)

Round 1
Fast start by Steven, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. O'Hearn circles, drawing a lunge from Steven, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Steven ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, O'Hearn hopping on the other to remain vertical. Steven tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but O'Hearn manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Steven has one leg trapped between O'Hearn's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. O'Hearn defends it well, without fully escaping it, Steven can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. O'Hearn suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Steven's back. Steven was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing O'Hearn up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. O'Hearn throws a couple of short-range punches. Steven gets a leg in and trips O'Hearn, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from O'Hearn, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Steven.

Round 2
Steven leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, O'Hearn deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. O'Hearn uses a knee to the ribs before backing Steven up against the cage. Right hand from Steven connects though, that was well timed. O'Hearn breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Steven was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from O'Hearn sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Steven fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. O'Hearn takes down Steven, but is pulled into the guard straight away. O'Hearn tries to unload with a couple of bombs, but Steven safely defends them. O'Hearn is leaning a little too far forward, which Steven notices and tries for a guillotine. O'Hearn didn't seem to see it coming, and is caught! Steven wraps it up tightly and forces O'Hearn to tap out! Official time of the guillotine submission is 4:51 of the second round. (**)

And with that the Outlaws take a 1-0 lead. Steven will certainly improve on his ranking and he can be happy with the way he fought. A pretty exciting fight in all. A couple of good twists and turns and a decisive finish. Outlaws 1-0.

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-2)

Round 1
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Ballard, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Ballard puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Hyde covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. A looping left from Ballard, but it's wide of the mark. Low kick from Hyde, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Ballard will take the round on points. The first round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Ballard.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. Hyde throws out a jab, but Ballard bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Ballard works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Hyde covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Ballard is making Hyde look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Hyde hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Ballard got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Hyde slightly. Hyde initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Hyde looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Ballard is clearly winning them. Hyde needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Ballard tries a speculative high kick, but Hyde saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Hyde tries to work an angle, but Ballard is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Ballard, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Ballard.

Round 3
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Ballard throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Hyde from coming inside. Ballard works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Hyde responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Ballard backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Hyde circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Ballard blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Ballard fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Hyde covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Ballard though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. Ballard throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of round 3. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Ballard. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Well it was a toss-up and that is the way that it ended. Ballard should be the happier of the two as he keeps the Outlaws ahead in the match. 1-0.

Ray Eton, Red Raiders (7-2-1) v. Nate Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-2)

Round 1
Eton starts out with a few straight rights, range-finding rather than actually dangerous. Chambers keeps out of their way. Eton steps forward and tries to unload with a looping left, but Chambers moves to the side and fires off a powerful right hand of his own, landing above the left eye. Eton doesn't go down, but definitely felt that shot. Chambers moves in closer and fires off two punches to the face and a big hook to the body. Eton parried the first two, but the third hit home hard. Chambers begins to stalk Eton, who may be slightly winded. They meet again in the center and exchange blows. Eton hits a high jab but gets caught with another hard punch to the side of the head. Eton clinches up, stopping Chambers from following up. It looks like Eton needs to change his game plan, standing up and banging with Chambers is playing right into his opponent's hands, as Chambers clearly has the more powerful strikes in his arsenal, and Eton is going to get floored sooner or later, judging by this round. The referee parts them from the clinch. Chambers continues to look ready to unleash some big punches. Eton takes a takedown, then comes in much closer, throws a jab, and clinches back up. Eton looks like he is going to grapple, stopping Chambers from throwing bombs. Eton gets in a few short punches to the ribs. The round ends with them still in the clinch. Chambers will take that round on points, having used the threat of a knock out to basically control everything about that round except the clinches. The first round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Chambers.

Round 2
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before Eton throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Chambers's jaw, but it is parried. Chambers steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. Eton moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Chambers put a lot of weight behind it. Eton hits a nice jab, then clinches. Chambers hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. Eton hits a low kick to the leg. Chambers bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. Eton goes down! Good shot from Chambers! He tries to follow up and pound on Eton, but Eton is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Chambers, sensing that Eton is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. Eton ends up backed up against the cage. Chambers gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by Eton, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Chambers has in his hands is really posing Eton some problems. The clinch drags on, with Chambers unable to break free, and the round ends like that. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Chambers.

Round 3
Chambers isn't hanging around, right from the start Eton is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Eton circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Chambers weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Chambers, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Eton is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Chambers really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Eton was wide open for a moment there. Chambers hits a high kick, catching Eton on the shoulder. Jab from Eton finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Chambers fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Eton scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Chambers, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Chambers. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Chambers could have given the Outlaws a win with a win, and he was the boss for the whole fight. Eton showed good heart, and quick thinking to get up when he looked like he was beaten. This won't do much for either fighters momentum, but it isn't going to kill them either. The Outlaws tightly hold onto their 1-0 lead.

#9 Stuart Strange, Red Raiders (9-3-2) v. Matthew Dean, Outlaws (10-3)

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Strange forces Dean back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Strange is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Dean clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Dean gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Strange seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Dean who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Strange had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Strange misses an uppercut and is off balance, which allows Dean to get the takedown. Side mount. Dean is looking for an armbar, but Strange is defending it well. Strange gets a nice elbow in, that caught Dean by surprise. Dean fires off several elbows to the ribs, and Strange is left gasping for air. Those were hard, there's a big red patch where they hit. Dean takes the left arm, Strange couldn't defend it any longer. The armbar is applied, there's no way out. Dean wins by tap out. The official time of the armbar submission is 8:31 of round 1. (**)

Matthew Dean is back! He made that look terribly easy. Strange could have been on his way up, but it looks like Dean is the one who is on his way up. Strange has now fought 4 times for the Red Raiders and will give way to Neil Napier for the rest of the Team Battle season. He needs a break anyway. Durham is defeated for the first time all year, and the Outlaws take the match 2-0.

Main Show

Light Heavyweight Division

JJ Reid (12-1-1) v. #6 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-1)

Round 1
The fighters come together right in the center. Reid throws out a jab, but Chekhov bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Chekhov works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Reid covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Chekhov is making Reid look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Reid hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. An exchange of punches goes nowhere, and they fall into a clinch. The referee separates them when nothing happens. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Chekhov got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Reid slightly. Reid initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Reid looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Chekhov is clearly winning them. Reid needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Chekhov tries a speculative high kick, but Reid saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Reid tries to work an angle, but Chekhov is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Chekhov, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Chekhov by 10-9.

Round 2
Touch of gloves starts the round. Chekhov comes in quickly, and unloads with a beauty of a combination, two jabs, a hook, a body punch and an uppercut. One of the jabs and the body shot definitely got through, the others were blocked. Reid backs off, only offering a wayward right hand in response. They circle, then Chekhov once again comes in with an aggressive rush. They exchange blows in a flurry, with Chekhov bobbing and weaving excellently while throwing out crisp jabs. Reid got a leg kick in, but his jabs didn't find their mark. Chekhov is relying on his superior striking skills so far, and it is paying dividends, Reid is getting picked apart and is looking increasingly unable to to contend with his opponent's better technique. Chekhov throws a low kick, and that is really the first mistake of the round from him, as it is sloppy and allows Reid to move in and grab a clinch. Reid forces Chekhov back against the cage, and is clearly happy to have gained a position where Chekhov cannot unload with strikes as effectively. Reid hits a knee, then gets three or four small punches in to the side of the head. Not much power in them though. Chekhov sneaks in an elbow, and then attempts to get free, to no avail. Reid goes for a trip, but Chekhov pushes free and quickly gets back to the center. Reid keeps his distance for a few moments to recover his composure, then gets ready to fight again. Chekhov works an angle, throwing quick jabs all the time, then switches stance and hits a long looping punch that finds gloves. A right hand follows up though, and that does find the mark, causing Reid to throw a wild haymaker in response. Chekhov tries to capitalise with a further flurry, and hits a nice left hook, but Reid soon has them back in a clinch. That goes on for a while, until the clock runs down. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Chekhov.

Round 3
Good start from Reid, taking Chekhov down almost immediately! Chekhov scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Reid will be disappointed with that. Chekhov comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Reid to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Chekhov felt that one for sure. He stalks Reid, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Reid keeps out of the way. Chekhov tries a kick, but Reid catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Reid gets Chekhov down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Reid throws some punches, then tries to pass. Chekhov doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Reid easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Reid followed by a pass attempt, with Chekhov blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Reid. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

Both fighters were a little tentative during the match. It looked like Chekhov was going to keep Reid from getting him on the ground, but he couldn't defend him for the entire fight. It was a good fight, as both men looked like they were going to get the win, but both ended up getting draw.

Middleweight Division

#8 Petey Mack (7-1-1) v. #5 Tucker Plumm (13-7-1)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Mack works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Plumm backed up against the cage. Mack gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Plumm, who uses his legs well to defend. Mack pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Plumm gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Mack follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Mack hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Plumm tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Plumm leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mack.

Round 2
Mack throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Plumm defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Plumm throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Mack steps in and fires off one of his own, but Plumm bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Mack turns and swings, just as Plumm also unloads...and it's Plumm who connects first! Mack's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Plumm follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Mack. The referee doesn't even wait for Plumm to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Mack is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! The official time of the TKO is 1:40 of round 2. (**)

Plumm gets lucky. That is about the best way to put it. How he ended up getting a win in this fashion is beyond me. Petey Mack is really going to wish that he had this fight to do over tomorrow. Plumm is in great position now, and Mack, who was on the way up, is in reload mode.

Lightweight Division

#6 Charles Stiles (9-2-1) v. #3 Beau Gorshin (23-14)

Round 1
Gorshin starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Stiles. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Stiles goes for a single leg and puts Gorshin on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Stiles from getting on top. Gorshin definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Stiles hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Gorshin again. This time Gorshin isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Stiles will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Gorshin defends. Stiles tries to slip past to get side control, but Gorshin just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Stiles has the side. Two big elbows land, and Gorshin seems in trouble. Stiles goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Stiles.

Round 2
Stiles starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Gorshin checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Stiles doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Stiles cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Gorshin with a beauty of a right hook. Gorshin stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Stiles presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Gorshin clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Gorshin scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Stiles in the gut. Stiles uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Stiles gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Gorshin reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Stiles has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Gorshin has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Stiles from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Stiles tries to step over and fully apply it, but Gorshin breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Stiles steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Gorshin hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Stiles will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Stiles.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Stiles forces Gorshin back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Stiles is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Gorshin clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Gorshin gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Stiles seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Gorshin who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Stiles had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Gorshin throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Stiles steps in and fires off one of his own, but Gorshin bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Stiles turns and swings, just as Gorshin also unloads...and it's Gorshin who connects first! Stiles's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Gorshin follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Stiles. The referee doesn't even wait for Gorshin to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Stiles is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Gorshin wins via TKO at 8:45 of the third round. (**)

Another upset, at least IMO. Stiles looked like he was going to dominate with the ground game, but in the end he got overconfident and was lulled into a slugfest with a good slugger. Gorshin could be ready for Silva, but time will tell.

Welterweight Division

#2 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-4-1) v. #6 Dan Halvorsen (22-11-4)

Round 1
Hinchcliffe starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Halvorsen. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Halvorsen goes for a single leg and puts Hinchcliffe on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Halvorsen from getting on top. Hinchcliffe definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Halvorsen hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Hinchcliffe again. This time Hinchcliffe isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Halvorsen will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Hinchcliffe defends. Halvorsen tries to slip past to get side control, but Hinchcliffe just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Halvorsen has the side. Two big elbows land, and Hinchcliffe seems in trouble. Halvorsen goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Halvorsen.

Round 2
Two jabs from the left hand of Hinchcliffe set up a hard waist-high kick, but Halvorsen steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Hinchcliffe moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Halvorsen uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Hinchcliffe finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Halvorsen is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Hinchcliffe scores with a low kick to the outside of the knee, then backs off. Those will take their toll. Halvorsen responds with a right hand that hits gloves, a left hook to the body that stings Hinchcliffe, then throws a spectacular head kick that connects! Hinchcliffe was backing off after those two punches and didn't see it coming, he goes sailing backward, his body entirely limp. Halvorsen has knocked Hinchcliffe out cold with one brutally powerful kick. The official time is 2:57. (**)

Halvorsen has just derailed the title hopes of Hinchcliffe with one powerful kick. I guess dropping down in weight could be a good decision. Halvorsen was going to get this on the ground, but I guess his striking is still solid too. So along with Gygax, Halvorsen proves that old doesn't mean out.

Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (11-0-1) v. Challenger #2 Lefter Oktay (8-0)

Round 1
Hughes isn't hanging around, right from the start Oktay is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Oktay circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Hughes weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Hughes, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Oktay is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Hughes really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Oktay was wide open for a moment there. Hughes hits a high kick, catching Oktay on the shoulder. Jab from Oktay finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Hughes fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Oktay scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Hughes, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hughes by 10-9.

Round 2
The two competitors start slowly, circling and looking for an opening. Oktay fakes shooting in for a takedown, but Hughes didn't buy it for a second. In comes Oktay from an angle to the right, but Hughes had it covered all the way, and not only easily steps out of the way of the attempted right hand, but manages to score with a solid right hand to the side of the head. Oktay felt that, and is forced to cover up quickly as Hughes steps in quickly and unloads with a flurry of powerful blows, looking to capitalise on the earlier strike. Oktay is forced back against the cage, but to his credit, he did a good job defending those strikes and didn't seem to take any significant damage. Hughes doesn't get in too close, realising that it would likely mean getting caught in a clinch, so he stands slightly back instead and throws some low kicks and looping punches. Oktay responds by throwing out some straight jabs, but neither fighter is really doing any damage to their opponent. Hughes clearly grows tired of the wait, and moves in to hit a body blow. It connects, but Oktay is quick to tie him up in a clinch. That lasts quite a while, until the referee gets in there and breaks them up, telling them to fight. Hughes looks for an opening. Hughes scores with a stiff jab, and bobs and weaves to avoid all three of the rapid-fire punches that come back from Oktay. Nicely done. Oktay, realising that he is losing this round, comes forward with a sense of urgency, throwing right hands to put Hughes on the back foot. Hughes handles it well though, refusing to let Oktay get an angle, and using some nice counter punches to the body to further cement the fact that this round is going to him on points. Time expires with Oktay throwing increasingly desperate punches. End of round 2. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hughes by 10-9.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Hughes forces Oktay back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Hughes is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Oktay clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Oktay gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Hughes seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Oktay who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Hughes had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Oktay throws a right hand, narrowly missing. Hughes almost seems to be inviting him on to throw punches, he could be trying to lure him into over-committing. Oktay throws a jab that connects, albeit without much power, but it causes Hughes to back up quickly, back toward the cage. Oktay comes in quickly, throwing looping punches, but gets reckless and Hughes grabs the opportunity by nailing a big right cross! Oktay collapses in a heap, his left leg buckling underneath him in at an awkward angle. Hughes has knocked him out cold with a killer punch. Hughes wins via third round knock out at 3:37. Raul Hughes retains the GAMMA Heavyweight title. (****)

Raul Hughes fought a fantastic fight, controlling the action and keeping Oktay confused and looking slow. Hopefully this will give him some respect within the Heavyweight Division. I guess Oktay v. Foster won't happen after all. Hopefully, over time, the fans will be ready for Foster v. Hughes again. Hughes is safe for a while longer now. I wonder who he will want to fight next?

The fans were very happy with the show, and everyone went home happy. Again, we gain in all 55 regions that watched the show on television.

PilotMan

01-03-2008, 11:03 PM

Ray Eton, the Durham Red Raiders welterweight was injured during his fight, and could be out for up to six months. The upside is that he has only one fight left, but a lot of time. So I don't need sign him to an extension until he is healthy again.

A little bit of roster shuffling to do in the Team Battle as we continue to gain new talent as well as see guys move up in the rankings. Here is a list to keep you up to date.

Mugur Boc replaces Gary Sampson on the Durham Red Raiders roster. Boc only has 4 fights while Sampson was clearly the most experienced fighter in the Team Battle. I would rather keep the team battle for inexperienced fighters.

The Pittsburgh Cyclopes have let 6th ranked Carl Ratcliffe go, and have replaced him with former BCF Middleweight Champion Andrew Rush. Rush has had two bad fights and really needs to rebuild. This is a good place for that. Also on the Cyclopes' roster, Steve Mason, who dropped a weight class is replaced by Derek South. As noted earlier, South works for all 3 main promotions. This could cause some scheduling problems later on. Hopefully we can use him the most.

The Spokane Onslaught have replaced the experienced Elgar with the Cyclopes Steve Mason. Mason, should be back from his injury soon, and may be called on for his new team. Elgar was the most experienced Light heavyweight in the Team Battle.

Matthew Dean's run with the Buffalo Outlaws was short lived as he has returned to the main card. He is replaced by Thorbjorn Redkhal, who was newly signed.

The Austin Rush have replaced ranked and injured Gordon Idle with newly signed Datuk Ong Ka Ting. Ting hasn't even had an MMA fight yet, but this is a great place for him to start. Idle will be able to work his way up in the rankings when he comes back from his injury.

Rav Kapur, of the Buffalo Outlaws (5-0), a heavyweight who has been with us for some time, but hasn't fought yet, has gone down for a couple of months with an injury. That means that Russell McPhee will be getting more exposure in the coming weeks.

Former GAMMA fighters, Juan Pablo Rique, Keith Plaice, and Milton Harvey have all signed on with British Cage Fighting.

PilotMan

01-03-2008, 11:12 PM

GAMMA: Foster v. Papaioannou
Sunday, 4th week of February, 1997
Los Angeles, California

Special Attraction Match

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (17-8-1) v. #6 Korekiyo Anzai (7-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

#6 Garry McSweegan (12-3-1) v. Elgar (10-5)

Spokane Onslaught (0-3-0, 0pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-1, 1pt)

Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-4-2) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-0-2)
Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-1-1) v. Ong Ka Ting, Rush (0-0)
Luke Hilton, Onslaught (4-2) v. Jaime Hewitt, Rush (1-0)
Ed Whelan, Onslaught (10-3-1) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-8-2)
Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-2-2) v. #10 Faas Smit, Rush (6-0-1)

Main Show

Lightweight Division

#4 Jason Dalglish (10-3) v. Duane Weatherly (10-8)

Light Heavyweight Division

#5 Rob Baines (10-2-1) v. #4 Curt Kitson (10-3-1)

Middleweight Division

Bixente Fontaine (9-4) v. Andrew Rush (12-2)

Co – Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-1) v. Challenger #4 Doug Hansen (14-3-2)

Co – Main Event

Heavyweight Division

#1 James Foster (17-2) v. #4 Stratos Papaioannou (20-4-1)

PilotMan

01-03-2008, 11:15 PM

All of the participants for the next event have made weight. Here is the preview.

GAMMA: Foster v. Papaioannou Preview
Sunday, 4th week of February, 1997
Los Angeles, California

Special Attraction Match

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (17-8-1) v. #6 Korekiyo Anzai (7-1)

Bracewell got a draw in his last match and before that he was beaten in his title shot. Here he tests out some new, and up and coming talent in the world of MMA. Anzai is shared with the BCF, where he is the current BCF Middleweight Champion. Bracewell will be in trouble if he finds himself defending from his back. Otherwise he will be on even turf. Blurcat likes Anzai for the win.

Light Heavyweight Division

#6 Garry McSweegan (12-3-1) v. Elgar (10-5)

The former BCF Heavyweight Champion is back trying to gain some momentum here in GAMMA. Elgar, who had been fighting for the Spokane Onslaught, will have to use his takedowns and grappling skills to take on the superior striking skills of McSweegan. McSweegan is the favorite here.

Spokane Onslaught (0-3-0, 0pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-1, 1pt)

Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-4-2) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-0-2)

Cole is coming off of two straight draws with ranked opponents, and now will face the much less talented McAllister. However, McAllister is still undefeated and could pose a problem for Cole. McAllister will be best off standing, if he finds himself defending he will have his work cut out for him. Blurcat likes McAllister for the win. Rush 1-0.

Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-1-1) v. Ong Ka Ting, Rush (0-0)

Ting makes his debut after signing a little over three weeks ago. He takes a spot that was going to be filled by Will Kane. The Rush have no idea what to expect from him, except that they say he has been training very well. Delaney is on the cusp of stardom, but his last fight was a dissapointing draw with newly departed Keith Plaice. Blurcat likes Ting for the win, and a 2-0 Rush lead.

Luke Hilton, Onslaught (4-2) v. Jaime Hewitt, Rush (1-0)

Hilton has had a couple more fights, and Hewitt is fighting for the first time in GAMMA. Hewitt is also on a shared deal with the BCF. Both guys are very green, so the end result is anyones guess. Blurcat predicts that Hilton will get the Onslaught on the board. 2-1 Rush.

Ed Whelan, Onslaught (10-3-1) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-8-2)

Look for Chapin to look for the takedown and Whelan to try and keep upright. Chapin hasn't been very successful at all, having drawn twice and lost once in his last 3 fights. Whelan hasn't gotten a win since he came to GAMMA either. He is probably more suited to the Light Heavyweight division, but he insists on staying here. Blurcat likes Whelan to tie the score with a win. 2-2.

Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-2-2) v. #10 Faas Smit, Rush (6-0-1)

Smit scored a huge win in his last fight, and has every chance to do the same here. Detroit will be a tough obstacle though, he hasn't been beaten in his last two fights. If Smit can put together a show like he did against John Rivero he should get the win. Blurcat thinks that we should look for another draw, and a final score of 2-2.

Main Show

Lightweight Division

#4 Jason Dalglish (10-3) v. Duane Weatherly (10-8)

Weatherly is hoping that he can show something more against another top ranked opponent and try and break back into the top 10. Dalglish, who is the former BCF Lightweight Champion, was humiliated by Giovani Silva in his title match. Dalglish will be best off on the ground, but could also win standing. Weatherly has nothing to lose and will likely attack from the opening bell. Blurcat puts its money on Dalglish.

Light Heavyweight Division

#5 Rob Baines (10-2-1) v. #4 Curt Kitson (10-3-1)

Both of these guys were part of the British Invasion of GAMMA. Both have found high rankings here in GAMMA, and both have fought tough opponents, only to come away with draws. Both men are well rounded, however Kitson should have the advantage standing, and Baines should have it on the ground. The winner will find themselves looking very close to top ranked champion, Anthony LeToussier. The experts are picking Kitson to win the match.

Middleweight Division

Bixente Fontaine (9-4) v. Andrew Rush (12-2)

More fighters from the British Invasion. Rush is the former BCF Middleweight Champion and Fontaine recently lost to Anzai for his shot at the same title. Now they face off here in GAMMA with possibly their careers on the line. Rush has been submitted twice in a row, but today he faces fellow kick boxer Fontaine. Both men are coming off of losses, and even a win here woulndn't be a guarantee that either could break back into the top 10. A loss for either would be very tough indeed. The experts likee Rush to get the W.

Co – Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-1) v. Challenger #4 Doug Hansen (14-3-2)

I am on the record as saying that this is not the match that I had planned here. Doug Hansen doesn't deserve the title shot, and he is only here, because Regueiro had to defend now, and Cahill, the guy I wanted is still recovering from his last fight. Hansen is another former BCF fighter, who has had two draws in a row, and is totally outgunned against the very popular Regueiro. But a #4 ranking has to count for something, right? Blurcat gives Hansen the benefit of the doubt and thinks that he will take the Champ to the limit but won't beat him. Draw.

Co – Main Event

Heavyweight Division

#1 James Foster (17-2) v. #4 Stratos Papaioannou (20-4-1)

This should be a fantastic match that will be all about control on the ground. It is entirely possible that one of them will land a big shot that will let the other have an open door, and then it will be all over. Both men hit very hard, Foster is younger, and in better shape. Papa is still very capapble of winning, but the experts are staying with the heavy favorite, Foster.

PilotMan

01-04-2008, 08:23 PM

GAMMA: Foster v. Papaioannou
Sunday, 4th week of February, 1997
Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 5,339

Special Attraction Match

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (17-8-1) v. #6 Korekiyo Anzai (7-1)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Anzai works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Bracewell backed up against the cage. Anzai gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Bracewell, who uses his legs well to defend. Anzai pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Bracewell gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Anzai follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Anzai hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Bracewell tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Bracewell leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Anzai.

Round 2
Anzai and Bracewell circle to start. Bracewell throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Anzai sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Bracewell comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Anzai to slip a nice jab in, catching Bracewell just underneath the right eye. Anzai comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Bracewell misses with a right cross, then backs off. Anzai stalks him, forcing Bracewell back up against the cage. Anzai doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Bracewell throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Anzai pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Bracewell covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Anzai in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Anzai throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Bracewell comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Anzai parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Anzai's favour. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Anzai.

Round 3
Bracewell leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Anzai deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Anzai uses a knee to the ribs before backing Bracewell up against the cage. Right hand from Bracewell connects though, that was well timed. Anzai breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Bracewell was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Anzai sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Bracewell fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They come together, both throwing punches. Bracewell gets a nice clean shot in, and Anzai stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Bracewell is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Bracewell wins via third round TKO at 4:40. (**)

I am kind of pissed about this. Anzai loses to a guy he should have been smart enough to take down, but instead tries to trade with and ends up getting beaten. At least Bracewell gets his win, but it will be hard for Anzai to recover. It won't do much for his popularity either.

Light Heavyweight Division

#6 Garry McSweegan (12-3-1) v. Elgar (10-5)

Round 1
McSweegan starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Elgar. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Elgar goes for a single leg and puts McSweegan on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Elgar from getting on top. McSweegan definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Elgar hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down McSweegan again. This time McSweegan isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Elgar will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but McSweegan defends. Elgar tries to slip past to get side control, but McSweegan just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Elgar has the side. Two big elbows land, and McSweegan seems in trouble. Elgar goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Elgar.

Round 2
Elgar gets a nice single leg, and transitions into a side mount. McSweegan blocks an arm bar attempt, but is having trouble keeping the full mount from happening. Elgar scores with a nice elbow, and there is the full mount. McSweegan is wide open, and takes two hard punches to the face. Elgar takes the arm. McSweegan is fighting it, but it looks like it's only a matter of time. The kimura is applied, and McSweegan has no choice but to tap. Official time of the kimura submission is 0:44 of the second. (**)

The BCF boys are having all kinds of trouble here. Elgar did just what Anzai should have done. He totally dominated McSweegan with his judo skills, and I don't think he even got really hit one time. This will be very good for him, and could move him into the top of the rankings. So far, two matches and two undexpected outcomes.

Spokane Onslaught (0-3-0, 0pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-1, 1pt)

Alex Cole, Onslaught (5-4-2) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-0-2)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. McAllister throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Cole from coming inside. McAllister works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Cole responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. McAllister backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Cole circles and throws a series of high jabs, but McAllister blocked them with ease, using the gloves. McAllister fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Cole covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from McAllister though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. McAllister throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McAllister.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Cole forces McAllister back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Cole is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and McAllister clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, McAllister gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Cole seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's McAllister who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Cole had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. McAllister clinches. They go down in an awkward moment, not sure what was going on then. McAllister is in the guard of Cole. He moves into a side mount, and Cole didn't do much to stop it. McAllister brings down a hard shot, but it deflects of the forearms of Cole. McAllister looks for a kimura, but Cole shifts his weight and sweeps McAllister. Cole now has a half mount. McAllister tries a sweep of his own, but Cole blocks it, and then gets into a full mount. Cole takes one arm, fights off a big effort by McAllister to block it, and cinches in a armbar. McAllister tries to get free, but is stuck, and is forced to tap out. Cole wins via second round armbar submission at 3:30. (**)

Despite what Blurcat thinks, I knew that Cole would be tough to beat. He had fought draws against two tough fighters, and here he was able to capitalize on the inexperienced McAllister. That was an ugly, free-for-all though. Cole wins and gives the Onslaught a 1-0 lead.

Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-1-1) v. Ong Ka Ting, Rush (0-0)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Datuk puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Delaney defended well. Straight right from Delaney in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Datuk probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Delaney gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Datuk. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Datuk.

Round 2
Delaney throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Datuk throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Delaney steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Datuk hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Delaney. They struggle all the way back, with Delaney ending up backed up against the cage. Datuk hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Delaney stomps downward onto his foot. Delaney manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Datuk gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Delaney ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Delaney tries a high kick to start, but Datuk saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Datuk who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Delaney on the nose. Delaney hits a straight right, enough to stop Datuk from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Datuk.

Round 3
Datuk leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Delaney deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Delaney uses a knee to the ribs before backing Datuk up against the cage. Right hand from Datuk connects though, that was well timed. Delaney breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Datuk was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Delaney sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Datuk fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Datuk clinches with Delaney, who manages to get a body shot in. Delaney attemps to push away from the cage, but Datuk uses a slick trip to dump him down to the mat. He grabs hold of one leg during the trip, and applies a leglock. That was all in one motion, Delaney got taken by surprise. Datuk sits back and wrenches in the hold, and that looks painful. Delaney is holding on. He tries to twist free, but it's on tight. Delaney gives in and taps out. The official time is 4:46. (*)

A win in his debut for Datuk! A good debut too. I was really afraid of where the match was going there for a while. Datuk showed good poise on the ground. It seemed that Delaney really wasn't expecting him to make a move like that at all. Datuk ties it up 1-1.

Luke Hilton, Onslaught (4-2) v. Jaime Hewitt, Rush (1-0)

Round 1
Hilton starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Hewitt. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Hewitt goes for a single leg and puts Hilton on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Hewitt from getting on top. Hilton definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Hewitt hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Hilton again. This time Hilton isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Hewitt will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Hilton defends. Hewitt tries to slip past to get side control, but Hilton just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Hewitt has the side. Two big elbows land, and Hilton seems in trouble. Hewitt goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Hewitt.

Round 2
Hewitt comes out fast, and looks like he is aiming for a quick takedown, but Hilton stops that plan with some looping punches. Solid right hand from Hilton connects, and that's the best moment of the opening minute of the round. Hewitt is mainly defending against punches, it looks like he is trying to work an angle to try for a takedown. Hilton seems to have noticed, as he is purposely positioning against that. Straight left from Hilton, then a low kick, then a wicked body shot. Hewitt felt that, and backs off. Hewitt tries to get in for a clinch, perhaps looking for a takedown from that position, but Hilton gets him to back off with some jabs. Hilton has really been able to stamp his gameplan on this round, Hewitt has been blocked at every turn. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Hilton.

Round 3
Hewitt hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Hilton to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Hewitt hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Hilton tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Hewitt having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Hilton. Hilton hits a jab. Hewitt responds with a huge kick that takes out Hilton's legs, sending him crashing awkwardly to the ground. Hewitt gives on top of him and fires off a barrage of punches. Hilton tries to cover up, but he is getting obliterated by the sheer number of punches coming down. The referee pulls Hewitt off, it's over! The official time is 9:23. (**)

Not a lot happening in this match. An exciting finish though, hopefully the crowd liked it. Here is another example of a fight being settled in the ring, that otherwise would have resulted in a draw. Hewitt stays undefeated and puts the Rush up 2-1.

Ed Whelan, Onslaught (10-3-1) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-8-2)

Round 1
Slow start to this round, Whelan is being tentative and Chapin looks like he is waiting for an angle to appear. The first exchange of strikes doesn't really go anywhere. A second set falls in Whelan's favour, as he gets a nice jab in, hitting right above the nose, and a solid shot to the body. Chapin goes in for a takedown but only manages to secure one leg. Whelan hammers down two shots to the back, but can't really do a lot else. Chapin tries to push him over onto his back, but Whelan manages to pull free and back off. Chapin throws a high left handed jab then goes in for another takedown. Good sprawl from Whelan, and he backs off. Chapin doesn't get a chance to go for a third, because Whelan takes the fight to him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing him back against the cage. Whelan clinches up, only after hitting a hard shot to the stomach though. The clinch seems to go on forever, with Chapin unable to get a good enough position to try a takedown, and Whelan tied up too much to really throw any decent strikes. Eventually the time runs out and they head back to their corners. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Whelan.

Round 2
Whelan throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Chapin defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Chapin throws a nice combination of punches, but Whelan was out of range and untroubled. Chapin comes in quick, just as Whelan throws a wild high kick. The kick connects, crunching into the temple, and Chapin is out cold, falling painfully face-first to the floor. Whelan's wild kick wins the match with a knock out. Official time of the knock out is 1:44 of the second. (*)

A fluke win for Whelan here, at least someone from the BCF gets a win. Chapin is really struggling lately. Whelan ties the match for the Onslaught 2-2.

Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-2-2) v. #10 Faas Smit, Rush (6-0-1)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Detroit, providing the first moment of real action. Smit hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Detroit side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Smit is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Smit.

Round 2
They touch gloves to begin. Detroit throws out a looping right hand, setting up a mid-level kick. The punch found gloves, the kick found nothing but thin air as Smit had stepped back in time. They meet in the center, exchanging a series of blows, and Detroit gets the better of it, scoring with a crisp jab that causes Smit to back up quickly. Sensing a chance, Detroit follows and forces him up against the cage with some jabs. Smit covers up, as two hard strikes find the gloves from Detroit. A right hand misses, and that is the chance Smit needs to quickly get out of trouble and back to the center. Great start to the round from Detroit. Smit throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Detroit steps in and fires off one of his own, but Smit bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Detroit turns and swings, just as Smit also unloads...and it's Smit who connects first! Detroit's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Smit follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Detroit. The referee doesn't even wait for Smit to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Detroit is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! The official time of the TKO is 2:31 of round 2. (**)

Faas Smit gets another win via TKO in a similar fashion. I wonder how long he can keep that up? Detroit actually had a good match going, and by keeping the fight up was giving himself the best opportunity to win. Smit stays undefeated and his win gives the Austin Rush a 3-2 win and their first win of the year. Spokane is still winless.

Main Show

Lightweight Division

#4 Jason Dalglish (10-3) v. Duane Weatherly (10-8)

Round 1
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Dalglish is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Weatherly blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Dalglish is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Weatherly is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Dalglish can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Dalglish some problems later on. Dalglish moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Weatherly is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Dalglish before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Dalglish off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Dalglish goes for a trip, but Weatherly cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Weatherly may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. The first round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Weatherly by 10-9.

Round 2
Weatherly leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Dalglish deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Dalglish uses a knee to the ribs before backing Weatherly up against the cage. Right hand from Weatherly connects though, that was well timed. Dalglish breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Weatherly was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Dalglish sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Weatherly fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They are circling, then come in close. Both fighters are tentatively looking for the chance to strike. Weatherly is the first to go for it, throwing a three-punch combination. Dalglish covered up well, taking very little damage. Weatherly goes to throw a bomb, but gets clipped with a right hand before it can connect. He felt that. Dalglish steps in and throws a bomb of his own, and it crunches into the side of the cheek of Weatherly, who goes down! Replays show the shock wave passing through his entire body as that powerful punch connected. What a strike! Dalglish wins this by a brutally clean knock out. Dalglish wins via knock out at 9:29 of the second round. (**)

Dalglish, a dangerous grappler, gets the win via a KO. His victory here will be good for him, and hopefully set him back up for another run at the title. Weatherly loses again, and has to wonder where his career is going. Perhaps he needs to spend some time on the Team Battle circuit in order to reorganize himself.

Light Heavyweight Division

#5 Rob Baines (10-2-1) v. #4 Curt Kitson (10-3-1)

Round 1
Baines comes out fast, and looks like he is aiming for a quick takedown, but Kitson stops that plan with some looping punches. Solid right hand from Kitson connects, and that's the best moment of the opening minute of the round. Baines is mainly defending against punches, it looks like he is trying to work an angle to try for a takedown. Kitson seems to have noticed, as he is purposely positioning against that. Straight left from Kitson, then a low kick, then a wicked body shot. Baines felt that, and backs off. Baines tries to get in for a clinch, perhaps looking for a takedown from that position, but Kitson gets him to back off with some jabs. Kitson has really been able to stamp his gameplan on this round, Baines has been blocked at every turn. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Kitson.

Round 2
Slow start to this round, Kitson is being tentative and Baines looks like he is waiting for an angle to appear. The first exchange of strikes doesn't really go anywhere. A second set falls in Kitson's favour, as he gets a nice jab in, hitting right above the nose, and a solid shot to the body. Baines goes in for a takedown but only manages to secure one leg. Kitson hammers down two shots to the back, but can't really do a lot else. Baines tries to push him over onto his back, but Kitson manages to pull free and back off. Baines throws a high left handed jab then goes in for another takedown. Good sprawl from Kitson, and he backs off. Baines doesn't get a chance to go for a third, because Kitson takes the fight to him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing him back against the cage. Kitson clinches up, only after hitting a hard shot to the stomach though. The clinch seems to go on forever, with Baines unable to get a good enough position to try a takedown, and Kitson tied up too much to really throw any decent strikes. Eventually the time runs out and they head back to their corners. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Kitson.

Round 3
Baines works an angle and comes in from the side of Kitson, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Kitson hits a low kick to back Baines against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Baines fights out and the action returns to the center. Kitson takes down Baines, but is pulled into the guard straight away. Kitson tries to unload with a couple of bombs, but Baines safely defends them. Kitson is leaning a little too far forward, which Baines notices and tries for a guillotine. Kitson didn't seem to see it coming, and is caught! Baines wraps it up tightly and forces Kitson to tap out! Baines wins via 3rd round guillotine submission with the official time being 2:58. (*)

In a fight that he seemed to be winning, Curt Kitson loses because of his underestimation of the skills of Baines. Baines really didn't have an option for Kitson standing, but once on the ground was able to exploit his opponent and snare the win.

Middleweight Division

Bixente Fontaine (9-4) v. Andrew Rush (12-2)

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Fontaine forces Rush back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Fontaine is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Rush clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Rush gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Fontaine seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Rush who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Fontaine had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Rush seems to be growing in confidence over the past thirty seconds. He has just come up with four good separate straight rights, although I don't think any of them did too much damage. He moves in for another, but takes a wicked kick from Fontaine. Rush looks wobbly, and his hands drop. Fontaine sees it, and comes in with a solid right hand that drops Rush to the mat. Fontaine follows up with more punches, and the referee has to get in there and stop it, Rush was not defending himself properly. I think it's the kick that did the most damage, it seemed to scramble his brains. The official time is 3:30. (**)

And Rush drops his third consecutive match. That is too much, unreal. Fontaine with a great job to get a win in his debut. I honestly have no idea what to do with Rush at this point. He was a fighter with so much promise, and now to see him lose his third in a row is maddening. He is in danger of becoming a trial horse for top ranked fighter, where he used to be of the best pound for pound middleweights around.

Co – Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-1) v. Challenger #4 Doug Hansen (14-3-2)

Round 1
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. Hansen is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as Regueiro picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. Hansen throws a wild punch as a counter, but Regueiro ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. Hansen gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that Hansen is looking for big punches, Regueiro is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and Hansen manages to back Regueiro up against the cage. Hansen takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but Regueiro ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before Hansen can unload. Hansen may need to think about changing tactics, Regueiro is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. Hansen fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching Regueiro on the thigh. Regueiro presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. Hansen gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Regueiro.

Round 2
Hansen throws a straight right, batted away by Regueiro. Hansen goes for a second, but gets beaten to the punch as Regueiro scores with a kick that catches Hansen across the outside of the knee. Regueiro throws another one, and this time it lands just above the same knee. Hansen backs off slightly. Regueiro throws a high jab, then head-fakes and comes in with a left hook from low down. Hansen fires back with a crisp right hand that connects to the shoulder rather than the face. Regueiro throws another fizzing low kick, again connecting with the knee. Hansen tried to check it, but couldn't in time. Those strikes are going to add up soon and start reducing his mobility. Regueiro throws another kick, this time at chest-height, but it's merely a set-up to allow him to come in fast and start throwing a series of jabs. Hansen covers up, throwing occasional straight rights in return. Regueiro backs off, but not before cracking another kick into the thigh region. Time is running down, Hansen has failed to deal with those kicks, and it has definitely cost him this round, and possibly done some damage to his knee. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Regueiro.

Round 3
The round starts with some tentative striking. Both fighters look to be using their strikes merely to keep the opponent off-balance while they work for an angle for a takedown, rather than actually trying to inflict too much damage. Hansen goes for the first takedown, but Regueiro has it well-scouted and they merely end up in a clinch. They tussle, ending up all the way back against the cage. Both fighters try trips, but neither gets anything. Finally, the referee steps in and separates them. Regueiro storms back in almost immediately and takes Hansen down, into guard. It's hard to say whether that was just a good takedown or whether Hansen just had a lapse in concentration. Regueiro tries to pass the guard but can't, with Hansen employing a rubber guard now. There's a definite stalemate, Hansen is defending very well but isn't really offering any attacking threat or really trying to get out of this predicament. Regueiro makes a big effort to pass, and manages to get to half guard, but Hansen has him tied up pretty well all the same. Time is ticking away, what has been a very tame round looks set to end without much in the way of highlights. It'll have to go to Regueiro on points, the takedown is really the only noteworthy thing that has happened. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Regueiro.

Round 4
Fast start by Regueiro, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. Hansen circles, drawing a lunge from Regueiro, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Regueiro ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, Hansen hopping on the other to remain vertical. Regueiro tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but Hansen manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Regueiro has one leg trapped between Hansen's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. Hansen defends it well, without fully escaping it, Regueiro can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. Hansen suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Regueiro's back. Regueiro was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing Hansen up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. Hansen throws a couple of short-range punches. Regueiro gets a leg in and trips Hansen, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from Hansen, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Regueiro.

Round 5
Slow start to the round, nearly a minute has gone by without anything but a few jabs finding gloves. Hansen comes in, looking for a grapple it seems, but takes a powerful kick just above the left hip. Regueiro really put some venom into that strike. Hansen backs off, clearly stung. Regueiro is the one advancing now, using a left hand jab to lead. He steps forward and fires off a big kick, aimed at the head. Hansen ducks and moves out of range, but that was clearly intended to be a match-ender, Regueiro was going for the knock out. It's pretty clear that he thinks that kicks are going to do the job in this round, and it has to be said that Hansen is looking to have a hard time countering them. On top of that, the threat of the kicks is keeping Hansen from getting in too close. Regueiro stalks Hansen, throwing the occasional high right hand, perhaps range-finding. Hansen is circling, seeking an opening of some kind. He moves in from the left and is quick enough to get into the clinch without taking any shots. Regueiro hits a knee, but takes one right back. The kicks aren't a danger from this position, that's for sure. Regueiro squirms free, but foolishly lost his concentration for a second and took a hard right hand above the eye in the process. Silly mistake. Hansen comes in, looking more confident now, and gets in a couple of right hands and a lovely hook to the body. Regueiro tags him with a jab though, and then hits another fearsome kick to the same spot above the left hip. And another! Hansen backs off, and a huge red mark has appeared in that spot. Regueiro advances and throws another head kick, but it is mostly blocked by the hands of Hansen. The round is drawing to a close, and those kicks have certainly proved massively effective for Regueiro. End of round 5. Blurcat.com gives that one to Regueiro by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (**)

A bit surprising there, as Hansen should have been beaten. He kept Julio from getting control on the ground which certainly would have been the end. Instead he can walk away knowing that he fought with the champ for almost an hour, and managed to pull of the draw. Hopefully, the fans found it entertaining as well.

Co – Main Event

Heavyweight Division

#1 James Foster (17-2) v. #4 Stratos Papaioannou (20-4-1)

Round 1
Papaioannou leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Foster deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Foster uses a knee to the ribs before backing Papaioannou up against the cage. Right hand from Papaioannou connects though, that was well timed. Foster breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Papaioannou was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Foster sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Papaioannou fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Foster hits a right hand above Papaioannou's right eye, but gets clinched up before he can do anything further. Papaioannou forces him back against the cage. They struggle, with Foster keeping the takedown from happening by pulling away from every trip attempt. Papaioannou pushes Foster into the cage, then sweeps the legs quickly. Foster couldn't get out of the way that time, and goes down. He pulls guard. Papaioannou breaks the guard and stands up, leaving Foster on his back. Foster tries to keep Papaioannou back with some up-kicks, Papaioannou has to be careful not to get caught with them, they have power. Papaioannou fakes a dive, pushes the legs to one side, and gets side control. Foster tries to turn into it so that he can pull guard, but Papaioannou isn't allowing it, and traps both arms, creating a crucifix position. Papaioannou starts throwing punches to the face, Foster having no arms free to block them. Big shot from Papaioannou, that caught Foster on the chin as he momentarily lifted his head while trying to struggle free. Foster is out like a light. The referee jumps in, this is over. The official time of the knock out is 9:09 of round 1. (***)

I am going to hell for this one. Like I said in the preview, this fight was all about control on the ground. Papa just kayoed the king of the ground and pound. And made him look totally beatable in the process. This is going to take a lot of the steam right out of my heavyweight division, and may make for some reallly uninspiring matchups. I should have taken advantage of Foster and Oktay when I had the chance. Will anyone care now that they both have been beaten again?

Fans were very happy with the fight, and we gained pop in all 61 regions that we had coverage in. Foster and Dalglish were both hurt, but Foster was already planning on taking some time off. Dalglish won't be out too long.

PilotMan

01-04-2008, 08:32 PM

GAMMA Rankings

Lightweight
Champion: Giovani Silva (since 7/96)

Giovani Silva (23-9)
Beau Gorshin (24-14)
Sean Morrison (12-4-1)
Jason Dalglish (11-3)
Mario De Souza (13-7-1)
Bruce Steven, Buffalo Outlaws (6-1)
Callum Henson, Durham Red Raiders (5-0-1)
Randy Carsley, Pittsburgh Cyclopes (6-0)
Ian Linderman, Pittsburgh Cyclopes (3-2-1)
Jackson Gray (9-4-1)

Welterweight
Champion: Julio Regueiro (since 6/96)

Julio Regueiro (11-0-2)
Dan Halvorsen (23-11-4)
Geoff Cahill (22-13-1)
Jack Humphreys (13-3)
Rodolphe Gygax (17-8-1)
Doug Hansen (14-3-3)
Gordon Idle (8-2-1)
Alan Kendall (10-2-1)
Linfield Ballard (11-7-1)
Joe Hinchcliffe (13-5-1)

Middleweight
Champion: Fernando Armando (since 8/96)

Fernando Amaro (16-3-1)
Maarten De Vries (14-4-2)
Davis Spyrou (13-4-1)
Tucker Plumm (14-7-1)
Jim Carpenter (20-5-1)
Carl Ratcliffe (9-3-1)
Matthew Dean (11-3)
Buddy Garner, Spokane Onslaught (8-0)
Neil Napier, Durham Red Raiders (6-0-1)
Bixente Fontaine (10-4)

Light Heavyweight
Champion: Anthony LeToussier since (1/97)

Anthony LeToussier (16-5)
Christopher Sharp (11-1-1)
George Laurent (13-1-1)
Rob Baines (11-2-1)
Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-2)
Lenny McFadden (9-4-2)
Faas Smit, Austin Rush (7-0-1)
Zvonimir Asanovic (10-2-1)
Elgar (11-5)
JJ Reid (12-1-2)

Heavyweight
Champion: Raul Hughes (since 6/96)

Stratos Papaioannou (21-4-1)
Stafford Alois (20-7)
Harry Milne (20-6-1)
James Foster (17-3)
Raul Hughes (12-0-1)
Lefter Oktay (8-1)
Rick Stanley (20-8-3)
Tony McCall (20-4-2)
Marvin Stevens (8-0-2)
Frank Sheedy (10-6-1)

GAMMA Team Battle Standings (Midseason)

Buffalo Outlaws (3-1-0, 6-3 9pts)
Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-0-2, 6-3 8pts)
Durham Red Raiders (2-1-1, 5-3 7pts)
Austin Rush (0-2-2, 4-7 2pts)
Spokane Onslaught (0-3-1, 3-8 1pt)

PilotMan

01-11-2008, 10:28 PM

GAMMA is trying a little something different for our next show. GAMMA: Meltdown is going to be broadcast from Tampa, Florida. We expect this to be a very small show, with the main focus being the Team Battle between the Durham Red Raiders and the Austin Rush. This will give us a chance to rest some of our main stars and give the folks in The Sunshine State what a taste of MMA is like. This is the last show of Meltdown on National Pride TV. We already have US coverage with Exposure on The Pop! Network, and would like to keep that. We will be looking for some television coverage that will go along with Exposure. Perhaps our TV special will evolve more into an IFL show, with only a couple of headline fights. If this were to be the case our TV shows would be less frequent and would let us get to some smaller but still very important markets directly.

PilotMan

01-11-2008, 10:29 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
to air live, in late night, on National Pride TV
4th week of March, 1997

Durham Red Raiders (2-1-1, 7pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-2, 2pts)

Darren Southall, Rush (1-1-2) v. Simon Vine, Red Raiders (7-3-1)
Don Norman, Rush ((6-9) v. Mugur Boc, Red Raiders (4-0)
Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0-1) v. Ricky Heath, Rush (9-4)
Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-1) v. #7 Callum Henson, Red Raiders (5-0-1)
Drew Jenks, Rush (3-2) v. #9 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (6-0-1)

Main Event

Welterweight Division

Noach Van Der Capellen (11-4) v. #9 Linfield Ballard (11-7-1)

This is really a gamble, but I hope that it will be well received.

PilotMan

01-11-2008, 10:31 PM

We have signed Bill Brown, an MMA fighter who hasn't fought yet, but looks promising. He is a grappler who is a Jiu-Jitsu specialist. We also have signed Robert Darell, Marko Prochazka, and Uwe Maier. Prochazka and Darell were the top 1 and 2 pound for pound fighters in the BCF. Maier, was recently defeated by Darell, but is a ranked middleweight. The we really didn't need to expand our roster anymore, but I wanted to keep Alpha-1 from getting anymore talent. Right now, they still have the better overall talent, and much deeper financial backing than GAMMA does. My goal is to try and suck up the new, and up and coming talent so that over time, we gradually have all the best talent.

In addition to those signings I was able to renegotiate the contacts that I had with Jaime Hewitt, Aleksei Chekhov, Korekiyo Anzai, and Bixente Fountaine to exclusive contracts. All of them have given notice with BCF, and since they are already under contract with us, we can keep working them while they work out their deal with BCF. Derek South is still on my hitlist, but we havn't used him yet, and he still isn't ready to leave Alpha -1.

Faas Smit was resigned.

PilotMan

01-11-2008, 10:33 PM

Everyone made weight for the upcoming television show. The biggest weight difference is between Don Norman and Mugur Boc. Boc outweighs him by 50 pounds.

GAMMA: Meltdown Previews
to air live, in late night, on National Pride TV
4th week of March, 1997

Durham Red Raiders (2-1-1, 7pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-2, 2pts)

The Rush are in 4th place and find themselves in real need of a win to keep things close. The Red Raiders are in 3rd, but are only 2 points out of first as things are really tight up top. Durham won the first meeting 1-0, and another win would get them the sweep and move them into first place.

Darren Southall, Rush (1-1-2) v. Simon Vine, Red Raiders (7-3-1)

Southall and Vine fight for the second time. Their last meeting ended in a draw. There is really no motivation for this fight, I just hope that they put on a good show. Southall is going to look for mistakes that he can take advantage of. As long as the fight stays up Vine will have the advantage. If it goes to the ground it really could go either way. The experts like Vine to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.

Don Norman, Rush (6-9) v. Mugur Boc, Red Raiders (4-0)

Boc makes his GAMMA debut, and his physical size is the biggest advantage up front. Norman will want to keep up and awar from Boc, if he gets into a clinch or finds himself on the ground on his back he is in serious trouble. Boc loves to pound on the ground, and his size only helps him there. Experts think that Norman will take it the distance as his experience will be good for something. Draw, 1-0 Durham.

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0-1) v. Ricky Heath, Rush (9-4)

Hyde hasn't been beaten yet, and Heath will make for a tough opponent. Hyde will want to stay away and use his long legs to keep Heath away. He is good at staying on his feet, but should Heath get to him and use his superior takedown skills to gain position Hyde will be a big disadvantage. I would look for Heath to win and give the Rush a point for a 1-1 tie.

Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-1) v. #7 Callum Henson, Red Raiders (5-0-1)

Another good matchup of striker v. grappler. Henson is ranked, undefeated and developing a very good reputation in GAMMA. Magilton will be at his best on the ground where he will be looking to submit Henson. That is if he can get in and get a takedown. Blurcat likes Henson via TKO to give the Red Raiders a 2-1 lead.

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-2) v. #9 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (6-0-1)

Jenks is up against the wall here. He has lost two in a row, and now he faces Napier, an undefeated fighter who is very capable fighting up or down. Jenks will need to control on the ground and pound away, however it is he who has been TKOed from that very position in his last fights. Napier is good at defending the takedown, but that is Jenks best hope here. Blurcat likes Napier via TKO and a 3-1 win for the Durham Red Raiders.

Main Event

Welterweight Division

Noach Van Der Capellen (11-4) v. #9 Linfield Ballard (11-7-1)

Tonights main event could be very exciting as VDC is coming off of a fantastic TKO win over Will Kane and Ballard is coming off of a draw with now suspended, Alan Kendall. Both men were teammates on the Austin Rush and both are pulling for the Rush to get the win this evening. Ballard moved down from the middleweight class and VDC left to pursue the welterweight title. VDC has good power in his hands but he will need to watch out for the dangerous feet of Ballard. If the fights goes to the ground neither fighter is very good, so look for a lot of upright, slugging. VDC feels that he should be ranked and a win over Ballard would put him there. Ballard needs to show that those 7 losses are his past and not his future. Blurcat thinks that VDC gets the win.

PilotMan

01-12-2008, 07:28 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
live, late night, on National Pride TV
4th week of March, 1997
Attendance: 394

Durham Red Raiders (2-1-1, 7pts) v. Austin Rush (0-2-2, 2pts)

Darren Southall, Rush (1-1-2) v. Simon Vine, Red Raiders (7-3-1)

Round 1
Fast start by Southall, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. Vine circles, drawing a lunge from Southall, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Southall ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, Vine hopping on the other to remain vertical. Southall tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but Vine manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Southall has one leg trapped between Vine's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. Vine defends it well, without fully escaping it, Southall can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. Vine suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Southall's back. Southall was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing Vine up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. Vine throws a couple of short-range punches. Southall gets a leg in and trips Vine, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from Vine, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. The first round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Southall by 10-9.

Round 2
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Southall, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Southall puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Vine covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. Southall is looking the slightly more fit of the two fighters. Low kick from Vine, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Southall will take the round on points. End of round 2. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Southall.

Round 3
Vine tries to work an angle from the start, but is kept back by some sharp kicks, one landing painfully across the outside of the calf. Southall steps in and throws some punches, landing a crisp jab to the shoulder. Vine lands a jab of his own, but gets hit with a vicious waist-high kick when stepping in to follow up. Good tactics so far from Southall, he is basically controlling the tempo and positioning of this fight through intelligent use of sharp, accurate kicks. Vine comes in fast, faking left then going right, and gets close enough to throw some body blows. Southall gets in a right hand of his own, then a beauty of a high kick. It lands right on the ear, causing Vine to back off quickly. If that had had more power, it might well have scored a knock out. The round is almost over. Southall has controlled this one, Vine is finding it very difficult to find a way around those kicks. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Southall by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Good match for Southall, but unfortunately for the fans, the result is another draw. Neither fighter will gain much from the result of this match. The Rush benefit the most as they keep the score at 0-0.

Don Norman, Rush ((6-9) v. Mugur Boc, Red Raiders (4-0)

Round 1
Norman leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Boc deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Boc uses a knee to the ribs before backing Norman up against the cage. Right hand from Norman connects though, that was well timed. Boc breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Norman was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Boc sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Norman fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Boc steps back to avoid a straight left. Norman comes in to try it again, and gets caught with a lovely hook. Norman goes down hard, but isn't out, just stunned. Boc quickly mounts him before he can shake it off, and unloads with punches. The referee is very quickly in there and pulls Boc off, giving him the win. Replays show the referee was right to do so, Norman took three nasty looking shots in a row from the mount. Official time of the TKO is 5:09 of the first round. (**)

Boc makes a lovely debut and hammers his way to a big win, and a big win for the Durham Red Raiders. Clearly blurcat overestimated one or underestimated the other. Red Raiders take the lead 1-0.

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0-1) v. Ricky Heath, Rush (9-4)

Round 1
Hyde starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and Heath is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from Hyde. Heath tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from Heath, but it only caught Hyde on the shoulder. Another kick connects from Hyde, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping Heath from doing very much. Hyde with a body shot. Right hand from Heath, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Hyde.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. Heath flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Hyde easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Heath could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Hyde moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Heath is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Heath forces Hyde back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Hyde in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Heath does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Hyde saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Heath turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Heath is up quickly, causing Hyde, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Heath was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Heath throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Hyde to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Hyde.

Round 3
Heath is forced onto the backfoot almost immediately, having to retreat to avoid a series of sharp jabs. He ends up with his back to the cage, with Hyde advancing. A sharp right misses, and Heath takes the opportunity to pull Hyde in to a tight clinch against the cage. Hyde tries to break free, but cannot. It looks like we know the strategies for this round already; Hyde wants to stand and bang, Heath wants to keep things at close quarters. Hyde tries for an elbow, but only succeeds in getting turned around so that he is now the one against the cage. Trip from Heath, and we're down to the ground. Heath has side control, but Hyde has landed with his left hand side against the cage, so that side of the body is basically safe for now. Heath will have to try to work the right-hand side, and starts by ramming a knee into the ribs. Hyde tries to squirm into a better position, but Heath puts a stop to that with a stiff elbow to the stomach. Heath tries to work a kimura on the right arm, but Hyde defends it. Hyde manages to bring a knee up and catch Heath in the side, something of a cheeky move given his position. Heath responds with five or six rapid-fire right hands to the face, but Hyde covers up and doesn't take any serious damage at all. Time is ticking away though, and so far Heath may be easily winning the round, but he is not taking full advantage of this great position. Heath tries to float over into a mount, but Hyde uses the cage to push away and manages to unbalance Heath enough to get to a kneeling position, then standing, albeit back into a clinch. A knee from Heath is the last action of the round. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Heath. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

A very winnable match for Austin turns into a draw as Owen Hyde keeps his undefeated streak alive. Heath wasn't able to get close enough to do anything until the end of the fight, and that was just what Hyde was hoping for. Hyde looked very good standing and showed good poise against a better fighter. Durham keeps their lead 1-0.

Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-1) v. #7 Callum Henson, Red Raiders (5-0-1)

Round 1
Magilton starts strongly, immediately rushing in for a takedown. Henson got taken by surprise a little, but wrestles his way free of the grapple and pulls to safety. Henson doesn't hang around for a second attempt, he uses a looping left to set himself up to come in close and score with a series of strikes, two or three nice body shots included. Magilton covers up, throwing the occasional jab as a counter. Henson goes for a vicious uppercut, but gets pulled into a clinch. Magilton goes for a takedown via a trip, but Henson defends it. Another trip attempt, another failure. Magilton pushes Henson up against the cage and tries to wrestle him to the ground, but Henson keeps his balance and sprawls to stop it. Henson gets in a hard right hand to the side of the face, taking advantage of the fact that Magilton was leaning in too far. Henson reverses so that Magilton is against the cage. They remain clinched, with nothing more than minor strikes being thrown, for a long time. The referee finally breaks them apart and gets them back to the center. Henson throws a kick, waist-high, but Magilton avoids it. That could have been used for a takedown attempt if Magilton had been quicker and caught it. Henson hits two or three punches in a row, stinging the gloves of Magilton. The round draws to a close. It'll be interesting to see where the judges go with this, as Henson clearly got the better strikes in throughout the round, but Magilton did probably show more aggression by virtue of his almost constant attempts to get the takedown. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Henson.

Round 2
They circle each other. Magilton misses with a low kick, and Henson darts in to hit a jab before retreating. They come together and exchange punches, both got a few shots in. Henson is looking much lighter on his feet, and keeps moving in, hitting a few punches, then getting back out of range. Magilton is trying to catch him coming in, but doesn't have the timing quite right. It happens again. Henson isn't getting much power on the punches, but he is getting ahead on points. Magilton tries to get in close, but Henson is keeping moving, and isn't letting himself get cornered. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. Henson gets a solid punch in, catching Magilton just above the left eye. Magilton finally gets a clinch, forcing Henson up against the cage, but it's too little, too late as the round ends. The second round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Henson.

Round 3
Magilton starts out with a few straight rights, range-finding rather than actually dangerous. Henson keeps out of their way. Magilton steps forward and tries to unload with a looping left, but Henson moves to the side and fires off a powerful right hand of his own, landing above the left eye. Magilton doesn't go down, but definitely felt that shot. Henson moves in closer and fires off two punches to the face and a big hook to the body. Magilton parried the first two, but the third hit home hard. Henson begins to stalk Magilton, who may be slightly winded. They meet again in the center and exchange blows. Magilton hits a high jab but gets caught with another hard punch to the side of the head. Magilton clinches up, stopping Henson from following up. It looks like Magilton needs to change his game plan, standing up and banging with Henson is playing right into his opponent's hands, as Henson clearly has the more powerful strikes in his arsenal, and Magilton is going to get floored sooner or later, judging by this round. The referee parts them from the clinch. Henson continues to look ready to unleash some big punches. Magilton takes a takedown, then comes in much closer, throws a jab, and clinches back up. Magilton looks like he is going to grapple, stopping Henson from throwing bombs. Magilton gets in a few short punches to the ribs. The round ends with them still in the clinch. Henson will take that round on points, having used the threat of a knock out to basically control everything about that round except the clinches. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Henson. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

Magilton will be happy with that result, while Henson will rue his missed chance. Henson did a better job of keeping Magilton off of him, and keeping the fight standing. Even when Magiliton went for the takedown or trip Henson defended well. The result greatly benefits the Rush as the at least have a chance to pull some points off in this dual. The Red Raiders still lead 1-0. The Rush hope that Jenks can pull off the upset to at least get the draw.

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-2) v. #9 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (6-0-1)

Round 1
Napier and Jenks circle to start. Jenks throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Napier sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Jenks comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Napier to slip a nice jab in, catching Jenks just underneath the right eye. Napier comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Jenks misses with a right cross, then backs off. Napier stalks him, forcing Jenks back up against the cage. Napier doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Jenks throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Napier pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Jenks covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Napier in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Napier throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Jenks comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Napier parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Napier's favour. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Napier by 10-9.

Round 2
Jenks comes out fast, but gets hit with a counter right hand strike when he throws a left hand which was too high. Napier moves in and hits a nice body shot before they clinch. Jenks gets in a short, sharp jab to the side of the head, it looked to hit right on the ear. Napier didn't like that, and scores with two knee strikes and a punch to the cheek. They break apart. Napier swings and hits a nice right hand. Jenks fires off a series of sharp jabs, all hitting gloves. He throws out a looping left, but gets tagged with a punch to the jaw and stumbles to the ground! Napier dives in to finish him off, but he scrambles back up quickly and they end up facing off on their feet again. Replays show that the punch barely connected, it was more of a stumble on Jenks's part than anything else. It might not look that way to the judges though. Napier looks more confident after that, and puts together a nice chain of strikes, ending with a scathing low kick that catches Jenks on the outside of the calf. He definitely felt that. Time is running out; Napier will probably take this round on the judges' score cards, primarily due to that one dubious knock down. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Napier.

Round 3
Jenks hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Napier to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Jenks hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Napier tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Jenks having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Napier. Napier advances, right hand looking ready to strike, but Jenks isn't giving him the angle that he wants. Jenks darts in unexpectedly but misses with a left cross, and takes a hard body shot from Napier. That's enough to put him down, although replays show that he already seemed to be stumbling when it hit, it's hard to say for sure whether he wasn't already on his way down anyway. Either way, Napier follows up, smelling victory. Jenks covers up, but Napier is raining down punches from the half mount position. At least two hard shots get through. Napier moves up into side control, briefly looks like he is considering trying to take an arm, then goes back to teeing off on Jenks's head with fists. Jenks tries to wriggle free, but isn't really getting anywhere because Napier is lying right across his upper body. Napier uses his legs to ensnare Jenks's right arm, and then starts firing off more and more punches. With only his left hand to try and block them, Jenks is taking more punches than he is blocking. The referee is looking very closely at this, unless Jenks does something dramatic pretty soon, I doubt this will go much longer. Napier stops to take a deep breath, then starts firing off another barrage. Jenks takes at least three hard shots to the face during the attack, and that's enough for the referee, he calls an end to the match. Napier wins via 3rd round TKO with the official time being 3:55. (**)

So Jenks didn't execute his gameplan very well at all. He didn't shoot for one single takedown, clearly feeling that he didn't want to get tagged, or overestimating his own striking abilities. He did escape on the ground a couple of times, but once he was rattled, he was done. Durham gets the last point and gets a 2-0 win.

Main Event

Welterweight Division

Noach Van Der Capellen (11-4) v. #9 Linfield Ballard (11-7-1)

Round 1
Van Der Capellen hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Ballard to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Van Der Capellen hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Ballard tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Van Der Capellen having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Ballard. Ballard leads with a right hand, then delivers a brutal uppercut, Van Der Capellen had to step back quickly to avoid getting caught. He winds up back against the cage, and Ballard doesn't relent, moving in fast to unload with a series of jabs. Van Der Capellen got some of his own in, but the upper hand is definitely with Ballard. Vicious right hand! Out of nowhere, it caught Van Der Capellen flush in the face, and he slumps down against the cage. Ballard follows up with more punches, and the referee dives in to break it up. It's all over. Van Der Capellen wasn't knocked out, but that one punch was a beauty, and it stopped him getting any sort of defence together to stop the following punches. The official time of the TKO is 6:13 of round 1. (**)

Ballard does indeed prove that he can bang with a banger. VDC is hard to KO, but former middleweight seems to have kept a lot of his power transitioning to a lighter weight. I am sure that Capellen will wish that he could redo this match tomorrow. Ballard will keep his top 10 ranking and get a win to keep him moving to the top.

The fans went home happy, and we gained in 41 areas, but lost in 9. That is the biggest loss from any one show. All in all we still gain pop, which isn't that hard right now, but wish that it could have been a better show overall. We could have had a couple more, and maybe bigger matches in there to balance some of the lower matches, since we got almost 4 times the number of fans to show up.

PilotMan

01-12-2008, 07:29 PM

Noach Van Der Capellen sustained a concussion from last nights knockout. He is going to be out for some time. The body can only get so many of those in a career.

We have moved a number of fighters around in weight to better balance our roster. Welterweight was the biggest challenge, as it was so fat, that younger fighters weren't getting a chance to move up at all. We are sitting at around 23 fighters per weight class, and that is about 3-4 more than we really need per division. I am hoping that I can find a clever way to include everyone without burning anyone out.

Robert Darrell moves up from welterweight to middleweight. It will put him in the same weight class as Uwe Maier, Andrew Rush, Bixente Fountain, Davis Spyrou and Tucker Plumm. All of whom, have either had or been in the BCF title hunt. For GAMMA they are still developing. Spyrou and Plumm are the closest to having a title shot here in GAMMA.

The bigger moves are in the lightweight division. The biggest addition here is that of former welterweight champion Jack Humpreys moving down. His addition, if he can put a couple of wins together will really mean that there may be more than Silva and Morrison here. Korekiyo Anza and Will Kane also made big sacrifices to drop weight to fight in this division. Both are coming off of losses and hope to make a clean start here.

I am making a change in the way that my events are arranged. This new schedule is going to take full effect next season of the Team Battle.

First, a new team will be added to the Team Battle to bring our total to six. Next we are hoping to make the television show more of a regular affair, and the PPV events to be more of a special, high profile affair.

We are currently in negotiations to keep GAMMA: Exposure on The Pop! Network especially because it gives us coverage in Canada, but also to add coverage of Exposure in Japan to bolster our popularity there. Our PPV shows will run every 5 weeks instead of the 6 that we have had now, and there will be no Team Battle on them. They will be 10-12 fights long, and be primarily composed of one or two main events, and 8-10 feature matches. Exposure will be renamed Battleground, and each show will have two duals, four teams battling it out. Battleground will be visiting states where GAMMA isn't especially popular, but will be shown in a large number of markets on TV. It may not help us all that much where we are already popular, but it will help us in all of those markets where we need to gain pop.

The ultimate result is that we will be able to take advantage of our expanded roster, guys on both shows will get a little more rest in between shows. Scheduling for the shows should be a little easier. The only problem that I see is that with 4 teams battling there are going to be a number of weeks where teams will be going back to back. However, they will have 5 weeks between fights, instead of the 3 they have now, so the fighters should be more rested. Titles will end up being defended between 3-4 times per year

Our next show will be an example of what a new PPV show will be like. Without further adoo. GAMMA announces our next show set for April, 1997.

PilotMan

01-12-2008, 07:30 PM

GAMMA: LeToussier v. Laurent
Week 2, April 1997
Houston, Texas

Heavyweight Division

#3 Harry Milne (20-6-1) v. Tim Boyer (16-5-2)

Welterweight Division

Lukas Mellberg (10-1-1) v. #2 Dan Halvorsen (23-11-4)

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-3) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (14-4-2)

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (18-8-1) v. #3 Geoff Cahill (22-13-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

#8 Zvonimir Asanovic (10-2-1) v. Bill Brown (0-0-0)

Heavyweight Division

#8 Tony McCall (20-4-2) v. Fatuma Roy (16-6-1)

Lightweight Division

#2 Beau Gorshin (24-14) v. #9 Korekiyo Anzai (7-2)

Lightweight Division

#3 Sean Morrison (12-4-1) v. Charles Stiles (9-3-1)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (16-3-1) v. Challenger #3 Davis Spyrou (13-4-1)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Anthony LeToussier (16-5) v. Challenger #3 George Laurent (13-1-1)

PilotMan

01-18-2008, 10:07 PM

A ton more movement for GAMMA. We needed some more depth at the heavyweight division, so we have brought in the old, and experienced Khuru Duangjan. Khuru (23-13) was unemployed and is here now. We cherry pick off the BCF again by signing heavyweights Bob Dozier (5-2), and Mark Bicknell (8-4), along with BCF Lightweight Champion Brandon Sugar (8-2). Dozier is the #6 heavyweight and Bicknell is the #8. They are mostly going to fight on Battleground or to help build up our other fighters. Sugar is the #5 pound for pound guy, and #3 in their lightweight division.

More guys from the BCF join GAMMA. Dominykas Jankovic (9-4) and Casim Yenkini (7-3) also are set to join our roster. Jankovic is the #2 lightweight but will move to welterweight for us. Yenkini is the #2 middleweight and the #7 pound for pound guy. He should fight at middlweight for us. All of these guys will add depth to our roster.

On the television schedule front. GAMMA: Battleground is underway. Exposure has officially been renamed and our contract with The Pop! Network has been extended. 'Pop!' is a small network that shows more edgy/cult style shows. We had been airing on TV in late night, and during renegotiations we convinced them to run us in primetime. Battleground has also been picked up by two Japanese TV stations. The first is the more mainstream All Japan TV, and the other is the more sports centric Japanese Sports Vision 3. Both of them will run our show in prime time as well. That kind of coverage is much better than what Alpha-1 currently has, although, I have a feeling they will pass us when their contract expires. GAMMA: Meltdown has also been revived and this time on Japanese Sports Vision 3, and in prime time. Since this is going to be a Japan only show I will need another plan for it later. It may just need to be a special, where we put mishmash shows together, it will only affect the small Japan regions, we can afford to experiment.

PilotMan

01-18-2008, 10:08 PM

All fighters made weight for the fights. Here is the preview for the show.

GAMMA: LeToussier v. Laurent Previews
Week 2, April 1997
Houston, Texas

Heavyweight Division

#3 Harry Milne (20-6-1) v. Tim Boyer (16-5-2)

Milne is one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and Boyer is in the middle of a losing streak. Still, Boyer is dangerous as he towers over Milne. Boyer has come into the fight 20 pounds overweight. How will that affect him? Look for Milne to go for the takedown and pound on the big man. Boyer will do just about anything to keep that from happening. His big arms and legs are capable of kayoing anyone in MMA. Experts think that it will be Boyer in the win.

Welterweight Division

Lukas Mellberg (10-1-1) v. #2 Dan Halvorsen (23-11-4)

Mellberg is one of the most dangerous unranked fighters in MMA. Only one loss, and a very good rep to back up his 10 wins. Halvorsen is in his second fight since dropping weight, and looks great. He is getting up there in age, 11 years older than Mellberg. Mellberg is currently 10 pounds over his ideal weight, an Halvorsen is on weight. Look for this fight to be resolved on the ground with Mellberg trying to defend the GnP with his Jiu-Jitsu. Experts like Halvorsen for the win.

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-3) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (14-4-2)

If Rush wanted a chance to shoot back to the top he has it. De Vries is angling for another title shot, and getting a win against a guy who has lost 3 in a row could be a good start. De Vries is only 3 pounds over his best fighting weight, and Rush is there. Look for Rush to take the fight to the ground, where De Vries is vulnerable. De Vries will hope that he can capitalize on the potentially weak chin of his opponent. Experts actually like Rush to win this fight. He must have looked terrific in training.

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (18-8-1) v. #3 Geoff Cahill (22-13-1)

Cahill is very close to getting a shot at the welterweight title, while Bracewell is trying to get some momentum after picking up a win in his last fight. Bracewell is 10 pounds over his ideal weight, and Cahill is on weight. A win for either of these guys would give them a push. Both guys are comparable in skill and experience, the fight could go either way up or down. Blurcat likes Cahill for the win.

Light Heavyweight Division

#8 Zvonimir Asanovic (10-2-1) v. Bill Brown (0-0-0)

Brown makes his GAMMA debut against the former light heavyweight champion. He comes in 17 pounds over his ideal weight. We know that he is a jiu-jitsu fighter, but beyond that we don't know much more. He is a great physical speciman. Asanovic is deadly, and will be expecting a win tonight. Anything less will be utter dissapointment and dissaray. Brown is being fed to the wolves, but there are some perks to being a top ranked fighter here. Asanovic is expected to win.

Heavyweight Division

#8 Tony McCall (20-4-2) v. Fatuma Roy (16-6-1)

Both men are very similar in the ring, neither has that much of an advantage over the other in the ring. Both fighters are on weight. McCall has a better reputation and is higher ranked. Neither fighter has been lighting the world on fire, so both would look to use a win here to re-launch their careers upward. Experts like McCall to get the win.

Lightweight Division

#2 Beau Gorshin (24-14) v. #9 Korekiyo Anzai (7-2)

Gorshin comes in with a good little win streak and hopes to keep it alive. Anzai is coming off of a loss right into another challenging fight. It is a fight that he asked for though. Both men feel like they can win this and both are at their best weights (Gorshin +3). Gorshin is on his last title run, and a loss here could be the beginning of the end for his stay in the upper echelons of the lightweight division. Anzai will be in good shape if he can get control on the ground. Blurcat thinks that the younger fighter will get the win here.

Lightweight Division

#3 Sean Morrison (12-4-1) v. Charles Stiles (9-3-1)

Neither fighter has any momentum right now, but both are considered quality guys. Both men come in 5 pounds over their best weight. This is going to turn into a battle on the ground. Whoever can get, and maintain control is going to win. Morrison's striking on the ground is nearly unparalleled, while Stiles will convert any mistake into a win for himself. Stiles most recently lost to Gorshin, and has a much tougher opponent than Gorshin does tonight. Morrison is tagged to get the win.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (16-3-1) v. Challenger #3 Davis Spyrou (13-4-1)

Amaro is the best middleweight in GAMMA right now, and Spyrou has been fantastic since he was signed away from BCF. Both men are a little overweight (+3 and +4 respectively), so that shouldn't be a factor. The decider here is going to be the grappling of Spyrou. He has won both of his last fights there, but is up against the best grappler that he has faced. This fight will be decided on the ground. Experts think that Amaro is going to retain the title.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Anthony LeToussier (16-5) v. Challenger #3 George Laurent (13-1-1)

The last fight was about grappling, this one is about striking. Both men are huge punchers, and both men can end it with one punch. LeToussier is on a tear, and is going to have the advantage in the clinch. Laurent is very weak there, but LeToussier's muay-tai skills give him the big advantage there. Otherwise, it should be a pretty entertaining fight. Fans have been looking forward to this fight for some time. Laurent is 15 pounds over his ideal weight, while LeToussier is just a couple over. LeToussier is expected to get the win here.

PilotMan

01-18-2008, 10:10 PM

GAMMA: LeToussier v. Laurent
Tuesday night, Week 2, April 1997
Houston, Texas
Attendance: 4,670

Heavyweight Division

#3 Harry Milne (20-6-1) v. Tim Boyer (16-5-2)

Round 1
Good start from Milne, taking Boyer down almost immediately! Boyer scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Milne will be disappointed with that. Boyer comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Milne to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Boyer felt that one for sure. He stalks Milne, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Milne keeps out of the way. Boyer tries a kick, but Milne catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Milne gets Boyer down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Milne throws some punches, then tries to pass. Boyer doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Milne easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Milne followed by a pass attempt, with Boyer blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Milne.

Round 2
Milne leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Boyer deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Boyer uses a knee to the ribs before backing Milne up against the cage. Right hand from Milne connects though, that was well timed. Boyer breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Milne was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Boyer sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Milne fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Boyer throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Milne steps in and fires off one of his own, but Boyer bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Milne turns and swings, just as Boyer also unloads...and it's Boyer who connects first! Milne's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Boyer follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Milne. The referee doesn't even wait for Boyer to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Milne is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! The official time of the TKO is 7:39 of round 2. (**)

That will get Boyer back into the heavyweight picture. He is a big hitter, but I was surprised to see that Milne didn't get right back in there for the takedown. That win will take Milne out of the title picture for a while, especially if he takes another 4.5 months off. Tonight, that extra weight paid off.

Welterweight Division

Lukas Mellberg (10-1-1) v. #2 Dan Halvorsen (23-11-4)

Round 1
Halvorsen is quickest out, and comes at Mellberg with a series of jabs and straight punches. Mellberg covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. Mellberg hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Halvorsen who takes it to the ground. Mellberg pulls guard. There's a lull, as Halvorsen tries to pass, and Mellberg defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. Mellberg almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Halvorsen, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Halvorsen.

Round 2
Slow start to the round, they're both circling, looking for an opening. Halvorsen tries a looping punch from way back, but Mellberg side steps with ease. Jab from Mellberg, gets one back in response. Halvorsen comes in, looking for the right hand lead, but Mellberg shoots in and uses a double-leg takedown. He winds up in a closed guard. Mellberg stands into a half-crouching position, dragging Halvorsen's guard with him. Halvorsen reaches up, parries away a couple of strikes, and tries to grab an arm to apply an armbar to. Mellberg knocks the attempt away and nails a hard shot to the ribs before reaching over and trying to nail a downward punch to the chin. Halvorsen blocks it. Mellberg floats over and gets into side control. Halvorsen scrambles to try and get back up, but is too close to the cage, which works against him. Mellberg lays in a couple of punches to the chest to soften Halvorsen up, then tries to move up and isolate one of the arms. Halvorsen makes sure to bring his body around to give him as much protection as possible. It works, as Mellberg can't get either arm isolated properly. Mellberg changes tactics and tries to get into crucifix position. Halvorsen fights it for as long as he possibly can, but eventually gets caught. The length of struggle is, in itself, a good defence though, as the round ends before Mellberg can do anything with the position he has achieved, which will frustrate him enormously. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Mellberg.

Round 3
Halvorsen is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Mellberg with a jab to the cheek. Mellberg uses a nice straight left to return fire. Halvorsen comes in to work the body, but Mellberg saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Halvorsen onto the floor, falling into guard. Mellberg tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Halvorsen is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Mellberg tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Mellberg connects, but there was no real power behind it. Mellberg fakes Halvorsen out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Halvorsen manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Mellberg switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Halvorsen blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Mellberg looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Halvorsen is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Mellberg tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Halvorsen is safe. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mellberg. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Halvorsen really got worked over in this fight, as Mellberg tried everything that he had, and came oh so close to finishing the fight in the second. Halvorsen will be upset that he didn't mount much of anything. His age is beginning to take hold. The draw isn't going to hurt him overall though, and Mellberg still has only been beaten once.

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-3) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (14-4-2)

Round 1
Rush leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, De Vries deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. De Vries uses a knee to the ribs before backing Rush up against the cage. Right hand from Rush connects though, that was well timed. De Vries breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Rush was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from De Vries sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Rush fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They are circling, then come in close. Both fighters are tentatively looking for the chance to strike. Rush is the first to go for it, throwing a three-punch combination. De Vries covered up well, taking very little damage. Rush goes to throw a bomb, but gets clipped with a right hand before it can connect. He felt that. De Vries steps in and throws a bomb of his own, and it crunches into the side of the cheek of Rush, who goes down! Replays show the shock wave passing through his entire body as that powerful punch connected. What a strike! De Vries wins this by a brutally clean knock out. De Vries wins via knock out at 8:23 of the first round. (***)

The fall of Andrew Rush continues, as he is knocked cold by a hellacious strike. Rush is in major reorganization mode, and can't seem to do anything at all. His chin is clearly a big weak spot for him. De Vries will keep his rep with a win like this.

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (18-8-1) v. #3 Geoff Cahill (22-13-1)

Round 1
The fighters come together right in the center. Cahill throws out a jab, but Bracewell bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Bracewell works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Cahill covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Bracewell is making Cahill look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Cahill hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. Cahill looks to be working an angle. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Bracewell got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Cahill slightly. Cahill initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Cahill looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Bracewell is clearly winning them. Cahill needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Bracewell tries a speculative high kick, but Cahill saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Cahill tries to work an angle, but Bracewell is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Bracewell, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Bracewell.

Round 2
The round begins, and it is Cahill who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Bracewell defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Cahill works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Bracewell ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Cahill down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Bracewell. Interesting first minute of action, Cahill is looking particularly sharp. Bracewell tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Cahill back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Bracewell tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Cahill scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. Cahill gets pinned against the cage, and the referee eventually has to separate them. They square up to each other in the center. Cahill throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Bracewell on the side of the head. Bracewell got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Cahill has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Bracewell tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Cahill defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Cahill.

Round 3
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. Cahill is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as Bracewell picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. Cahill throws a wild punch as a counter, but Bracewell ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. Cahill gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that Cahill is looking for big punches, Bracewell is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and Cahill manages to back Bracewell up against the cage. Cahill takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but Bracewell ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before Cahill can unload. Cahill may need to think about changing tactics, Bracewell is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. Cahill fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching Bracewell on the thigh. Bracewell presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. Cahill gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Bracewell. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Neither fighter got anything going there. And neither fighter will come out of this with any more speed toward a title shot. Overall, I am a little dissapointed with the way this turned out. I wish that one of them would have gotten the win. Still, I am firm believer that you either win or you don't. No judge should tell me who won.

Light Heavyweight Division

#8 Zvonimir Asanovic (10-2-1) v. Bill Brown (0-0-0)

Round 1
Quick start to the round from Asanovic, he comes storming in with a flurry of jabs. Brown defends it well, parrying them away. Nice straight right from Brown connects. Asanovic gets in close and hits a pair of nice body shots, then they clinch up. Asanovic pushes Brown back against the cage and goes for a trip, but Brown blocks it. Brown suddenly pushes forward off the cage and uses the momentum to take Asanovic down to the ground, into guard. Brown tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Asanovic is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Brown tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Brown connects, but there was no real power behind it. Brown fakes Asanovic out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Asanovic manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Brown switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Asanovic blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Brown looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Asanovic is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Brown tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Asanovic is safe. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Brown.

Round 2
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Asanovic works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Brown backed up against the cage. Asanovic gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Brown, who uses his legs well to defend. Asanovic pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Brown gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Asanovic follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Asanovic hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Brown tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Brown leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Asanovic.

Round 3
Brown hits the first punch of the round, scoring with a jab to the cheek. Asanovic throws a left hook in response, but it's well wide of the mark. Brown steps in and hits a low kick. Asanovic ignores it and shoots in for a takedown. Brown saw it coming though, and defends it brilliantly, sprawling at first, then pushing Asanovic face-down to the ground so that he can take his back. Asanovic turtles up. Brown hits a couple of hard shots to the body, but can't stop Asanovic working his way up and turning over, pulling guard. Brown passes guard and gets into side control, but it's an awkward position; Asanovic has the entire right hand side of his body up against the cage, and both his legs wrapped around Brown's left arm. Brown's attacking options are fairly limited. He uses a couple of back fists to strike away at the face, but Asanovic covers up to defend them. Brown tries to pin down one of Asanovic's arms and bring his legs around to trap them fully, but Asanovic uses his free arm to stop that from happening. The ground battle enters a stalemate, as Brown finds himself unable to do any real damage other than occasional strikes, which he doesn't have the leverage to get much power behind, with virtually no chance of gaining a submission thanks to his left arm being trapped. The referee eventually stands them up, and the time expires before anything interesting can happen with them standing. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Brown. The official result of the match is a draw. (***)

What a debut! The former champ is given all he can handle by the 20 year old fighter. Brown really had no answer for the former champ, but he controlled enough of the fight to keep from getting blown out too. If we had judges, he may have even gotten the win. That should have been a good match.

Heavyweight Division

#8 Tony McCall (20-4-2) v. Fatuma Roy (16-6-1)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Roy works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with McCall backed up against the cage. Roy gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by McCall, who uses his legs well to defend. Roy pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. McCall gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Roy follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Roy hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. McCall tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. McCall leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Roy.

Round 2
McCall throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Roy throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. McCall steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Roy hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from McCall. They struggle all the way back, with McCall ending up backed up against the cage. Roy hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. McCall stomps downward onto his foot. McCall manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Roy gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, McCall ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. McCall tries a high kick to start, but Roy saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Roy who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught McCall on the nose. McCall hits a straight right, enough to stop Roy from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Roy by 10-9.

Round 3
McCall leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Roy deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Roy uses a knee to the ribs before backing McCall up against the cage. Right hand from McCall connects though, that was well timed. Roy breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, McCall was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Roy sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. McCall fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They are circling, then come in close. Both fighters are tentatively looking for the chance to strike. McCall is the first to go for it, throwing a three-punch combination. Roy covered up well, taking very little damage. McCall goes to throw a bomb, but gets clipped with a right hand before it can connect. He felt that. Roy steps in and throws a bomb of his own, and it crunches into the side of the cheek of McCall, who goes down! Replays show the shock wave passing through his entire body as that powerful punch connected. What a strike! Roy wins this by a brutally clean knock out. The official time of the knock out is 6:33 of round 3. (**)

A boring match that was at least ended in exciting fashion. Roy gets a win, his first in his last few fights.

Lightweight Division

#2 Beau Gorshin (24-14) v. #9 Korekiyo Anzai (7-2)

Round 1
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Gorshin gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. Gorshin makes Anzai back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Gorshin throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Anzai lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Gorshin by surprise, putting him down! Anzai follows up and starts raining down right hands. Gorshin covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Anzai off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 1:37 of the first round. (**)

Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans. Anzai gets a win in dramatic fashion, over the #2 lightweight in the division no less. Like I said earlier, a loss for Gorshin could spell the beginning of the end for his career. I will need to talk to him and see where he wants to go from here. Anzai is right back into the thick of the division with an exciting win. Good for the youth of GAMMA.

Lightweight Division

#3 Sean Morrison (12-4-1) v. Charles Stiles (9-3-1)

Round 1
The round starts with some tentative striking. Both fighters look to be using their strikes merely to keep the opponent off-balance while they work for an angle for a takedown, rather than actually trying to inflict too much damage. Stiles goes for the first takedown, but Morrison has it well-scouted and they merely end up in a clinch. They tussle, ending up all the way back against the cage. Both fighters try trips, but neither gets anything. Finally, the referee steps in and separates them. Morrison storms back in almost immediately and takes Stiles down, into guard. It's hard to say whether that was just a good takedown or whether Stiles just had a lapse in concentration. Morrison tries to pass the guard but can't, with Stiles employing a rubber guard now. There's a definite stalemate, Stiles is defending very well but isn't really offering any attacking threat or really trying to get out of this predicament. Morrison makes a big effort to pass, and manages to get to half guard, but Stiles has him tied up pretty well all the same. Time is ticking away, what has been a very tame round looks set to end without much in the way of highlights. It'll have to go to Morrison on points, the takedown is really the only noteworthy thing that has happened. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Morrison.

Round 2
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Morrison lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Stiles sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Morrison on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Stiles manages to get the better position, pushing Morrison up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Stiles. Morrison hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Stiles tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Morrison was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Stiles down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Stiles covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Morrison hits a big elbow to the ribs, Stiles definitely felt that. Morrison drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Stiles brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Morrison will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Stiles defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Morrison unable to generate any attacks, and Stiles unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Morrison will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Morrison.

Round 3
A crisp jab from Stiles starts the round, it tagged Morrison on the cheek. Straight right from Morrison in response, glancing off the side of the head, albeit without much power. Stiles steps in for an attack but is smothered by Morrison who clinches. Stiles has to react quickly to avoid being tossed to the ground, but can't stop being driven into the cage. Morrison is virtually man-handling Stiles with his wrestling ability. Up against the cage, Morrison has the much stronger position. Right hand connects to the side of the body. And another. There isn't a great deal of power on them, but they're forming a big red mark on the body, and Stiles can't really do a lot in response; he can't seem to wrestle Morrison off, and he can't work into a position to unload any strikes either. Morrison fires off another two punches, then goes for a trip. Stiles spins out, almost falls, but manages to squirm out and back off quickly to the center. That was close, and Stiles knows it. Stiles hits two jabs, then a high kick. It glances off Morrison's shoulder, catching him on the top of the head. He stumbles backward, ending up against the cage. Stiles charges in and starts unloading, and after several crunching punches have landed the referee has no choice but to jump in and bring the match to the end. The official time is 9:50. (**)

Wow, my entire lightweight division is falling apart before my eyes. Morrison is tkoed with only 10 seconds left in the fight. In a fight where he had been controlling the action almost easily. Stiles hit a big kick out of nowhere, and took a fight that he was lucky not to lose and turned it into a win. What next? This is about as much drama as I can handle for one show.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (16-3-1) v. Challenger #3 Davis Spyrou (13-4-1)

Round 1
Fast start by Amaro, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. Spyrou circles, drawing a lunge from Amaro, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Amaro ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, Spyrou hopping on the other to remain vertical. Amaro tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but Spyrou manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Amaro has one leg trapped between Spyrou's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. Spyrou defends it well, without fully escaping it, Amaro can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. Spyrou suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Amaro's back. Amaro was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing Spyrou up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. Spyrou throws a couple of short-range punches. Amaro gets a leg in and trips Spyrou, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from Spyrou, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Amaro by 10-9.

Round 2
Amaro leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Spyrou deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Spyrou uses a knee to the ribs before backing Amaro up against the cage. Right hand from Amaro connects though, that was well timed. Spyrou breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Amaro was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Spyrou sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Amaro fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Spyrou comes in looking for a kick, but Amaro side-steps out of the way and then easily takes him down. Spyrou was off-balance from the kick, and had no way of blocking the takedown. Amaro moves from the guard and gets side control. He is trying for the mount, but Spyrou is defending it. There's a small lull as Amaro continues to try and get the mount. There it is, Spyrou finally couldn't stop it. Amaro starts firing off punches, and Spyrou has nowhere to go. A big elbow gets through. A right hand lands on the nose of Spyrou. The referee is watching intently, I don't think he's going to let this go much longer unless Spyrou can come up with some answers. Amaro hits another big elbow. And another. The referee leaps in, it's over! Amaro wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 8:21. Fernando Amaro retains the GAMMA Middleweight title. (**)

A tough match for the Champ against a tough opponent. Spyrou can take heed that he did fight a good fight. He was outgunned on the ground, as Amaro proves why he is the best middleweight in the world. Spyrou is good enough and young enough to make his way back to the top, but he will need to put some wins together to do it.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Anthony LeToussier (16-5) v. Challenger #3 George Laurent (13-1-1)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Laurent throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep LeToussier from coming inside. Laurent works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, LeToussier responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Laurent backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. LeToussier circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Laurent blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Laurent fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. LeToussier covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Laurent though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. Laurent throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Laurent.

Round 2
LeToussier throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Laurent defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Laurent throws an uppercut, LeToussier easily steps back to avoid it. Laurent follows him but gets blasted with a right hand! Laurent falls to the ground! LeToussier leaps into action, mounting him and raining down punches. The referee stops the match, seeing that Laurent was getting overwhelmed. Replays show that the punch that originally dropped Laurent was a complete swing for the fences by LeToussier, he even looks like he has his eyes closed when it was thrown! LeToussier wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 1:48. Anthony LeToussier successfully retains the GAMMA Light Heavyweight title. (***)

Can I go on record right now and say that LeToussier is a beast? Huge punch, little bit of luck, and he keeps the Light Heavyweight title in his hands. Laurent is a good competitor, and should be happy with how he fought. Even though he is getting on in years, at least he can say that he got a title shot.

A big attendance in Houston, bigger than our last show here that is for sure. Fans liked the show, even though it wasn't punctuated by one larger than life fight. We gain pop in all 61 regions where we have coverage. Solid show.

PilotMan

01-18-2008, 10:12 PM

Halvorsen is out with a minor injury, he won't be back for a couple of months, but the good news is that he has no plans to be out long term. Tony McCall is out as well. McCall was diagnosed with a pelvic injury and will be out for over 4 months. Another blow to our heavyweight division.

A couple of fighters have changed weights on their own, and it will affect our rosters somwhat. The first is Noach Van Der Capellen, coming off of a loss, has moved up to Middleweight.

The second is Thomas Smith, who was fighting at heavyweight for the Spokane Onslaught, has dropped to Light Heavyweight.

Our teams have changed somewhat, with most of our older guys being moved out in favor of younger, less experienced fighters. At the end of this season, there will be some more wrangling as a 6th team is added. Uwe Maier has replaced Stuart Sttrange on the Durham Red Raiders, Dennis Gallagher has replaced Andrew Rush on the Pittsburgh Cyclopes. Bob Dozier replaced Thomas Smith on Spokane's team.

Our new TV contracts have been signed, and for the most part I like it. There were two very significant changes. First, Meltdown, has been reborn for 6 shows in prime time. However, it will only be airing in Japan. I really hadn't planned on a show that was only in Japan on Japanese Sports Vision 3, but it will work for finishing the first season of the Team Battle. Second, GAMMA: Battleground was born on 'The POP! Network', The have agreed to 6 shows, and are moving our timeslot up from late night, to prime time. In addition to that, both All-Japan and Japanese Sports Vision 3 will air Battleground in primetime. Even though all the networks are fairly small, we have great coverage in the US, Canada, and Japan. Our PPV contract will be expiring in a couple of shows, and we already have interest from a bigger carrier. So look for that to change in the near future.

Our current season of the Team Battle, or Battleground, as it will be seen next year, will finish only on Japanese Sports Vision 3, but we will run it from lesser known states in the US, to increase popularity and keep our shows cheaper. That will be next. Featuring two battles, 10 matches, and our first visit to the pacific northwest.

PilotMan

01-19-2008, 10:38 PM

PilotMan

01-19-2008, 10:38 PM

Derek South (4-0), who is hot property, being contracted to all 3 major fighting leagues, has won the BCF Heavyweight title. We are paying him way more than anyone else, and would like to make him exclusive so we enter into negotiations with him again, in order to try and draw him away.

We get finally do get an exclusive deal with current BCF Heavyweight Champion Derek South. He is already on our roster so we can use him right away, and he will give notice to both BCF and Alpha-1.

All fighters made weight for tonights Meltdown show in Seattle.

PilotMan

01-19-2008, 10:39 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown Preview
live on Japanese Sports Vision 3,
in prime time
from Seattle, Washington

Durham Red Raiders (3-1-1, 10 pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (3-1-0, 9pts)
Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-0-2, 8pts) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-3-1, 1 pt)

Lightweight Division

Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (1-1) v. Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (3-2-1)

The American Boxer versus the Irish Brawler. Neither fighter is particularly more dangerous than the other, but Linderman's rep is a little better. O' Donnell, is seeing his first action since I took over GAMMA, so he should be pumped to go. Experts are pegging Linderman for the win and a lead for the Cyclopes 1-0.

Welterweight Division

Simon Vine, Red Raiders (7-3-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (0-0)

Eli Harris from Boise will make his GAMMA debut tonight against Vine, who is coming off of back to back draws. Vine is an exciting fighter who is very strong and good on the ground. We really don't know much about Harris except that he is quite strong and in pretty good shape. Blurcat likes Harris for the win, and a lead for the Outlaws of 1-0.

Light Heavyweight Division

Jethro Munter, Red Raiders (2-2-1) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-3)

Munter doesn't have a great record but he hasn't been beaten in his last two fights. He has good power in his hands and is good on the ground. However, he is fighting a guy who hasn't ever been beaten but hasn't won in three fights either. Ballard has big strikes with both his hands and feet. A pretty even contest, but the experts think that Ballard is the best bet for the win. 2-0 Outlaws

Heavyweight Division

#10 Marvin Stevens, Red Raiders (8-0-2) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0-2)

Two more undefeated fighters going at it. Stevens is the fan favorite going into the fight as he is one of the only ranked fighters for either team today. Stevens has a couple of inches and 55 pounds on McPhee, but will only be able to use it if he can get McPhee on his back. McPhee has fought two other very big guys to ties. In fact, experts think that he will be the first to beat the big man, Stevens. That would give the Outlaws a 3-0 win at this point.

Welterweight Division

Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0-3) v. Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-2-1)

Basora is still unbeaten, but hasn't been all that impressive in his last fights. A Judo expert, Basora is very good up close and on the ground, but isn't too bad standing either. Delaney isn't that great on the ground, and was submitted in his last fight. Expect Basora to go to the ground and go for the expected win. Cyclopes go up 2-0.

Heavyweight Division

Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes (10-6-1) v. Eddie Whelan, Onlsaught (11-3-1)

Sheedy is carrying a 59 pound advantage, and a couple of inches standing, but he will have to get Whelan on the ground and get him on his back to do the most damage. Easier said than done as Whelan knows how to keep himself up where he is much better. Whelan got a win his last time out, and the experts feel that he is the one to beat here. Onslaught get on the board 2-1.

Middleweight Division

Buddy Garner, Onslaught (8-0) v. Dennis Gallagher, Cyclopes (3-1)

Garner gets his first action since I took over, in a match against a total newcomer to GAMMA. Garner isn't ranked, but that is due more to inactivity than ability. Gallagher is in good shape, and is known as a tough guy. We don't really know much more beyond that. Garner is a Jiu-jitsu fighter, and will really end the fight if he gets control on the ground. Blurcat though thinks that Gallagher is going to be good enough to take the fight the distance for the draw. Still 2-1 Cyclopes.

Light Heavyweight Division

Mike Watson, Cyclopes (3-0-1) v. Steve Mason, Onslaught (2-0-2)

Both fighters are unbeaten and both men are dangerous with either their hands or feet. Don't look for this to end on the ground, but if it does look for Watson to hold the advantage. Both fighters are coming off of draws, and Blurcat thinks that Mason will be good enough to hold his own against Watson for another draw. That would give the Cyclopes the 2-1 win.

Lightweight Division

#9 Bruce Steven, Outlaws (6-1) v. Callum Henson, Red Raiders (5-0-2)

Steven is on a hot streak as he has won his last couple of fights, while Henson hasn't been beaten in his first 7. The fans will be on Steven's side as he is the better known fighter, but you can't underestimate the abilities of Blazin' Henson. Henson is in great shape and is tough to take down. If Henson can keep Steven at bay with some punches, he can keep from being submitted, however, if Steven survives look for him to really take charge on the ground, where he will use his arsenal of holds to get the win. Experts like Henson for the win, and a 3-1 score for the Outlaws.

Middleweight Division

Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-7-1) v. #9 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (7-0-1)

Our main event tonight features Neil Napier. The young Hawaiian has been making his way up the rankings with a solid win over Drew Jenks. Ball is coming off of a loss to Patrick Thomas back in December and he is excited to get back on the winning side. Napier will be against the experience of Ball, while fans will be screaming for Napier. Both men like to fight close, and both are pretty good, depending on where they take the fight. Experts like Napier to get the win, and a point for the Red Raiders, even though Buffalo should have already won 3-2.

PilotMan

01-19-2008, 10:41 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
live on Japanese Sports Vision 3,
in prime time
from Seattle, Washington

Durham Red Raiders (3-1-1, 10 pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (3-1-0, 9pts)
Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-0-2, 8pts) v. Spokane Onslaught (0-3-1, 1 pt)

Lightweight Division

Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (1-1) v. Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (3-2-1)

Round 1
O'Donnell leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Linderman deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Linderman uses a knee to the ribs before backing O'Donnell up against the cage. Right hand from O'Donnell connects though, that was well timed. Linderman breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, O'Donnell was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Linderman sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. O'Donnell fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They clinch. O'Donnell fires off a couple of right hands to the ribs, then ducks down and secures a leg. Linderman hops up and down, but can't prevent O'Donnell from simply pushing forward and taking them to the ground. Linderman uses his free leg to wrap up a half guard, and manages to secure that to full guard pretty swiftly. O'Donnell moves from the guard and gets side control. He is trying for the mount, but Linderman is defending it. There's a small lull as O'Donnell continues to try and get the mount. There it is, Linderman finally couldn't stop it. O'Donnell starts firing off punches, and Linderman has nowhere to go. A big elbow gets through. A right hand lands on the nose of Linderman. The referee is watching intently, I don't think he's going to let this go much longer unless Linderman can come up with some answers. O'Donnell hits another big elbow. And another. The referee leaps in, it's over! Official time of the TKO is 5:35 of the first. (*)

O' Donnell with a defining win against the favorite. I was expecting a little more from Linderman as he should have been the better ground fighter, but O' Donnell was just too strong. A good start for the Onslaught as they get thr first point for a 1-0 lead.

Welterweight Division

Simon Vine, Red Raiders (7-3-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (0-0)

Round 1
They clinch. Harris gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Harris landed hard with Vine right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Vine hits three big punches to the face, and Harris is rocked. Vine gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Harris has no alternative but to tap out. Vine wins via 1st round kimura submission with the official time being 0:45. (*)

Well the experts were very wrong here, and Vine had a chip on his shoulder. Harris is totally outclassed against the more seasoned vet. Vine had a plan and executed it without any problem. Durham takes a 1-0 lead.

Light Heavyweight Division

Jethro Munter, Red Raiders (2-2-1) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-3)

Round 1
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. Munter is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as Ballard picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. Munter throws a wild punch as a counter, but Ballard ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. Munter gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that Munter is looking for big punches, Ballard is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and Munter manages to back Ballard up against the cage. Munter takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but Ballard ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before Munter can unload. Munter may need to think about changing tactics, Ballard is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. Munter fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching Ballard on the thigh. Ballard presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. Munter gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Ballard.

Round 2
Munter starts fast, coming out almost immediately with a three punch combination. None of them get through, and Ballard manages to squeeze a jab of his own through and score just above the left cheek. They exchange a flurry of blows right in the center, it's difficult to see who got the best of it, and both of them retreat a few steps to recover. Good start to the round, early indications are that this is going to be all about the striking, neither fighter has even hinted at going for a takedown. Ballard uses a low kick to set up a nice right hand, and Munter is forced back against the cage. Ballard picks his shots and gets a big punch to the body in. Munter uses a couple of looping punches to make Ballard keep back, but it doesn't last for long, as Ballard bursts forward and hits two big right hands, taking a counter punch to the body though, and they wind up in a clinch. They exchange weak-looking blows from that position, before the referee grows tired of the inactivity and breaks them apart. Munter scores with a low kick. Ballard gets pinned against the cage, and the referee eventually has to separate them. Ballard unwinds a right hook that narrowly misses. That will be the last action of the round though. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Ballard.

Round 3
Munter goes to the center, and immediately throws some jabs, looking to engage in a striking battle. Ballard doesn't commit though, instead circling and looking for an angle. Ballard comes in, ducks a right hand, then unleashes a flurry of punches. Munter covers up at first, then throws a scathing right hand, but Ballard is already out of range. Ballard repeats the trick, working a new angle, darting in, then firing off strikes while keeping out of the way of any counter punches. It happens a third time, and Munter is beginning to look frustrated. Ballard's footwork and general movement is looking good, Munter is being made to look very slow and lumbering in comparison. Furthermore, Ballard is being able to launch multiple short bursts of offense without really being in any danger, Munter has yet to hit any sort of meaningful punch, simply because Ballard is too quick. Munter finally gets in close enough to grapple with Ballard, clinching up. Munter scores a nice body punch, then steps back and goes for a vicious right hand, but Ballard bobs out of the way and hits a right hook of his own. Time is ticking away, and Munter is well behind in this round, he needs to do something special. Munter swings for the fences, but Ballard has no problem avoiding it. The round peters out. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Ballard by 10-9. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw.(**)

Well neither fighter got the win. I think that Ballard could have won the fight, but didn't seem to interested in it. Ballard stays undefeated but is not impressing anyone. The tie sees Durham stay up 1-0.

Heavyweight Division

#10 Marvin Stevens, Red Raiders (8-0-2) v. Russell McPhee, Outlaws (3-0-2)

Round 1
There is some tentative circling to begin with, before they meet in the center for the first action of the round. It's a tight affair, both fighters heavily using the jab, but McPhee looks to get the better of it, landing with one crisp strike to the face in particular. Stevens backs off, a little shaken. Replays show that it landed right on the nose. McPhee press the action, forcing Stevens back against the cage and upping the tempo with rapid-fire lefts and rights, bobbing and weaving at the same time to keep from getting caught with a counter punch. Stevens clinches up. McPhee is displaying a much more accomplished and confident striking game than Stevens, the technique and speed with which the punches are being delivered is leaving Stevens looking ragged in comparison. The pattern continues once they've been separated, with McPhee looking the sharper of the two. He isn't overwhelming Stevens by any means, but he is comfortably controlling the pace and tempo of the round, and preventing Stevens from stamping any sort of mark on it. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to McPhee.

Round 2
A fizzing right hand from McPhee opens the round; it didn't find its intended target of Stevens's chin, but it did land hard on the left shoulder instead. Stevens fights back with a jab, but takes a hard shot to the body after leaning in too far. McPhee pins him to the cage with a quick burst, and unloads with lefts and rights. Stevens looks for a moment like he may be about to get overwhelmed, especially after a right hand appears to hit flush on the chin, but he recovers well and works his way back to the center. McPhee is looking the more confident of the two by far. He smells blood, and comes in looking for a big right hand, only to walk right into a takedown. Stevens had to time that perfectly, and did. McPhee doesn't pull guard, instead scrambling, ending up onto his knees, with Stevens taking his back! Stevens tries to go for a choke, but McPhee bucks and twists, scrambling back to his feet and backing off. A big right hand and a high kick prevent Stevens from following too closely. After that frenetic minute of action, things die down, with the fighters circling. McPhee scores with two leg kicks, Stevens hits a tasty right hand to the body, but otherwise nothing much happens for the next couple of exchanges. Indeed, the clock runs down and the round ends without further noteworthy events. The round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 McPhee.

Round 3
Stevens starts strongly, hitting two stiff jabs to the gloves, stinging the hands of McPhee. The third strike is a meaty left hook that narrowly misses. If that had hit, McPhee may well have been decapitated. Despite leaning backwards, McPhee throws a mighty kick that explodes across the chest, Stevens staggers back. That was an enormously powerful blow, and Stevens didn't see it coming at all. They circle for a moment, sizing each other up. McPhee throws a flurry of jabs, but Stevens blocks them easily. A right hand from Stevens lands below the eye, and a straight left glances off the shoulder. Another exchange doesn't see either fighter get an advantage. Stevens throws a heavy left, but McPhee goes underneath it. Another hard kick from McPhee, this time smashing into the left thigh. Stevens almost get knocked down. He throws a left hook in retaliation which misses by a mile, and gives McPhee the chance to hit another big kick, this time to the ribs. The round has been pretty even, with the exception of those kicks by McPhee which have really made a big difference. As the round comes to an end, it looks like those will make sure that McPhee wins the round on points. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 McPhee. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (*)

McPhee looks impressive again, and controls the entire fight, almost gets the big man down, and almost gets himself totally beaten. The Outlaws have to be getting frustrated not to get any wins here. Durham keeps the lead 1-0.

Welterweight Division

Luis Basora, Cyclopes (7-0-3) v. Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-2-1)

Round 1
They touch gloves. Basora throws out a couple of jabs, but they find nothing but gloves. Delaney throws a low kick. Delaney circles, looking for an angle from which to strike. Basora moves in and throws a high kick, but it's inaccurate and allows Delaney to take him down to the ground. It's an unusual position though, as Delaney is almost in a triangle when they hit the deck. He tries to go over the top to break free, but Basora uses his leg strength and leverage to flip Delaney over, almost getting a mount, but getting shrugged off into guard. Delaney tries to push free, but Basora forces him to go back to guard by raining down some jabs. Basora reaches over and tries to apply some sort of neck vice, but Delaney breaks it by bringing his arms up. Basora steps through in an effort to mount Delaney, but can only get to half guard as one of his legs gets trapped. Basora throws some strikes, then tries to work an armbar on the closest arm. Delaney rolls over and uses his free arm to keep that from happening. That goes on for quite a long time, with Basora determined to try and work the arm free and get an armbar, while Delaney uses everything at his disposal to block it. The round ends without Basora having made the breakthrough, although he clearly ran away with the round in terms of points. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Basora.

Round 2
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Delaney works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Basora backed up against the cage. Delaney gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Basora, who uses his legs well to defend. Delaney pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Basora gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Delaney follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Delaney hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Basora tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Basora leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Delaney.

Round 3
Delaney is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Basora with a jab to the cheek. Basora uses a nice straight left to return fire. Delaney comes in to work the body, but Basora saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Delaney onto the floor, falling into guard. Basora tries to pass guard, but Delaney doesn't allow it. Delaney throws a couple of punches, but they're parried away. He breaks his guard to bring a leg across and try to kick Basora in the face, but it's a mistake as Basora pushes the leg aside and gets side control. Basora pushes them closer to the cage, near his own corner so that they can give him instructions. Following what they say, Basora throws some heavy blows to the unprotected stomach of Delaney, then tries to isolate the closest arm. Delaney frantically tries to stop that happening, but does indeed give it up. He does manage to roll to the side, giving himself some good leverage and preventing Basora from extending the arm. Basora continues trying to apply an armbar, but Delaney is not allowing it. Eventually Basora turns and tries to get a crucifix position instead. Delaney fights that off too. The round ends with Basora still doggedly trying to get an armbar submission, and Delaney tenaciously stopping it. The third round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Basora by 10-9. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Well, Delaney was a real sparkplug in there, and fought his way out of trouble time and time again. Basora was clearly the better grappler but not good enough. Delaney showed real good heart to stay in it. The Onslaught keep their narrow 1-0 lead.

Heavyweight Division

Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes (10-6-1) v. Eddie Whelan, Onlsaught (11-3-1)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Whelan throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Sheedy from coming inside. Whelan works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Sheedy responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Whelan backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Sheedy circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Whelan blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Whelan fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Sheedy covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Whelan though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. Whelan throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Whelan.

Round 2
The round begins, and it is Whelan who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Sheedy defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Whelan works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Sheedy ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Whelan down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Sheedy. Interesting first minute of action, Whelan is looking particularly sharp. Sheedy tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Whelan back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Sheedy tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Whelan scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. They square up to each other in the center. Whelan throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Sheedy on the side of the head. Sheedy got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Whelan has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Sheedy tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Whelan defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Whelan.

Round 3
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Sheedy that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. For a second it looked like Sheedy was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. Whelan ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Sheedy, although no damage has actually been done yet. Whelan misses with a right hand, and leaves himself open to a left hook. Whelan goes down, although replays confirm that it was a stumble, Sheedy was a few inches away from connecting with that left. Sheedy tries to quickly mount Whelan to capitalise, but is out-maneuvered almost immediately and Whelan slips out and gets his back! Sheedy turtles up, and takes a few heavy shots to the ribs. Whelan gets his legs around Sheedy and uses them to roll him over. Exposed, Sheedy tries to turn so that he is on top, but Whelan has already rammed one arm around his throat and has a tight choke-hold applied. Sheedy is in big trouble, and obviously can't see a way out as he taps out pretty quickly. The official time of the rear choke submission is 2:20 of round 3. (**)

Who says weight is a big advantage? Giving away almost 60 pounds, and he gets the win, from his back with a great choke against the big wrestler. Whelan gives the Onslaught a guarantee of at least a tie, and a solid 2-0 lead.

Middleweight Division

Buddy Garner, Onslaught (8-0) v. Dennis Gallagher, Cyclopes (3-1)

Round 1
Gallagher misses an uppercut and is off balance, which allows Garner to get the takedown. Side mount. Garner is looking for an armbar, but Gallagher is defending it well. Gallagher gets a nice elbow in, that caught Garner by surprise. Garner fires off several elbows to the ribs, and Gallagher is left gasping for air. Those were hard, there's a big red patch where they hit. Garner takes the left arm, Gallagher couldn't defend it any longer. The armbar is applied, there's no way out. Garner wins by tap out. Garner wins via 1st round armbar submission with the official time being 0:54. (*)

Garner makes short, quick work of the less experienced fighter, and gives Spokane their first win of the year. Gallagher was simply out gunned, and in serious trouble once he hit the ground. Spokane for the win 3-0.

Light Heavyweight Division

Mike Watson, Cyclopes (3-0-1) v. Steve Mason, Onslaught (2-0-2)

Round 1
Slow start to the round, Watson is circling while Mason seems content to just throw the occasional looping punch to cause him to back up. Watson steps in and fires off two jabs, neither connecting, then has to almost throw himself to one side to avoid a devastating looking punch! Mason was clearly looking for the highlight reel K.O. punch, had that connected there is no way that Watson was getting back up. There's a warning to Watson, he must now know, if he didn't already, that Mason has knock out intentions tonight. Watson throws a right hand, then backs up sharply, clearly not loving the idea of getting too close. Mason still looks calm, throwing the occasional jab or two to keep Watson off balance. Mason scores with a low kick to the outside of the knee, then backs off. Those will take their toll. Watson responds with a right hand that hits gloves, a left hook to the body that stings Mason, then throws a spectacular head kick that connects! Mason was backing off after those two punches and didn't see it coming, he goes sailing backward, his body entirely limp. Watson has knocked Mason out cold with one brutally powerful kick. The official time of the knock out is 3:36 of round 1. (**)

Tonight has either been short, one sided fights or long draws. Watson hands Mason the first loss of his career, with a killer kick. Mason almost landed the big one there, but was too focused on Watson's hands and missed the big kick that broke through. The Cyclopes get too little too late, but at least they get one. 3-1 Spokane.

Lightweight Division

#9 Bruce Steven, Outlaws (6-1) v. Callum Henson, Red Raiders (5-0-2)

Round 1
Steven doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Henson easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Henson throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. The two fighters clinch up, ending up struggling next to the cage, with the referee watching intently to make sure there are no rules being bent during the grappling match. Steven gets in a cheeky right hand, but that's all the offence he can generate from the clinch before Henson sweeps his legs and takes him down to the ground. Henson drops a bomb of a right hand, smashing into the hands of Steven and forcing them back into his face. Another right hand finds its way through, landing right above the eye, stunning Steven. With his opponent's wits scrambled, Henson moves from the guard into a mount with ease, and starts unloading with rights and lefts. Steven tries to cover up, but is getting decimated, and the referee is forced to come in and pull Henson off, signalling the win. Official time of the TKO is 1:18 of the first. (**)

Holy crap! And the exciting first round wins continue. Henson shows his stuff, and shows why he couldn't be taken lightly. He controlled to start the fight, and controlled with his big punches. With that the Durham Red Raiders get a 2-0 lead, and take the win from Buffalo with one match to go. Steven is going to lost that #9 ranking quick. It'll probably go to Henson.

Middleweight Division

Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-7-1) v. #9 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (7-0-1)

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Ball forces Napier back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Ball is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Napier clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Napier gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Ball seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Napier who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Ball had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Ball hits a low kick, then moves in for a jab. Napier saw it coming and unloads with an enormous punch to the jaw. Ball goes down immediately, he has been knocked clean out by the power of Napier. Napier wins via knock out at 7:58 of the first round. (**)

If you like first round knockouts, then this was the show to watch. Napier keeps his win streak alive, and just kills Ball with a huge punch. The Red Raiders get the win 3-0.

The end of the match sees Durham extend their lead, while Spokane gets their first win of the year. The battle for second place is still strong between Buffalo and Pittsburgh. Reminder that the second place team will fight for the Team Battle title at the conclusion of the season.

1200 fans showed up for fight, and thought that the show was good. We ended up gaining pop in all 9 regions we had coverage in Japan.

PilotMan

01-19-2008, 10:41 PM

Dana Delaney has been knocked out for six weeks with a knee injury.

We extended the contract of Neil Napier.

We signed two new fighters. First is a big Russian, Aleksander Ivanov. Ivanov is only 19, hopefully he can get some seasoning next year on Battleground. The next is Sadahige Yoshida, who is 1-0, and was released from Japan. Again another signing that will benefit Battleground.

GAMMA has announced our next PPV. It will feature another defense by Giovani Silva and the GAMMA Lightweight Title.

PilotMan

01-19-2008, 10:42 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. Prochazka
Los Angeles, California
Thurday, third week of May, 1997

Heavyweight Division

Mark Bicknell (8-4) v. Khru Duangjan (23-13)

Middleweight Division

Gregg Atteveld (16-12) v. #3 Tucker Plumm (14-7-1)

Welterweight Division

#6 Doug Hansen (14-3-3) v. #7 Dominykas Jankovic (9-4)

Ichisake Miyagi (14-8) v. #5 Rodolphe Gygax (17-8-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

Thomas Smith (7-2-1) v. Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-9)

Lightweight Division

#2 Jack Humphreys (13-3) v. #5 Gustavo Bautista (12-3)

Light Heavyweight Division

#4 Rob Baines (11-2-1) v. #2 Christopher Sharp (11-1-1)

Middleweight Division

#7 Carl Ratcliffe (9-3-1) v. Stuart Strange (9-4-2)

Heavyweight Division

#6 Rick Stanley (20-8-3) v. Gary Sampson (16-11-2)

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (23-9) v. #3 Marko Prochazka (11-2)

PilotMan

01-21-2008, 02:49 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. Prochazka Preview
Los Angeles, California
Thurday, third week of May, 1997

Heavyweight Division

Mark Bicknell (8-4) v. Khru Duangjan (23-13)

A heavyweight battle between two of GAMMA's newest fighters. This battle may not be that exciting, but should be a test of Bicknell's skill. Duangjan has been around the block a time or two, but should give Bicknell a good test. Both fighters are good on the ground, so positioning will be everything. Both fighters lost their last time out, hopefully someone can get some momentum. Experts like the experience of Duangjan to get the win.

Middleweight Division

Gregg Atteveld (16-12) v. #3 Tucker Plumm (14-7-1)

Atteveld is coming off of back to back losses to ranked fighers, today he fights another. Plumm is looking to show that his TKO over Petey Mack was no coincidence. This is a very important fight for Plumm. A win here could propel him into a match with Amaro for the title. A win for Atteveld will break his streak, but I can't ever see him getting back into title contention. Blurcat likes likes Atteveld for the win.

Welterweight Division

#6 Doug Hansen (14-3-3) v. #7 Dominykas Jankovic (9-4)

Hansen has been a bit of an enigma. He has been good enough be ahead in most fights, but can't seem to finish anyone off. He hasn't lost either. Jankovic is brand new from the BCF, and is ranked very high despite being so new. Both men are pretty good all-around fighters. Blurcat sees this as a pretty even fight, with Hansen ultimately being able to submit the younger Jankovic.

Ichisake Miyagi (14-8) v. #5 Rodolphe Gygax (17-8-1)

Gygax looks to use his big punching ability to take out Miyagi, but he had better be careful. Even though Miyagi hasn't won a fight since October of 1993! Gygax started slow in GAMMA by being submitted in his first fight, but since is one of the only people to fight both Sean Morrison and Jack Humphreys and not lose either fight. Gygax should be heavily favored here despite the fact that Miyagi is 8 inches taller than the former lightweight. If the fight goes to the ground Miyagi could be at a real advantage, as Gygax is in real trouble on his back. Blurcat thinks that Gygax will easily get the win.

Light Heavyweight Division

Thomas Smith (7-2-1) v. Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-9)

With both men coming off of losses, you have to like your chances to get a win here. VDH is quite experienced and his training is quite good, meanwhile, Smith is new to the light heavyweight division. He previously fought in the team battle, but didn't find much success. Both grapplers will battle for control on the ground, but Smith has to be considered the favorite. Blurcat likes him for the win.

Lightweight Division

#2 Jack Humphreys (13-3) v. #5 Gustavo Bautista (12-3)

Humphreys is fighting for the first time at the lightweight class, and hopes to put his knockout loss behind him. Clearly, he hasn't been able to escape replays of that fight with Gygax. Now he finds himself ranked near the top of the lightweight division because everyone else around him has lost. His opponent today is new to GAMMA, and although is ranked, is a total unknown. Humphreys has a 4 inch height advantage here. That should serve him well if the fight stays up. Bautista has been working with a Muay Thai instuctor, but stands the best chance if the fight goes to the ground. The winner here could get a shot at the lightweight title in a few months time, providing they can win again later. Experts are pegging the much more popular Humphreys for the win.

Light Heavyweight Division

#4 Rob Baines (11-2-1) v. #2 Christopher Sharp (11-1-1)

This should be a very good battle between a couple highly touted fighters. Normally Baines concentrates on running his gym, but a couple of fights have seen him rise to the top of the Light Heavyweight division. The winner here would be in line for a shot at LeToussier and his Light Heavyweight Title. Sharp has will need to be cautious as his opponent can get submissions from anywhere in the match, while Baines will need to watch Sharps hands and feet, because he hits like a freight train. Experts are pegging Sharp for the win.

Middleweight Division

#7 Carl Ratcliffe (9-3-1) v. Stuart Strange (9-4-2)

Carl Ratcliffe and Stuart Strange have no love loss that is for sure. Both men detest one another. Hopefully that will spill over into a good fight in the cage. At one time, Strange was ranked very high, but a loss and a couple of draws have dropped him. Ratcliffe has moved up with a win in his last fight, a 25-second TKO of former light heavyweight Drew Jenks. Both men are well known and the lead-up to the fight has been good. Even though Ratcliffe is ranked much higher, Strange has every chance to win the fight. Blurcat likes Ratcliffe to get the win here.

Heavyweight Division

#6 Rick Stanley (20-8-3) v. Gary Sampson (16-11-2)

The ever-popular Rick Stanley makes his return to the ring, following his layoff after his defeat at the feet of Stafford Alois. He fights former Durham Red Raider Gary Sampson, who has been disappointing in his last fights, draws with inexperienced fighters that he clearly should have won. Stanley has 33lbs on Sampson, and slight height advantage. Sampson really is the perfect opponent for him, someone who will stand in front of him and trade with him. There are few fights like that, that Stanley has lost. Expect him to win here as well.

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (23-9) v. #3 Marko Prochazka (11-2)

At 34, the Champ may be getting on in age, but few can deny his skill. In his last three fights he has decisively beaten his opponents. In fact he hasn't lost a fight in over 2 years. He fights highly ranked Procahzka, a man who is lightly regarded despite his lofty status. Prochazka is making his GAMMA debut from BCF, where in time he would have held the lightweight title. Instead he came to GAMMA, and is the right man at the right time in a division where the top contenders have been giving wins away. Prochazka's last fight was a TKO win over Milenko Rudonja, a no-name fighter who is in the BCF. Many here are expecting Silva's dominant striking game, to propel this into another win and successful title defense for the champ.

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:32 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. Prochazka
Los Angeles, California
Thurday, third week of May, 1997
Attendance: 5,393

Heavyweight Division

Mark Bicknell (8-4) v. Khru Duangjan (23-13)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Duangjan works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Bicknell backed up against the cage. Duangjan gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Bicknell, who uses his legs well to defend. Duangjan pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Bicknell gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Duangjan follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Duangjan hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Bicknell tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Bicknell leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Duangjan by 10-9.

Round 2
Duangjan leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Bicknell deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Bicknell uses a knee to the ribs before backing Duangjan up against the cage. Right hand from Duangjan connects though, that was well timed. Bicknell breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Duangjan was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Bicknell sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Duangjan fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Bicknell gets caught with a solid right hand out of nowhere, and is rocked. Duangjan follows up with another one, and Bicknell looks in trouble all of a sudden. He is backed up against the cage and Duangjan is unloading. The punches are raining down, Bicknell is covering up. The referee has seen enough and stops the fight, clearly feeling that Bicknell was unable to defend himself intelligently. Duangjan wins. Official time of the TKO is 4:42 of the second round. (**)

This result probably won't be a good sign for the long term for Mark Bicknell. Duangjan gets a much needed win for his self-esteem. The fight itself was fairly poor.

Middleweight Division

Gregg Atteveld (16-12) v. #3 Tucker Plumm (14-7-1)

Round 1
Atteveld leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Plumm deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Plumm uses a knee to the ribs before backing Atteveld up against the cage. Right hand from Atteveld connects though, that was well timed. Plumm breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Atteveld was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Plumm sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Atteveld fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Atteveld misses with a right hand, and leaves himself open to a left hook. Atteveld goes down, although replays confirm that it was a stumble, Plumm was a few inches away from connecting with that left. Plumm tries to quickly mount Atteveld to capitalise, but is out-maneuvered almost immediately and Atteveld slips out and gets his back! Plumm tries to fight out of it, but Atteveld keeps position well. Hard shot to the ribs by Atteveld. Can he capitalise on this great position though? He tries to apply a choke hold, but Plumm defends it. However, in doing so, he leaves his left arm exposed, and Atteveld is able to float over and trap it inbetween his legs. Atteveld falls forward and pulls, forcing Plumm to tap out rather than have his arm hyper-extended. Atteveld wins via 1st round armbar submission with the official time being 4:58. (**)

Here is the first upset of the night. Tucker Plumm will rue his missed opportunity. For Atteveld, a good match, where he took advantage of his opponent and didn't let the fight get away. My guess is that there will be a change in the rankings.

Welterweight Division

#6 Doug Hansen (14-3-3) v. #7 Dominykas Jankovic (9-4)

Round 1
Hansen leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Jankovic deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Jankovic uses a knee to the ribs before backing Hansen up against the cage. Right hand from Hansen connects though, that was well timed. Jankovic breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Hansen was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Jankovic sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Hansen fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Jankovic gets Hansen backed up against the cage and throws a flurry of jabs, but doesn't do any real damage. Hansen tries to get back to the center, but almost invites the takedown attempt, which promptly comes. Jankovic drives him down with a waist-high tackle...but gets caught! The takedown left his head exposed and Hansen applied a guillotine on the way down. Jankovic is caught, that is on really tight. There's the tap out, Jankovic was clearly unable to breathe with a forearm crushing his wind-pipe. The official time of the guillotine choke submission is 6:13 of round 1. (*)

There's the win for Hansen. A battle of former BCF fighters ends up with Hansen proving that his time in GAMMA has been more valuable then Jankovic's short time. Hansen stays near the top of the welterweight division, while Jankovic will slide.

Ichisake Miyagi (14-8) v. #5 Rodolphe Gygax (17-8-1)

Round 1
Gygax starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Miyagi. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Miyagi goes for a single leg and puts Gygax on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Miyagi from getting on top. Gygax definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Miyagi hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Gygax again. This time Gygax isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Miyagi will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Gygax defends. Miyagi tries to slip past to get side control, but Gygax just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Miyagi has the side. Two big elbows land, and Gygax seems in trouble. Miyagi goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Miyagi.

Round 2
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Miyagi that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Gygax ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Miyagi, although no damage has actually been done yet. Gygax gets a quick takedown, and is in guard. He is trying to get past into a side mount, but Miyagi is defending it well. Gygax gets slightly off balance with another attempt, and Miyagi capitalises by sweeping him and getting side control. Gygax takes a hard shot to the mouth. And another. Gygax tries to fight back, but Miyagi gets the right arm and applies an armbar for the tap out victory. The official time is 2:38. (**)

And there is the second upset of the night, as Rodolphe Gygax does just what no one expected by going in for the takedown. Once on the ground, he didn't get any big shots off, but left himself open and made a mistake. Miyagi breaks his incredible losing streak, and Gygax leaves me shaking my head at where his career is going to go from here.

Light Heavyweight Division

Thomas Smith (7-2-1) v. Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-9)

Round 1
The two fighters circle. Van Den Hauwe flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Smith easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Van Den Hauwe could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Smith moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Van Den Hauwe is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Van Den Hauwe forces Smith back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Smith in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Van Den Hauwe does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Smith saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Van Den Hauwe turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Van Den Hauwe is up quickly, causing Smith, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Van Den Hauwe was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Van Den Hauwe throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Smith to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Smith.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. Van Den Hauwe throws out a jab, but Smith bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Smith works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Van Den Hauwe covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Smith is making Van Den Hauwe look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Van Den Hauwe hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. Smith looks for an opening. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Smith got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Van Den Hauwe slightly. Van Den Hauwe initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Van Den Hauwe looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Smith is clearly winning them. Van Den Hauwe needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Smith tries a speculative high kick, but Van Den Hauwe saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Van Den Hauwe tries to work an angle, but Smith is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Smith, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Smith by 10-9.

Round 3
Van Den Hauwe starts fast, coming out almost immediately with a three punch combination. None of them get through, and Smith manages to squeeze a jab of his own through and score just above the left cheek. They exchange a flurry of blows right in the center, it's difficult to see who got the best of it, and both of them retreat a few steps to recover. Good start to the round, early indications are that this is going to be all about the striking, neither fighter has even hinted at going for a takedown. Smith uses a low kick to set up a nice right hand, and Van Den Hauwe is forced back against the cage. Smith picks his shots and gets a big punch to the body in. Van Den Hauwe uses a couple of looping punches to make Smith keep back, but it doesn't last for long, as Smith bursts forward and hits two big right hands, taking a counter punch to the body though, and they wind up in a clinch. They exchange weak-looking blows from that position, before the referee grows tired of the inactivity and breaks them apart. Van Den Hauwe scores with a low kick. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Smith unwinds a right hook that narrowly misses. That will be the last action of the round though. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Smith. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (**)

A sad result for a fight that could have really meant something if either fighter could have gotten the win. Smith was the better fighter, but without taking the fight to the ground, couldn't capitalize on the advantage that he possessed in the fight. VDH again looks unimpressive, but doesn't lose, and that has to count for something.

Lightweight Division

#2 Jack Humphreys (13-3) v. #5 Gustavo Bautista (12-3)

Round 1
Humphreys isn't hanging around, right from the start Bautista is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Bautista circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Humphreys weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Humphreys, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Bautista is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Humphreys really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Bautista was wide open for a moment there. Humphreys hits a high kick, catching Bautista on the shoulder. Jab from Bautista finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Humphreys fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Bautista scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Humphreys, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Humphreys.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Humphreys forces Bautista back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Humphreys is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Bautista clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Bautista gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Humphreys seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Bautista who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Humphreys had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. They come together, both throwing punches. Humphreys gets a nice clean shot in, and Bautista stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Humphreys is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Humphreys wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 7:49. (**)

Humphreys gets a good win, Bautista really wasn't going to do a whole lot in the match. Humphreys' win will be good for the lightweight division, which has needed a new competitor at the top to challenge Silva. I will be curious to see how Bautista does in his next fight, as he seemed outgunned here.

Light Heavyweight Division

#4 Rob Baines (11-2-1) v. #2 Christopher Sharp (11-1-1)

Round 1
Sharp hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Baines to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Sharp hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Baines tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Sharp having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Baines. They clinch. Baines hits a knee. Body shot from Sharp. Baines goes for a second knee, but gets shoved away. He seems to stumble as he steps backward, and falls to the floor in an awkward moment. Sharp is on him fast, and scores with a big punch that landed sweetly. Baines covers up, but Sharp is raining down punches from the half mount position. At least two hard shots get through. Sharp moves up into side control, briefly looks like he is considering trying to take an arm, then goes back to teeing off on Baines's head with fists. Baines tries to wriggle free, but isn't really getting anywhere because Sharp is lying right across his upper body. Sharp uses his legs to ensnare Baines's right arm, and then starts firing off more and more punches. With only his left hand to try and block them, Baines is taking more punches than he is blocking. The referee is looking very closely at this, unless Baines does something dramatic pretty soon, I doubt this will go much longer. Sharp stops to take a deep breath, then starts firing off another barrage. Baines takes at least three hard shots to the face during the attack, and that's enough for the referee, he calls an end to the match. Sharp wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 6:15. (**)

Sharp really moved in for the kill when he had the advantage, after the stumble by Baines. Once Sharp had top control Baines was really in serious trouble. Baines would like to have this back, as he really never got the chance to put himself out there. Sharp looks good, hopefully he keeps it up.

Middleweight Division

#7 Carl Ratcliffe (9-3-1) v. Stuart Strange (9-4-2)

Round 1
Not the most interesting of starts to the round, it's mainly a lot of circling. The referee apparently gets bored, as he tells them to get on with it and fight. Strange complies, firing off a dangerous right cross, narrowly missing. Ratcliffe throws a couple of stiff jabs, but they only find gloves. Strange fakes left, then comes in from the right, hitting a nice body blow. Ratcliffe steps forward and unleashes a big kick, thundering it into Strange's ribs. He felt that one for sure. Ratcliffe follows up by hitting a right hand too. Strange finds himself backed up against the cage. Ratcliffe advances, and throws a scythe-like kick to the legs. Strange can't get out of the way, and almost gets felled by the impact. Ratcliffe steps in and scores with a high head kick. Strange partially blocked it with his hands, which was probably the only thing stopping it from being a knock out blow. Strange gets a right hand jab out in response, then pulls Ratcliffe into a clinch. Knee strike from Ratcliffe. They break. Strange still looks hurt from that first kick. Ratcliffe gets in close and gives a receipt for that earlier body blow, nailing a right hand to the gut. Strange hits a jab to the cheek in response, then clinches again. Time runs down, the round will end before anything more can happen. Ratcliffe has used those powerful kicks to dominate this round. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Ratcliffe.

Round 2
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Strange is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Ratcliffe blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Strange is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Ratcliffe is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Strange can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Strange some problems later on. Strange moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Ratcliffe is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Strange before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Strange off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Strange goes for a trip, but Ratcliffe cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Ratcliffe may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Ratcliffe by 10-9.

Round 3
Ratcliffe starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Strange on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Ratcliffe to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Strange, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Ratcliffe, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Strange is looking a little lost so far, Ratcliffe is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. Ratcliffe leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Strange was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Strange comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Strange is that although Ratcliffe clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Ratcliffe. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Neither fighter will be happy with this result, and Ratcliffe should have beaten Strange. A draw will keep both men wanting each other again, but the fans may not. At least it was entertaining.

Heavyweight Division

#6 Rick Stanley (20-8-3) v. Gary Sampson (16-11-2)

Round 1
Sampson leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Stanley deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Stanley uses a knee to the ribs before backing Sampson up against the cage. Right hand from Sampson connects though, that was well timed. Stanley breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Sampson was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Stanley sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Sampson fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. The two fighters are circling. Sampson comes in for a punch, but Stanley countered well by coming in fast and low and using a good solid takedown. Stanley is in Sampson's guard. Stanley moves from the guard and gets side control. He is trying for the mount, but Sampson is defending it. There's a small lull as Stanley continues to try and get the mount. There it is, Sampson finally couldn't stop it. Stanley starts firing off punches, and Sampson has nowhere to go. A big elbow gets through. A right hand lands on the nose of Sampson. The referee is watching intently, I don't think he's going to let this go much longer unless Sampson can come up with some answers. Stanley hits another big elbow. And another. The referee leaps in, it's over! The official time is 7:11. (**)

As expected Sampson proves to be no match for the much better Stanley. This will vault Stanley right back toward the top of the Heavyweight division and back into contention. Sampson will continue to struggle against top talent and find his niche in the division.

Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (23-9) v. #3 Marko Prochazka (11-2)

Round 1
Silva hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Procházka to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Silva hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Procházka tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Silva having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Procházka. Procházka gets caught with a solid right hand out of nowhere, and is rocked. Silva follows up with another one, and Procházka looks in trouble all of a sudden. He is backed up against the cage and Silva is unloading. The punches are raining down, Procházka is covering up. The referee has seen enough and stops the fight, clearly feeling that Procházka was unable to defend himself intelligently. Silva wins. The official time is 4:55. Giovani Silva retains the GAMMA Lightweight title. (**)

As predicted, Silva makes short work of Prochazka with his great strikes, and proves to be one of the most dangerous men in all of MMA. Welcome to GAMMA Mr. Prochazka. Silva will be watching the next lightweight contests with some interest as his most likely opponent at this point is going to be Jack Humphreys.

Fans were quite unhappy with the way the whole show went down, we lost pop in 9 regions, but still made gains in 52. I am not happy with that and will look to put together a much better show for our next PPV in about 5 weeks time.

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:33 PM

Giovani Silva suffered a minor injury in his fight, but it won't impact his title defense schedule.

GAMMA has risen in size from Enormous to Massive. That is good for us, as we stay ahead of ALPHA-1. Hopefully, this will lead to a better revenue stream from sponsors as well as a better PPV contract. I would like to look at getting some exposure in some other markets as well. If we can increase our pop before Alpha-1 does we can keep our lead.

Heavyweight figher Harry Milne, who lost to Tim Boyer in his last fight, has dropped weight classes and will now fight at Light-Heavyweight. He starts off ranked #4 in the division.

I have started a very large marketing campaign to raise our popularity in all parts of the world. We are still very far behind Alpha-1 in money, but we are slowly accumulating some very good talent. My plans for expansion continue, we are in the process of signing all of our younger stars to better contracts. The reason being that fighters who aren't on set contracts get mad when they are not used enough. Some of our guys, especially the guys in the Team Battle's can have longer breaks between fights, and I want to keep morale up.

I have requested negotiations with more fighters to expand once more. I am thinking about having 7 teams in Battleground next year instead of 6. I want a mix of over the hill fighters as well as up and comers.

I am in negotiations for two new sponsers. Of course, I am targeting those with the broadest world appeal, and deepest pocketbooks.

I am also trying to add a television station to broadcast the last few episodes of Meltdown, so that we are covered in more places than just Japan.

Meltdown is our next scheduled show and it will feature duals between the Durham Red Raiders and Spokane Onslaught, and Buffalo Outlaws and Austin Rush.

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:34 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
showing in prime time on
Japanese Sports Vision 3
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Friday, Week 1, June 1997

Durham Red Raiders (4-1-1 10-4 13pts, 1st place) v. Spokane Onslaught (1-3-1 6-8 4pts, 4th place)
Buffalo Outlaws (3-2-0 6-6 9pts, 2nd place) v. Austin Rush (0-3-2 4-9 2pts, 5th place)

Buffalo will need a win in order to keep pace with the Red Raiders, while Durham will face a weak Onslaught team who are trying to catch the Cylopes. A win moves them within a point of 3rd place.

Middleweight Division

Drew Jenks, Rush v. Thorbjorn Rekdal, Outlaws

Heavyweight Division

Don Norman, Rush v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws

Welterweight Division

#10 Simon Vine, Red Raiders v. David Allen, Onslaught

Lightweight Division

Bruce Steven, Outlaws v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush

Welterweight Division

Darren Southall, Rush v. Nathan Chambers, Outlaws

Lightweight Division

Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders

Heavyweight Division

Bob Dozier, Onslaught v. Mugur Boc, Red Raiders

Light Heavyweight Division

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught

#7 Faas Smit, Rush v. Christian Mountfield, Outlaws

Main Event

Middleweight Division

#9 Buddy Garner, Onslaught v. #4 Neil Napier, Red Raiders

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:34 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown Preview
showing in prime time on
Japanese Sports Vision 3 from
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Friday, Week 1, June 1997

Durham Red Raiders (4-1-1 10-4 13pts, 1st place) v. Spokane Onslaught (1-3-1 6-8 4pts, 4th place)
Buffalo Outlaws (3-2-0 6-6 9pts, 2nd place) v. Austin Rush (0-3-2 4-9 2pts, 5th place)

Middleweight Division

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-3) v. Thorbjorn Rekdal, Outlaws (3-1-1)

Jenks comes into this fight with a three-match losing streak on his back. His last fights have been less than memorable. He gets a good chance against newcomer Rekdal, a Norwegian who is getting his first exposure at world-class competition. This match really could go either way, the experts seem to think that this will end in stalemate with neither fighter getting into the win column.

Heavyweight Division

Don Norman, Rush (6-10) v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws (5-0)

Norman lost his last fight against a young, inexperienced, Mugur Boc, and now he gets another untested, undefeated fighter in Rav Kapur. Kapur boasts a good record, but hasn't fought in the international scene yet. Kapur weighed in 53 pounds heavier than Norman, which could be a big advantage. Norman doesn't have a great record, but has good experience that could offset that somewhat. The experts feel that this match will be a draw. The score stays 0-0.

Welterweight Division

#10 Simon Vine, Red Raiders (8-3-2) v. David Allen, Onslaught (4-3-1)

Vine is coming off of a win in his last fight, while Allen took a loss in his. Vine has a few more wins and is one of the Red Raider's ranked fighers. Both men like to fight on the ground, and both are fairly even. Fans seem to be gravitating toward Vine for the win giving the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.

Lightweight Division

Bruce Steven, Outlaws (6-2) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-2)

A pair of 23 year old fighters with similar records face off. Steven is very popular with the fans, and will have some solid support on his side. Both men have fought Callum Henson with Steven losing and Magilton taking a draw off of him. So in that respect Magilton gets the edge. Magilton is a pretty good athlete, but the experts are still picking him as the underdog. A win for Steven gives the Outlaws the first point of the match. 1-0 Buffalo.

Welterweight Division

Darren Southall, Rush (1-1-3) v. Nathan Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-3)

Southall has had some pretty good showings but he has been unable to finish anyone. The same is said for Chambers. Something has to give between these two. Both men have fought ranked guys without losing. Southall is going to be at his best on the ground, while Chambers will be best if the fight stays up. Chambers is expected to get the win here, and gives Buffalo a 2-0 lead and a win.

Lightweight Division

Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (2-1) v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-3-2)

O' Hearn is coming off of a solid win and O' Donnell is coming off of a loss to Bruce Steven. O' Hearn has a lot more experience and that could be the difference here. Blurcat likes O' Hearn to get the win and give the Red Raiders a 2-0 win.

Heavyweight Division

Bob Dozier, Onslaught (5-2) v. Mugur Boc, Red Raiders (5-0)

The biggest battle of GAMMA as both of these guys top out close to the max 265 lbs. Both are on winning streaks with this being the debut for Dozier in GAMMA. Boc is a little more refined with Dozier being more of a Butterbean type of fighter. This should end with one of these guys taking the first loss in their GAMMA careers. Boc is the odds on favorite to get the win. It would give the first place Red Raiders another win at 3-0.

Light Heavyweight Division

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0-2) v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-3-2)

Hyde is already fighting for the third time this year. Both of his previous fights ended with draws. For Detroit, he is coming off of a tough loss against Faas Smit. Both men have pretty good records, with Detroit having more fights under his belt. Both men like to fight standing with kick boxing backrounds.
Right now, Hyde is the favorite for the win, and a 4-0 lead for Durham.

#7 Faas Smit, Rush (7-0-1) v. Christian Mountfield, Outlaws (5-2-1)

Smit has won his last two fights, while this is only Moutfield's second fight in a year. Both men have fought Nick Detroit with Smit getting the win, while Mountfield got a draw. Smit has better strikes while they are up, but on the ground both men are fairly even. A win for Smit keeps his winning streak alive and a point for Austin. Buffalo wins 2-1.

Main Event

Middleweight Division

#9 Buddy Garner, Onslaught (9-0) v. #4 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (8-0-1)

The main event is quite a barn burner. Both men are ranked and on the up and up. Napier and Garner are undefeated and the winner of this match can expect to leave their team and head up to regular competition. Napier is ranked higher, but that doesn't mean that much. Garner submitted Dennis Gallagher last, while Napier knocked out Peter Ball. Even though Durham has already won the fight, this is still a fight with big consequences.

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:35 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
showing in prime time on
Japanese Sports Vision 3 from
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Friday, Week 1, June 1997
Attendance: 816

Durham Red Raiders (4-1-1 10-4 13pts, 1st place) v. Spokane Onslaught (1-3-1 6-8 4pts, 4th place)
Buffalo Outlaws (3-2-0 6-6 9pts, 2nd place) v. Austin Rush (0-3-2 4-9 2pts, 5th place)

Middleweight Division

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-3) v. Thorbjorn Rekdal, Outlaws (3-1-1)

Round 1
Rekdal starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but Jenks avoids it without too much trouble. Rekdal isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with Jenks getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Rekdal finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. Jenks opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Rekdal is backed up against the cage, covering up. Jenks clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Rekdal hits a knee strike to the hip. Jenks slips one leg behind Rekdal and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Rekdal landed hard, with Jenks on top. They're in half guard. It's to Rekdal's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking Jenks from attacking the left hand side of the body. Rekdal is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. Jenks tries to step over to mount, but Rekdal keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. Jenks fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Rekdal doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. Jenks isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Rekdal ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before Jenks can get free. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Jenks.

Round 2
A fizzing right hand from Rekdal opens the round; it didn't find its intended target of Jenks's chin, but it did land hard on the left shoulder instead. Jenks fights back with a jab, but takes a hard shot to the body after leaning in too far. Rekdal pins him to the cage with a quick burst, and unloads with lefts and rights. Jenks looks for a moment like he may be about to get overwhelmed, especially after a right hand appears to hit flush on the chin, but he recovers well and works his way back to the center. Rekdal is looking the more confident of the two by far. He smells blood, and comes in looking for a big right hand, only to walk right into a takedown. Jenks had to time that perfectly, and did. Rekdal doesn't pull guard, instead scrambling, ending up onto his knees, with Jenks taking his back! Jenks tries to go for a choke, but Rekdal bucks and twists, scrambling back to his feet and backing off. A big right hand and a high kick prevent Jenks from following too closely. After that frenetic minute of action, things die down, with the fighters circling. Rekdal scores with two leg kicks, Jenks hits a tasty right hand to the body, but otherwise nothing much happens for the next couple of exchanges. Indeed, the clock runs down and the round ends without further noteworthy events. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Rekdal.

Round 3
Jenks leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Rekdal deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Rekdal uses a knee to the ribs before backing Jenks up against the cage. Right hand from Jenks connects though, that was well timed. Rekdal breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Jenks was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Rekdal sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Jenks fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Jenks hits a jab. Rekdal responds with a huge kick that takes out Jenks's legs, sending him crashing awkwardly to the ground. Rekdal gives on top of him and fires off a barrage of punches. Jenks tries to cover up, but he is getting obliterated by the sheer number of punches coming down. The referee pulls Rekdal off, it's over! Rekdal wins via third round TKO at 5:17. (*)

And the losing streak continues for Jenks. Rekdal almost got taken out there, but his power was just too much. A good debut. Rekdal puts Buffalo up 1-0.

Heavyweight Division

Don Norman, Rush (6-10) v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws (5-0)

Round 1
A fizzing right hand from Kapur opens the round; it didn't find its intended target of Norman's chin, but it did land hard on the left shoulder instead. Norman fights back with a jab, but takes a hard shot to the body after leaning in too far. Kapur pins him to the cage with a quick burst, and unloads with lefts and rights. Norman looks for a moment like he may be about to get overwhelmed, especially after a right hand appears to hit flush on the chin, but he recovers well and works his way back to the center. Kapur is looking the more confident of the two by far. He smells blood, and comes in looking for a big right hand, only to walk right into a takedown. Norman had to time that perfectly, and did. Kapur doesn't pull guard, instead scrambling, ending up onto his knees, with Norman taking his back! Norman tries to go for a choke, but Kapur bucks and twists, scrambling back to his feet and backing off. A big right hand and a high kick prevent Norman from following too closely. After that frenetic minute of action, things die down, with the fighters circling. Kapur scores with two leg kicks, Norman hits a tasty right hand to the body, but otherwise nothing much happens for the next couple of exchanges. Indeed, the clock runs down and the round ends without further noteworthy events. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Kapur.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Kapur forces Norman back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Kapur is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Norman clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Norman gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Kapur seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Norman who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Kapur had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Kapur leads with a right hand, then delivers a brutal uppercut, Norman had to step back quickly to avoid getting caught. He winds up back against the cage, and Kapur doesn't relent, moving in fast to unload with a series of jabs. Norman got some of his own in, but the upper hand is definitely with Kapur. Vicious right hand! Out of nowhere, it caught Norman flush in the face, and he slumps down against the cage. Kapur follows up with more punches, and the referee dives in to break it up. It's all over. Norman wasn't knocked out, but that one punch was a beauty, and it stopped him getting any sort of defence together to stop the following punches. Kapur wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 5:44. (*)

An impressive debut for Kapur. His first match since I took over, and his first since his injury. He looked like too much for Norman, whose record drops to a sad 6-11. Buffalo gets the win here and goes up 2-0.

Welterweight Division

#10 Simon Vine, Red Raiders (8-3-2) v. David Allen, Onslaught (4-3-1)

Round 1
Fast start by Allen, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. Vine circles, drawing a lunge from Allen, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Allen ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, Vine hopping on the other to remain vertical. Allen tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but Vine manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Allen has one leg trapped between Vine's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. Vine defends it well, without fully escaping it, Allen can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. Vine suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Allen's back. Allen was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing Vine up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. Vine throws a couple of short-range punches. Allen gets a leg in and trips Vine, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from Vine, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Allen.

Round 2
The round begins with Allen taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Vine replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Allen goes for the takedown, but Vine sprawls. Allen tries to power through, but Vine uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Allen defend this. Vine is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Allen isn't allowing it. Allen pulls Vine in tight, locking up both his arms. Vine pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Vine tries a big right hand, which Allen defends well. He has quite a high guard, Vine has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Allen once again drags Vine down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Vine easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Vine trying to pass guard. Allen tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Vine, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Vine scores with a jab, then a second. Allen goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Vine enough time to take him down again. Vine quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Allen once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Vine on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Vine.

Round 3
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Allen fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Vine. They clinch, and Vine winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Allen tries to push Vine back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. Allen gets a quick takedown, and is in guard. He is trying to get past into a side mount, but Vine is defending it well. Allen gets slightly off balance with another attempt, and Vine capitalises by sweeping him and getting side control. Allen takes a hard shot to the mouth. And another. Allen tries to fight back, but Vine gets the right arm and applies an armbar for the tap out victory. The official time of the armbar submission is 5:31 of round 3. (**)

Vine keeps his win streak alive and will no doubt move up with a win here. He has looked pretty good in his last couple of matches and the win here gives the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead. Vine could be on his way out with the way he has fought recently.

Lightweight Division

Bruce Steven, Outlaws (6-2) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-2)

Round 1
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Magilton, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Magilton puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Steven covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. Steven with a body shot. Low kick from Steven, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Magilton will take the round on points. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Magilton.

Round 2
The round begins with Steven taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Magilton replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Steven goes for the takedown, but Magilton sprawls. Steven tries to power through, but Magilton uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Steven defend this. Magilton is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Steven isn't allowing it. Steven pulls Magilton in tight, locking up both his arms. Magilton pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Magilton tries a big right hand, which Steven defends well. He has quite a high guard, Magilton has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Steven once again drags Magilton down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Magilton easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Magilton trying to pass guard. Steven tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Magilton, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Magilton scores with a jab, then a second. Steven goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Magilton enough time to take him down again. Magilton quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Steven once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Magilton on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The second round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Magilton.

Round 3
The fighters come together right in the center. Steven throws out a jab, but Magilton bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Magilton works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Steven covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Magilton is making Steven look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Steven hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. For a second it looked like Steven was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Magilton got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Steven slightly. Steven initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Steven looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Magilton is clearly winning them. Steven needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Magilton tries a speculative high kick, but Steven saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Steven tries to work an angle, but Magilton is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Magilton, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Magilton. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Magilton fought very well, but just couldn't put Steven out. Austin really could have used the point, as it looks like they are really facing an uphill battle. Durham stays up 1-0.

Welterweight Division

Darren Southall, Rush (1-1-3) v. Nathan Chambers, Outlaws (5-0-3)

Round 1
Good start from Southall, taking Chambers down almost immediately! Chambers scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Southall will be disappointed with that. Chambers comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Southall to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Chambers felt that one for sure. He stalks Southall, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Southall keeps out of the way. Chambers tries a kick, but Southall catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Southall gets Chambers down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Southall throws some punches, then tries to pass. Chambers doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Southall easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Southall followed by a pass attempt, with Chambers blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Southall.

Round 2
There is some tentative circling to begin with, before they meet in the center for the first action of the round. It's a tight affair, both fighters heavily using the jab, but Chambers looks to get the better of it, landing with one crisp strike to the face in particular. Southall backs off, a little shaken. Replays show that it landed right on the nose. Chambers press the action, forcing Southall back against the cage and upping the tempo with rapid-fire lefts and rights, bobbing and weaving at the same time to keep from getting caught with a counter punch. Southall clinches up. Chambers is displaying a much more accomplished and confident striking game than Southall, the technique and speed with which the punches are being delivered is leaving Southall looking ragged in comparison. The pattern continues once they've been separated, with Chambers looking the sharper of the two. He isn't overwhelming Southall by any means, but he is comfortably controlling the pace and tempo of the round, and preventing Southall from stamping any sort of mark on it. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Chambers.

Round 3
Exchange of punches to start, nothing really hit though. They go into a clinch, and the pace disappears as both fighters try and get the advantage. Eventually the referee separates them. Jab from Chambers, who then has to react quickly to avoid a right hook that was aimed right at the chin. Chambers puts on a burst of energy and fires off a big sequence of punches, maybe twelve or thirteen in a row, although not many actually connected. Southall covered up well, and gets in a couple of shots of his own before moving out of range again. Both fighters circle. Low kick from Southall, almost to the groin, although it didn't look intentional. They come together in a clinch again, and it returns to a stalemate. Not a great round by anyone's standard, but that flurry should mean that Chambers will take the round on points. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Chambers. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Two guys, 8 fights, 8 draws. How does that happen? Chambers is losing his steam, and Austin fails to get a point when they really needed one. Southall hasn't gotten a win or been beaten since changing weight classes. Buffalo clinches the win at 2-0.

Lightweight Division

Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (2-1) v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-3-2)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. O'Donnell puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but O'Hearn defended well. Straight right from O'Hearn in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, O'Donnell probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. O'Hearn gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to O'Donnell. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to O'Donnell.

Round 2
O'Donnell leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, O'Hearn deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. O'Hearn uses a knee to the ribs before backing O'Donnell up against the cage. Right hand from O'Donnell connects though, that was well timed. O'Hearn breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, O'Donnell was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from O'Hearn sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. O'Donnell fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. O'Hearn pushes O'Donnell up against the cage in a clinch. O'Hearn throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. O'Donnell pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. O'Hearn took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops O'Hearn against the cage, and O'Donnell follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls O'Donnell away, he wins the match by TKO. O'Donnell wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 7:19. (*)

Fairly boring match, that ends with the brawler turning the fight into a brawl and getting the better of it in the end. O' Donnell's win scores his second win in a row, and keeps the Onslaught in it. The score is 1-1.

Heavyweight Division

Bob Dozier, Onslaught (5-2) v. Mugur Boc, Red Raiders (5-0)

Round 1
Boc moves in quickly to begin, trapping Dozier against the cage. Looks like a statement of intent, Boc is going to try and out-wrestle Dozier. Boc works for position, and tries to get in a hard shot to the face, Dozier turned out of it and got free though, no damage done. Boc comes in again, looking for the grapple, but gets sent back with a succession of three crisp jabs and a speculative high kick. Dozier forces Boc back against the cage and comes in close to try and unload. Boc pushes him away with a shove, palm across the face, and Dozier loses his balance and is dumped onto the ground. Boc leaps into action to follow up. Boc has a good position, half-straddling the upper body of Dozier, and can pick his shots. A hard right thunders into the left cheek of Dozier, and a left hits the same spot. Dozier turns his hips, looking to try and shake Boc loose, but gets turned over completely and gives up his back! Boc starts punching again, driving fists into the side of Dozier's face. Dozier is trapped, and can barely cover up. A few more punches connect, one vicious one to the ear looking particularly nasty, and that's enough for the referee to pull Boc away. The official time of the TKO is 2:06 of round 1. (*)

Boc keeps his win streak alive with a easy beating of Dozier. Dozier had a good effort to start the match, but was handled well when the fight got in close. Boc's win puts Durham up 2-1.

Light Heavyweight Division

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (2-0-2) v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-3-2)

Round 1
Hyde leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Detroit deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Detroit uses a knee to the ribs before backing Hyde up against the cage. Right hand from Hyde connects though, that was well timed. Detroit breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Hyde was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Detroit sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Hyde fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Detroit moves in close and hits a left hook to the body. Hyde steps back, and suddenly fires off a roundhouse kick. Detroit didn't see it coming, and it lands right behind his ear. Detroit is down, knocked out cold, and the referee is quick to step in and stop Hyde from inflicting any more damage. Official time of the knock out is 8:51 of the first. (**)

Wow! I really wasn't expecting an end quite like that. Hyde's win clinches the win for Durham 3-1.

#7 Faas Smit, Rush (7-0-1) v. Christian Mountfield, Outlaws (5-2-1)

Round 1
Smit leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Mountfield deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Mountfield uses a knee to the ribs before backing Smit up against the cage. Right hand from Smit connects though, that was well timed. Mountfield breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Smit was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Mountfield sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Smit fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Mountfield hits a low kick, then moves in for a jab. Smit saw it coming and unloads with an enormous punch to the jaw. Mountfield goes down immediately, he has been knocked clean out by the power of Smit. Smit wins via 1st round knock out with the official time being 3:37. (**)

Another fight that I really wasn't expecting to end quite like that. Smit has been lights out the last few fights. Mountfield was dropped cold. A Hyde – Smit match could happen somewhere. Even though Austin lost, they get a point for this win. Buffalo 2-1.

Main Event

Middleweight Division

#9 Buddy Garner, Onslaught (9-0) v. #4 Neil Napier, Red Raiders (8-0-1)

Round 1
There's a few minor exchanges of punches to start the round, and Garner gets the better of them. Neither fighter is throwing any bombs, but Garner is showing the better technique, and has hit a few nice body shots. They come together again, and Garner shows quick hands to get in three nice shots. Napier definitely felt them. Neither fighter seems interested in taking this to the ground, they're just circling, throwing a few punches, then regrouping. Napier is struggling to inflict much damage. He may need to switch tactics, as so far Garner is looking very comfortable. Napier comes in with left, but Garner saw it coming and slipped in a great right hand counter punch. Napier is getting frustrated. The remainder of the round is no different, as the occasional exchanges of strikes are clearly go the way of Garner's superior technique. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Garner.

Round 2
Napier comes out fast, but gets hit with a counter right hand strike when he throws a left hand which was too high. Garner moves in and hits a nice body shot before they clinch. Napier gets in a short, sharp jab to the side of the head, it looked to hit right on the ear. Garner didn't like that, and scores with two knee strikes and a punch to the cheek. They break apart. Garner swings and hits a nice right hand. Napier fires off a series of sharp jabs, all hitting gloves. He throws out a looping left, but gets tagged with a punch to the jaw and stumbles to the ground! Garner dives in to finish him off, but he scrambles back up quickly and they end up facing off on their feet again. Replays show that the punch barely connected, it was more of a stumble on Napier's part than anything else. It might not look that way to the judges though. Garner looks more confident after that, and puts together a nice chain of strikes, ending with a scathing low kick that catches Napier on the outside of the calf. He definitely felt that. Time is running out; Garner will probably take this round on the judges' score cards, primarily due to that one dubious knock down. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Garner by 10-9.

Round 3
Napier comes out swinging, using some looping punches to try and catch Garner. They're easy to avoid though. The first real exchange of punches happens right in the center, and Garner gets the better of it, flashing two quick jabs into the cheek, and a right cross that landed above the eye. Napier tries to hit an uppercut, but Garner parries it away with ease. Napier backs off, then comes in again. Garner ducks a wild right hand and gets two shots in to the stomach. Napier parries away a third, then tries a left hand to the nose, but Garner side-steps it and hits a snap jab to the side of the head. Garner forces Napier to back up again. So far Garner is looking the far more accomplished striker, he has dictated how each exchange has gone, Napier is being controlled and contained with relative ease. A further exchange of strikes does nothing to change that, as once again Garner's hands are superior to Napier's, and he gets in one or two nice punches. Napier clinches up, perhaps buying himself time to rethink, because it doesn't look like he can win a battle of technical striking. They are parted by the referee. Garner stalks Napier, who begins using long-range punches to keep the distance between them. That goes on for the remainder of the round, which Garner has won on points by a mile. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Garner. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

A good match to finish the card. Garner would have won on the cards, but didn't take the fight to the ground, where he would have been more comfortable. Both fighters will probably be a little dissatisfied with the result, but both can still claim to be undefeated. Durham wins 3-1.

Durham clinches a spot in the final. Their 16 points is enough to clinch second place. Spokane and Austin are also eliminated. That leaves a fight between Pittsburgh and Buffalo for a chance to face Durham in the finals. They fight next time...on Meltdown!

We gain pop in all 9 regions in Japan, as the show was a good one.

Don Norman suffered a concussion at the hands of Rav Kapur. He will be out for some time.

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:36 PM

Our roster is now big enough that our PPV shows are going to be a full12 fights long, just to ensure that all of our guys are getting consistent work.

We signed a new sponsorship deal that gives us significantly more money. Our sponsors have much deeper pockets than they previously had, and much better international coverage. Our sponsors now supply us with about 330k per month.

The POP! Network has agreed to broadcast our remaining shows of Meltdown. They aren't a very big station, but they will give us TV coverage in the US as well as Canada.

Right now there are about 25-27 fighters in each weight class. That is quite a hefty number, considering the number of shows that we are running. I have already made one change to include an 11th and 12th match for our PPV shows. Another change is going to be to run shows every two weeks, alternating between the TV show and the PPV. Essentially, the TV show is going to run the second week of the month and the PPV will run the last week of the month.

BCF has been raped so badly by me that they haven't had champion at any level for almost half a year. All of they former champions are now with GAMMA.

We have added two television networks who will cover Battleground next season. They are Euro Cable Sports 4, a small cable network with coverage all over Europe and the UK. The other is Los Deporte Hoy, a small Mexican network with coverage all over Mexico. Both companies agreed to 6 show deals, and will air the program in prime time.

My marketing investment is paying dividends as we are already showing good pop jumps in all main areas. So far it has jumped our Marketing costs by about 33%, but hopefully it will be a long term gain in our race for global domination.

We sign Percy Catcher, a Light Heavyweight from England, who is currently the top PfP fighter in the BCF. He has won his last couple of fights and makes the move over to us, although it isn't exclusive, yet. Catcher, 25 is 8-2 in his young MMA career.

GAMMA has signed both Euro Cable Sports 4 and Los Deporte Hoy as carriers of Meltdown for the rest of the season. We now will have our show carried in all major markets with the exception of greater Asia. Meltdown and Battleground are now booked for 10 more shows. That will cover most of the next year. Afterward, I will be looking to upgrade my stations, as well as, getting a more regular show on the air.

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:37 PM

Our next show has been announced and here it is.

GAMMA: Regeuiro v. Cahill
San Diego, California
Friday, 4th week of June, 1997

Lightweight Division

Duane Weatherly (10-9) v. Will Kane (8-1)

#7 Mario De Souza (13-7-1) v. Jay Dorridge (1-0)

Middleweight Division

Bixente Fontaine (10-4) v. #10 Casim Yenkini (7-3)

Light Heavyweight Division

Garry McSweegan (12-4-1) v. JJ Reid (12-1-2)

#9 Lenny McFadden (9-4-2) v. Curt Kitson (10-4-1)

Heavyweight Division

#4 Lefter Oktay (8-1) v. Aleksander Ivanov (0-0)

Light Heavyweight Division

#10 Elgar (11-5) v. #8 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-2)

Lightweight Division

Jackson Grey (9-4-1) v. #5 Brandon Sugar (8-2)

Middleweight Division

#9 Matthew Dean (11-3) v. #4 Robert Darrell (9-2)

Welterweight Division

#8 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-5-1) v. Lukas Mellberg (10-1-2)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (12-0-1) v. Challenger #2 Stafford Alois (20-7)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-2) v. Challenger #2 Geoff Cahill (22-13-2)

PilotMan

01-24-2008, 02:37 PM

GAMMA: Regeuiro v. Cahill Previews
San Diego, California
Friday, 4th week of June, 1997

Lightweight Division

Duane Weatherly (10-9) v. Will Kane (8-1)

Weatherly had been knocked out in back to back matches while Kane is coming off of the first loss of his career. Kane comes in with a little better reputation and is to be feared more. Look for Kane to try and take advantge of Weatherly's suspect chin. Experts like Kane for the win.

#7 Mario De Souza (13-7-1) v. Jay Dorridge (1-0)

De Souza is really the focus of this match as he gets back into the ring for the first time since his injury and loss in his title fight with Giovani Silva. De Souza is a heavy favorite here against a young, and excited Dorridge. Dorridge is excited to be on the big stage against such a tough competitor, and has been running his mouth in the press that he is ready and going to steal the win.

Middleweight Division

Bixente Fontaine (10-4) v. #10 Casim Yenkini (7-3)

A battle of two former BCF fighters. Yenkini makes his GAMMA debut against Fontaine, who is coming off of a win against former BCF Middleweight Champion Andrew Rush. Fontaine should feel a bit aggreived that he is unranked and Yenkini, who hasn't fought yet is.

Light Heavyweight Division

Garry McSweegan (12-4-1) v. JJ Reid (12-1-2)

McSweegan is still trying to find his mojo since joining GAMMA and dropping into the light heavyweight division. Reid has only been beaten one time, and his strength is McSweegan's weakness. McSweegan has been submitted in each of his last two losses, and here he faces a man who has great submission skills. Neither man is ranked in the tough light heavyweight division, however, a win for Reid would likely get him there.

#9 Lenny McFadden (9-4-2) v. Curt Kitson (10-4-1)

McFadden has been hanging on near the bottom of the heavyweight rankings. His last two fights were draws against a stiker and a grappler, so he has the skills to hang with either one. Here he faces a guy who has fought arguably better competion but hasn't won yet. McFadden would love to get control on the ground, but he will need to watch himself as Kitson can hit like a truck and will submit him in a heartbeat.

Heavyweight Division

#4 Lefter Oktay (8-1) v. Aleksander Ivanov (0-0)

Oktay makes his first showing since his loss to Raul Hughes for the GAMMA Heavyweight title. Oktay, is a known quantity, everyone knows how dangerous a striker he is. Ivanov is a total unknown, but what we do know is that he is very, very big. Ivanov has three inches and almost 40 pounds going his way. He is known as a Sambo fighter. Ivanov will be facing a real uphill battle in his MMA debut.

Light Heavyweight Division

#10 Elgar (11-5) v. #8 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-2)

Elgar has climbed out of the Team Battle, and is trying to make his mark on the rest the division. He got a surprising win in his last match against McSweegan. Chekhov has fought draws against two submission artists in Baines and Reid. Elgar makes #3.

Lightweight Division

Jackson Grey (9-4-1) v. #5 Brandon Sugar (8-2)

Grey takes on one of the newest additions to GAMMA. Not only that, but Sugar is a former BCF Lightweight Champion. Grey is no slouch though, but he is coming off of a loss to Charles Stiles. Sugar boasts a good record and a high ranking, and is a guy that Grey thinks that he can beat.

Middleweight Division

#9 Matthew Dean (11-3) v. #4 Robert Darrell (9-2)

Dean, former GAMMA Middleweight Champ, takes on BCF transplant Robert Darrell. Darrell is going to have to use his natural ability and good strikes to keep the former champ from taking him to the ground. If Dean, who is still looking for respect, gets control on the ground, look for him to work quickly, using a variety of locks and holds. Darrell has been antsy to make his debut, and this was a fighter that he wanted to face.

Welterweight Division

#8 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-5-1) v. Lukas Mellberg (10-1-2)

Hinchcliffe, while being ranked higher than Mellberg, sports a less impressive record. Mellberg hasn't gotten a win in over a calender year, because of a couple of draws. Each man's last fight was against Dan Halvorsen, Hinchcliffe was knocked out, and Mellberg got a draw. Yet, Hinchcliffe is still ranked higher.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (12-0-1) v. Challenger #2 Stafford Alois (20-7)

A huge match between two fantastic strikers. Hughes has beaten all comers, all 12 of his wins have been by KO, and his draw was against Tony McCall. Here he faces Alois, a man who has Kayoed Gary Sampson and Rick Stanley to get to the #2 ranking. Hughes is still getting no respect. His last match was against a guy who stood in front of him, and he knows that is exactly what Alois is going to do. Both of Alois' knockouts were with his feet, and that is what Hughes is going to look out for. I expect this to be a great, entertaining fight.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-2) v. Challenger #2 Geoff Cahill (22-13-2)

So Cahill still gets his title shot, despite coming off of a draw in his last fight. Regueiro is giving away half a foot in height advantage to Cahill. The one thing that both men have in common is that neither fighter was able to beat Doug Hansen. Of course, in the case of Regueiro, he got to keep his title. Cahill is rapidly approaching the end of his career. He is 10 years older than Regueiro. One could argue that Regueiro has been able to extend his title reign because of the quality of opponent that he has faced. Of his last three defenses, only Cahill is currently ranked. Cahill is going to need to strike well and stay on his feet, if Regueiro can control the ground he should take the fight.

PilotMan

01-25-2008, 10:11 PM

GAMMA: Regeuiro v. Cahill
San Diego, California
Friday, 4th week of June, 1997
Attendance: 5,880

Lightweight Division

Duane Weatherly (10-9) v. Will Kane (8-1)

Round 1
Weatherly makes Kane back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Weatherly throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Kane lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Weatherly by surprise, putting him down! Kane follows up and starts raining down right hands. Weatherly covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Kane off, the match is over. The official time of the TKO is 1:45 of round 1. (**)

Well, at least Weatherly didn't get knocked out! For Kane, he did just what was expected, by taking the fight to the chin of Weatherly. This should put Kane back into the top 10 in the lightweight division.

#7 Mario De Souza (13-7-1) v. Jay Dorridge (1-0)

Round 1
de Souza hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Dorridge to back up against the cage, where they clinch. de Souza hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Dorridge tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with de Souza having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Dorridge. Dorridge gets in close enough to scoop de Souza up, and quickly slam him back down into the ground! Big, violent slam takedown from Dorridge. de Souza has the presence of mind to pull guard when Dorridge tries to follow up though. de Souza is forced to cover up as Dorridge starts hammering away with enormous strikes from the guard, trying to simply power the shots through. Some do cause some damage, landing as de Souza tries unsuccessfully to throw some counters. Dorridge transitions to side control without any issues and starts finding the punches down again, this time with more leverage and therefore more power. de Souza tries to defend them, but a lot of them are getting through. The referee finally has enough and calls an end to the match, feeling that de Souza was getting overwhelmed. Dorridge wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 7:47. (*)

Now that my friends, is an incredible upset. Fight for the title one night, come back the next and get taken out in the first by a guy with one win and no experience. A pretty incredible debut for Dorridge. There was no hesitancy to take the fight to the ground. His big slam sure made the difference in the fight. Where will de Souza go from here?

Middleweight Division

Bixente Fontaine (10-4) v. #10 Casim Yenkini (7-3)

Round 1
Yenkini starts fast, coming out almost immediately with a three punch combination. None of them get through, and Fontaine manages to squeeze a jab of his own through and score just above the left cheek. They exchange a flurry of blows right in the center, it's difficult to see who got the best of it, and both of them retreat a few steps to recover. Good start to the round, early indications are that this is going to be all about the striking, neither fighter has even hinted at going for a takedown. Fontaine uses a low kick to set up a nice right hand, and Yenkini is forced back against the cage. Fontaine picks his shots and gets a big punch to the body in. Yenkini uses a couple of looping punches to make Fontaine keep back, but it doesn't last for long, as Fontaine bursts forward and hits two big right hands, taking a counter punch to the body though, and they wind up in a clinch. They exchange weak-looking blows from that position, before the referee grows tired of the inactivity and breaks them apart. Yenkini scores with a low kick. Fontaine tries to back Yenkini up against the cage wall, but it comes to nothing. Fontaine unwinds a right hook that narrowly misses. That will be the last action of the round though. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Fontaine by 10-9.

Round 2
Yenkini tries to work an angle from the start, but is kept back by some sharp kicks, one landing painfully across the outside of the calf. Fontaine steps in and throws some punches, landing a crisp jab to the shoulder. Yenkini lands a jab of his own, but gets hit with a vicious waist-high kick when stepping in to follow up. Good tactics so far from Fontaine, he is basically controlling the tempo and positioning of this fight through intelligent use of sharp, accurate kicks. Yenkini comes in fast, faking left then going right, and gets close enough to throw some body blows. Fontaine gets in a right hand of his own, then a beauty of a high kick. It lands right on the ear, causing Yenkini to back off quickly. If that had had more power, it might well have scored a knock out. The round is almost over. Fontaine has controlled this one, Yenkini is finding it very difficult to find a way around those kicks. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Fontaine.

Round 3
They meet in the center. Yenkini hits a nice jab, a second misses. Fontaine steps in close and hits a brutal body shot, causing Yenkini to back up quickly. That was a really powerful shot. Fontaine stalks Yenkini, flicking occasional jabs. It looks like Fontaine wants to stand and trade punches with Yenkini. Fontaine gets within striking distance and throws a bomb of a right hand, narrowly missing. Yenkini fires off a raking left hook in response, but that is off target too. They meet and exchange punches. Yenkini goes for the body, but gets tagged with a left hand to the side of the head. Yenkini is rattled by it, but doesn't step off, instead throwing a couple of crisp jabs. Fontaine throws another big punch, this time thundering it into Yenkini's shoulder. They clinch. So far it looks like Yenkini simply can't live with the power that Fontaine has in his hands, you get the sense that if this continues, Yenkini is going to wind up knocked out sooner or later. The clinch is broken, but within thirty seconds they are right back in it, this time leaning against the cage. By the time that is broken, the round only has a few seconds left. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Fontaine. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

An entertaining fight from a couple of good strikers. Fontaine really controlled the fight with his kicks and punches, and showed very good power. For Yenkini, a good debut, and no loss.

Light Heavyweight Division

Garry McSweegan (12-4-1) v. JJ Reid (12-1-2)

Round 1
Good start from Reid, taking McSweegan down almost immediately! McSweegan scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Reid will be disappointed with that. McSweegan comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Reid to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. McSweegan felt that one for sure. He stalks Reid, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Reid keeps out of the way. McSweegan tries a kick, but Reid catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Reid gets McSweegan down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Reid throws some punches, then tries to pass. McSweegan doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Reid easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Reid followed by a pass attempt, with McSweegan blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Reid by 10-9.

Round 2
Reid is forced onto the backfoot almost immediately, having to retreat to avoid a series of sharp jabs. He ends up with his back to the cage, with McSweegan advancing. A sharp right misses, and Reid takes the opportunity to pull McSweegan in to a tight clinch against the cage. McSweegan tries to break free, but cannot. It looks like we know the strategies for this round already; McSweegan wants to stand and bang, Reid wants to keep things at close quarters. McSweegan tries for an elbow, but only succeeds in getting turned around so that he is now the one against the cage. Trip from Reid, and we're down to the ground. Reid has side control, but McSweegan has landed with his left hand side against the cage, so that side of the body is basically safe for now. Reid will have to try to work the right-hand side, and starts by ramming a knee into the ribs. McSweegan tries to squirm into a better position, but Reid puts a stop to that with a stiff elbow to the stomach. Reid tries to work a kimura on the right arm, but McSweegan defends it. McSweegan manages to bring a knee up and catch Reid in the side, something of a cheeky move given his position. Reid responds with five or six rapid-fire right hands to the face, but McSweegan covers up and doesn't take any serious damage at all. Time is ticking away though, and so far Reid may be easily winning the round, but he is not taking full advantage of this great position. Reid tries to float over into a mount, but McSweegan uses the cage to push away and manages to unbalance Reid enough to get to a kneeling position, then standing, albeit back into a clinch. A knee from Reid is the last action of the round. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Reid.

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from McSweegan forces Reid back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but McSweegan is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Reid clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Reid gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. McSweegan seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Reid who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that McSweegan had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Tentative long range jabs from both fighters. Reid with a low sweeping kick, but it was telegraphed. McSweegan comes in quick but misses a kick. Reid with a straight right, another, but then walks right into a solid punch. That certainly connected, the crowd could clearly hear it. Reid backs up quickly, almost on instinct; his hands are down by his side, and he looks glassy eyed and unsteady on his feet. The referee quickly steps in and ends the fight, stopping McSweegan from following up. It'll go down as a TKO for McSweegan. As McSweegan celebrates, the doctor is quickly in to check on Reid. From the looks of things, he may have been dealt a concussion with that punch to the jaw, as he doesn't look like he knows where he is. Official time of the TKO is 5:30 of the third round. (**)

McSweegan has to be happy that he was able defend well on the ground, and that he was finally able to get his big punch in to win the fight. His first win in GAMMA and his first win at light heavyweight. Reid cannot be happy with his second loss. He seemed to be totally in control and able to take McSweegan to the ground anytime he wanted.

#9 Lenny McFadden (9-4-2) v. Curt Kitson (10-4-1)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Kitson puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but McFadden defended well. Straight right from McFadden in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Kitson probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. McFadden gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Kitson. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Kitson.

Round 2
McFadden throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Kitson defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. McFadden takes down Kitson, but is pulled into the guard straight away. McFadden tries to unload with a couple of bombs, but Kitson safely defends them. McFadden is leaning a little too far forward, which Kitson notices and tries for a guillotine. McFadden didn't seem to see it coming, and is caught! Kitson wraps it up tightly and forces McFadden to tap out! Kitson wins via 2nd round guillotine submission with the official time being 1:44. (**)

What did I say about this match? Watch for McFadden to be aggressive to get to the ground, but for Kitson to respond to any mistake. Just what happened here. Kitson made it look too easy. McFadden will probably slip out of the top 10.

Heavyweight Division

#4 Lefter Oktay (8-1) v. Aleksander Ivanov (0-0)

Round 1
Oktay hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Ivanov to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Oktay hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Ivanov tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Oktay having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Ivanov. They clinch. Ivanov hits a knee. Body shot from Oktay. Ivanov goes for a second knee, but gets shoved away. He seems to stumble as he steps backward, and falls to the floor in an awkward moment. Oktay is on him fast, and scores with a big punch that landed sweetly. Oktay is firing off punches while kneeling across Ivanov's upper body in a half-mount, and there's not a lot Ivanov can do about it. He needs to get out of there, or at least pull guard, but can do neither as he can't get his hips free. Oktay rains down the punches even faster, and Ivanov is just getting pounded into oblivion; even though he managed to block three quarters of the shots coming in, that's still five or six good shots that have gotten through. Those five or six shots are enough for the referee at any rate, as he calls an end to the match, obviously feeling that Ivanov was getting overwhelmed by that barrage. The official time is 4:38. (**)

No real surprise here as Oktay makes short work of the big man. Ivanov wanted a tough match for his MMA debut, but I doubt that he thought that it would go down like this. Oktay gets back to business with a solid win here.

Light Heavyweight Division

#10 Elgar (11-5) v. #8 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-2)

Round 1
Chekhov doesn't waste any time, scoring with a big right hook almost immediately. Elgar was caught sleeping, and that really landed hard, if it had been more accurate it might have been a knock out blow. Elgar hits two sharp body shots in return, but it's clear that he is rattled. Elgar looks for an opening. They get in close and exchange punches, it's not clear who got the better of that. Chekhov hits a good looping punch to the side of the head, that's another one that's rattled Elgar. Chekhov is getting more force behind his punches at the moment, and that's the key difference. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. Time ticks away, and Elgar offers nothing that would make you think that he has any chance of winning this round on points. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Chekhov.

Round 2
Slow start to the round, nearly a minute has gone by without anything but a few jabs finding gloves. Elgar comes in, looking for a grapple it seems, but takes a powerful kick just above the left hip. Chekhov really put some venom into that strike. Elgar backs off, clearly stung. Chekhov is the one advancing now, using a left hand jab to lead. He steps forward and fires off a big kick, aimed at the head. Elgar ducks and moves out of range, but that was clearly intended to be a match-ender, Chekhov was going for the knock out. It's pretty clear that he thinks that kicks are going to do the job in this round, and it has to be said that Elgar is looking to have a hard time countering them. On top of that, the threat of the kicks is keeping Elgar from getting in too close. Chekhov stalks Elgar, throwing the occasional high right hand, perhaps range-finding. Elgar is circling, seeking an opening of some kind. He moves in from the left and is quick enough to get into the clinch without taking any shots. Chekhov hits a knee, but takes one right back. The kicks aren't a danger from this position, that's for sure. Chekhov squirms free, but foolishly lost his concentration for a second and took a hard right hand above the eye in the process. Silly mistake. Elgar comes in, looking more confident now, and gets in a couple of right hands and a lovely hook to the body. Chekhov tags him with a jab though, and then hits another fearsome kick to the same spot above the left hip. And another! Elgar backs off, and a huge red mark has appeared in that spot. Chekhov advances and throws another head kick, but it is mostly blocked by the hands of Elgar. The round is drawing to a close, and those kicks have certainly proved massively effective for Chekhov. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Chekhov by 10-9.

Round 3
Good start from Elgar, taking Chekhov down almost immediately! Chekhov scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Elgar will be disappointed with that. Chekhov comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Elgar to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Chekhov felt that one for sure. He stalks Elgar, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Elgar keeps out of the way. Chekhov tries a kick, but Elgar catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Elgar gets Chekhov down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Elgar throws some punches, then tries to pass. Chekhov doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Elgar easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Elgar followed by a pass attempt, with Chekhov blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Elgar. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

And Chekhov gets his third draw against submission artists. Elgar found it hard to get inside, past those scorching kicks by Chekhov. Chekhov has to be getting sick of the way that these matches are going. He isn't going to move up by compiling draw after draw. Still beats losses though.

Lightweight Division

Jackson Grey (9-4-1) v. #5 Brandon Sugar (8-2)

Round 1
Sugar throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Gray throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Sugar steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Gray hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Sugar. They struggle all the way back, with Sugar ending up backed up against the cage. Gray hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Sugar stomps downward onto his foot. Sugar manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Gray gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Sugar ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Sugar tries a high kick to start, but Gray saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Gray who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Sugar on the nose. Sugar hits a straight right, enough to stop Gray from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Gray by 10-9.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Gray forces Sugar back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Gray is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Sugar clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Sugar gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Gray seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Sugar who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Gray had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. They exchange punches. Gray hits a nice jab just above the left eye, but takes a hard punch to the cheek at the same time. Gray momentarily loses his footing and drops his hands, that shot having really rung his bell. Sugar shoots off another right hand to capitalise, and this time it's the killer blow, Gray falls back and crash-lands on the floor, he was out cold from the instant that punch hit. A knock out victory for Sugar. The official time is 4:38. (**)

A boring match that had an explosive ending. Sugar makes a very good debut, and proves that his high ranking is deserved. Gray won the first round but takes a tough loss. He will need to spend some time on the sidelines after this match. Could Sugar get a match with Silva?

Middleweight Division

#9 Matthew Dean (11-3) v. #4 Robert Darrell (9-2)

Round 1
Darrell starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Dean. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Dean goes for a single leg and puts Darrell on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Dean from getting on top. Darrell definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Dean hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Darrell again. This time Darrell isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Dean will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Darrell defends. Dean tries to slip past to get side control, but Darrell just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Dean has the side. Two big elbows land, and Darrell seems in trouble. Dean goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Dean.

Round 2
Very, very slow start to the round. Over a minute has gone before the first meaningful strike connects. It's Darrell who hits it, scoring with a shot to the chest. Dean fires back with a couple of jabs, both of which connect with the shoulder rather than the face where they were aimed. The two fighters come together in the center and exchange punches, neither getting the clear advantage. Dean suddenly shoots in and goes for a takedown, but Darrell manages to sprawl long enough to get them all the way back to the cage, which keeps him upright. Dean tries to complete the takedown, but realises that the leverage isn't there and instead stands and clinches. Darrell hits a couple of shots to the back. Dean hits a stomp. Darrell lifts his leg to go for a knee, but that gives Dean the opportunity to lift him and slam him down to the ground. That was a hard slam! Dean is on top, almost sitting on top of a balled-up Darrell. He throws some hard downward punches, Darrell defends most of them, although one hits hard above the eye. Dean leaves his arm in for a second too long and Darrell reaches up and almost gets an armbar. Dean gets free though, although the effort puts him off-balance enough for him to stumble, giving Darrell the opportunity to scramble back up. There's a nasty mark above the eye where the earlier punch connected though. They go back to circling each other. There's not much time left. Darrell tries one last big attack, swinging for the fences with two bombs, but Dean avoids both, adding a nice shot to the stomach after the second dodge. The round ends there. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Dean by 10-9.

Round 3
Dean gets a nice single leg, and transitions into a side mount. Darrell blocks an arm bar attempt, but is having trouble keeping the full mount from happening. Dean scores with a nice elbow, and there is the full mount. Darrell is wide open, and takes two hard punches to the face. Dean takes the arm. Darrell is fighting it, but it looks like it's only a matter of time. The kimura is applied, and Darrell has no choice but to tap. The official time of the kimura submission is 0:44 of round 3. (**)

Dean is a deserving fighter, he fought a very good fight here. He managed to take Darrell to the ground almost at will. Darrell's striking game just wasn't good enough to keep the former champion at bay. The third round it seemed like Dean had a plan and simply used the rest of the fight to set it up.
His stock is really on the rise.

Welterweight Division

#8 Joe Hinchcliffe (13-5-1) v. Lukas Mellberg (10-1-2)

Round 1
Mellberg is forced onto the backfoot almost immediately, having to retreat to avoid a series of sharp jabs. He ends up with his back to the cage, with Hinchcliffe advancing. A sharp right misses, and Mellberg takes the opportunity to pull Hinchcliffe in to a tight clinch against the cage. Hinchcliffe tries to break free, but cannot. It looks like we know the strategies for this round already; Hinchcliffe wants to stand and bang, Mellberg wants to keep things at close quarters. Hinchcliffe tries for an elbow, but only succeeds in getting turned around so that he is now the one against the cage. Trip from Mellberg, and we're down to the ground. Mellberg has side control, but Hinchcliffe has landed with his left hand side against the cage, so that side of the body is basically safe for now. Mellberg will have to try to work the right-hand side, and starts by ramming a knee into the ribs. Hinchcliffe tries to squirm into a better position, but Mellberg puts a stop to that with a stiff elbow to the stomach. Mellberg tries to work a kimura on the right arm, but Hinchcliffe defends it. Hinchcliffe manages to bring a knee up and catch Mellberg in the side, something of a cheeky move given his position. Mellberg responds with five or six rapid-fire right hands to the face, but Hinchcliffe covers up and doesn't take any serious damage at all. Time is ticking away though, and so far Mellberg may be easily winning the round, but he is not taking full advantage of this great position. Mellberg tries to float over into a mount, but Hinchcliffe uses the cage to push away and manages to unbalance Mellberg enough to get to a kneeling position, then standing, albeit back into a clinch. A knee from Mellberg is the last action of the round. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Mellberg by 10-9.

Round 2
Hinchcliffe starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Mellberg. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Mellberg goes for a single leg and puts Hinchcliffe on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Mellberg from getting on top. Hinchcliffe definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Mellberg hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Hinchcliffe again. This time Hinchcliffe isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Mellberg will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Hinchcliffe defends. Mellberg tries to slip past to get side control, but Hinchcliffe just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Mellberg has the side. Two big elbows land, and Hinchcliffe seems in trouble. Mellberg goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of round 2. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Mellberg.

Round 3
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Hinchcliffe fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Mellberg. They clinch, and Mellberg winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Hinchcliffe tries to push Mellberg back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. Mellberg misses a right hand and is off balance, allowing Hinchcliffe to come in for a takedown. Mellberg pulls guard, and it's a particulary high one, Hinchcliffe has to be careful that he doesn't get careless and end up in a triangle choke. Mellberg bats away a couple of punches with his hands. Hinchcliffe tries to pass guard, but leaves an arm in for just a fraction of a second too long, and Mellberg is able to clamp his legs around it and pull. That's a tight arm bar, and Hinchcliffe is going to have really trouble getting free. He tries to pull free, but it's no use. Hinchcliffe taps out to the armlock. Official time of the armbar submission is 7:18 of the third round. (**)

Mellberg fights a fantastic fight here against a very good fighter. Mellberg really took the fight to Hinchcliffe and succeeded on keeping the fight on the ground. Mellberg's win puts him back on the list for the welterweight division.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Heavyweight Title

Champion Raul Hughes (12-0-1) v. Challenger #2 Stafford Alois (20-7)

Round 1
Hughes isn't hanging around, right from the start Alois is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Alois circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Hughes weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Hughes, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Alois is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Hughes really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Alois was wide open for a moment there. Hughes hits a high kick, catching Alois on the shoulder. Jab from Alois finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Hughes fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Alois scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Hughes, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Hughes.

Round 2
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Alois, providing the first moment of real action. Hughes hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Alois side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Hughes is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Hughes.

Round 3
The two competitors start slowly, circling and looking for an opening. Alois fakes shooting in for a takedown, but Hughes didn't buy it for a second. In comes Alois from an angle to the right, but Hughes had it covered all the way, and not only easily steps out of the way of the attempted right hand, but manages to score with a solid right hand to the side of the head. Alois felt that, and is forced to cover up quickly as Hughes steps in quickly and unloads with a flurry of powerful blows, looking to capitalise on the earlier strike. Alois is forced back against the cage, but to his credit, he did a good job defending those strikes and didn't seem to take any significant damage. Hughes doesn't get in too close, realising that it would likely mean getting caught in a clinch, so he stands slightly back instead and throws some low kicks and looping punches. Alois responds by throwing out some straight jabs, but neither fighter is really doing any damage to their opponent. Hughes clearly grows tired of the wait, and moves in to hit a body blow. It connects, but Alois is quick to tie him up in a clinch. That lasts quite a while, until the referee gets in there and breaks them up, telling them to fight. Both fighters circle. Hughes scores with a stiff jab, and bobs and weaves to avoid all three of the rapid-fire punches that come back from Alois. Nicely done. Alois, realising that he is losing this round, comes forward with a sense of urgency, throwing right hands to put Hughes on the back foot. Hughes handles it well though, refusing to let Alois get an angle, and using some nice counter punches to the body to further cement the fact that this round is going to him on points. Time expires with Alois throwing increasingly desperate punches. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hughes by 10-9.

Round 4
Hughes throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Alois steps in and fires off one of his own, but Hughes bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Alois turns and swings, just as Hughes also unloads...and it's Hughes who connects first! Alois's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Hughes follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Alois. The referee doesn't even wait for Hughes to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Alois is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Hughes wins via 4th round TKO with the official time being 1:21. Raul Hughes successfully retains the GAMMA Heavyweight title. (**)

Raul Hughes is bound to get some more respect after that match. He was clearly outclassing Alois throughout the entire fight. Alois never got the big kick in that he wanted, and Hughes' superior boxing skills finally proved to be the deciding factor in the fight. Hughes holds onto his GAMMA Heavyweight Title.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-2) v. Challenger #2 Geoff Cahill (22-13-2)

Round 1
Regueiro starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and Cahill is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from Regueiro. Cahill tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from Cahill, but it only caught Regueiro on the shoulder. Another kick connects from Regueiro, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping Cahill from doing very much. Regueiro throws out a few jabs, nothing too dangerous though, Cahill easily avoided them. Right hand from Cahill, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Regueiro by 10-9.

Round 2
Cahill starts strongly, hitting two stiff jabs to the gloves, stinging the hands of Regueiro. The third strike is a meaty left hook that narrowly misses. If that had hit, Regueiro may well have been decapitated. Despite leaning backwards, Regueiro throws a mighty kick that explodes across the chest, Cahill staggers back. That was an enormously powerful blow, and Cahill didn't see it coming at all. They circle for a moment, sizing each other up. Regueiro throws a flurry of jabs, but Cahill blocks them easily. A right hand from Cahill lands below the eye, and a straight left glances off the shoulder. Another exchange doesn't see either fighter get an advantage. Cahill throws a heavy left, but Regueiro goes underneath it. Another hard kick from Regueiro, this time smashing into the left thigh. Cahill almost get knocked down. He throws a left hook in retaliation which misses by a mile, and gives Regueiro the chance to hit another big kick, this time to the ribs. The round has been pretty even, with the exception of those kicks by Regueiro which have really made a big difference. As the round comes to an end, it looks like those will make sure that Regueiro wins the round on points. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Regueiro by 10-9.

Round 3
Cahill throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Regueiro throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Cahill steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Regueiro hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Cahill. They struggle all the way back, with Cahill ending up backed up against the cage. Regueiro hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Cahill stomps downward onto his foot. Cahill manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Regueiro gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Cahill ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Cahill tries a high kick to start, but Regueiro saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Regueiro who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Cahill on the nose. Cahill hits a straight right, enough to stop Regueiro from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Regueiro.

Round 4
Regueiro and Cahill circle to start. Cahill throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Regueiro sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Cahill comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Regueiro to slip a nice jab in, catching Cahill just underneath the right eye. Regueiro comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Cahill misses with a right cross, then backs off. Regueiro stalks him, forcing Cahill back up against the cage. Regueiro doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Cahill throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Regueiro pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Cahill covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Regueiro in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Regueiro throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Cahill comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Regueiro parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Regueiro's favour. The 4th round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Regueiro.

Round 5
The round starts. They touch gloves. Cahill throws a rapid-fire series of punches, forcing Regueiro to back off. Regueiro throws a nice kick that thumps into the rib cage. Another kick is thrown, this time aimed at the head, but Cahill sees it coming and steps back. Regueiro advances and they meet in the center. Cahill ducks a right hand, scores with a left to the gut. Regueiro throws a one-two combination, neither connecting, but it does allow him to follow up with a stinging kick to the ribs. A big red mark has appeared there. Cahill bursts forward and goes for a big swing, Regueiro ducks under it, hits a right to the chest, then unloads another kick. This one hits the thigh, causing Cahill to noticeably wince. It may have caught the very top of the knee judging from the replays. Cahill tries to come in to get a measure of revenge, but is met with some low kicks that make sure that he can't get close enough to throw any bombs. Regueiro's impressively sharp kicking game is hurting Cahill and allowing him to take firm control of this round. There's not much time left, and Cahill is going to have to do something special to win this round now. He doesn't, as time expires without anything interesting happening. End of round 5. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Regueiro. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

A fairly unexciting match, typical of Regueiro. Cahill was powerless to really do anything, and Regueiro didn't do much except to keep from losing. His title reign continues in an unimpressive way.

The show didn't sit well with fans. It was a very unimpressive show. We gain in 48 regions but lose in 9. Another weak PPV. Our PPV contract has run out, and now it is time to really cash in with a much bigger provider.

PilotMan

01-26-2008, 09:25 PM

JJ Reid suffered a concussion during his loss last night.

Alpha-1 has let some good fighters' contracts expire and we are on it like peanut butter. Look for a couple of new signings (as if we really need more) in the future.

We have signed a new PPV deal with Japanese company J-Remote 1. They previously had our contract, and give us continued coverage in Asia. We sign a new deal with USA Free Choice, a company that is much, much bigger, and should result in more buys per show.

So as of right now, we have PPV coverage in the USA, Japan and Asia. And we have television coverage in Japan, Europe, the UK and Ireland, Mexico, the USA, and Canada. Our marketing campaign is going very well. Our only problem is putting on good, consistent shows.

GAMMA has signed Edson Edmilson. Edmilson, a former Alpha-1 lightweight champion, also has the dubious distinction of having beaten Giovani Silva, although it was back at the end of '93. Edmilson won in April. Edmilson has said that it was his friendship with Mario De Souza that helped him make up his mind to come to the US.

GAMMA also signed Indonesian Boxer Bambang Sriyanto. Sriyanto is 29 with an 11-6-2 record, and has a win in his last fight.

GAMMA has also brought in big name heavyweight Leon Banks (11-3). Banks is a top ranked competitor, who hasn't had a fight in over a year. Banks is from the US, but has been with Japan based Alpha-1. We welcome him back home. Banks makes our light heavyweight division, which when compared to Alpha-1 is quite weak, much better.

PilotMan

01-26-2008, 09:26 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
Broadcast around the world from
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Buffalo Outlaws (4-2-0 8-7 12pts 2nd) v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-1-2 7-6 8pts 3rd)
Austin Rush (0-4-2 5-12 2pts 5th) v. Spokane Onslaught (1-4-1 7-11 4pts 4th)

Heavyweight Division

#9 Eddie Whelan, Onslaught (12-3-1) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-9-2)

Welterweight Division

David Allen, Onslaught (4-4-1) v. Datuk Ong Ka Ting, Rush (1-0)

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (0-1)

Middleweight Division

#8 Buddy Garner, Onslaught (9-0-1) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-1-2)

Lightweight Division

Marcus Speed, Outlaws (3-1) v. Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (3-3-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

Steve Mason, Onslaught (2-1-2) v. Ricky Heath, Rush (9-4-1)

John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-1) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-4)

Middleweight Division

Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (7-2) v. Thorbjorn Rekdal, Outlaws (4-1-1)

Co-Main Event

Heavyweight Division

Derek South, Cyclopes (4-0) v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws (6-0)

Co-Main Event

Lightweight Division

Jamie Hewitt, Rush (2-0) v. Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (3-1)

PilotMan

01-26-2008, 09:27 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown Previews
Broadcast around the world from
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Buffalo Outlaws (4-2-0 8-7 12pts 2nd) v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-1-2 7-6 8pts 3rd)
Austin Rush (0-4-2 5-12 2pts 5th) v. Spokane Onslaught (1-4-1 7-11 4pts 4th)

Heavyweight Division

#9 Eddie Whelan, Onslaught (12-3-1) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-9-2)

Whelan hopes to get the Onslaught on the board first with a win over a guy that he knocked out earlier this year. Chapin hasn't gotten a win in over a year, and he won't have it any easier against Whelan, who has won his last two fights. Whelan is one of the only fighters who are ranked and in the top 10 in the heavyweight division. That is largely due to his current form. Chapin has been hot or cold, losing against weaker competition and picking up a couple of draws in matches where he should have lost.

Welterweight Division

David Allen, Onslaught (4-4-1) v. Datuk Ong Ka Ting, Rush (1-0)

Allen brings his experience of 8 more fights against Datuk, who picked up a win in his debut. This is a battle of submission specialists. The key in this match is going to be ground control. We know that Allen isn't great on his back, and Datuk won his last match over Dana Delaney by submission. Allen himself, has been submitted in each of his last two fights, both against Durham fighters, Vine and Eton, both of whom are now ranked in the top 10.

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (0-1)

Epps was taken out by Gordon Idle in his last fight, while Harris is trying to rebound from his :45 loss at the hands of Simon Vine. So both men are coming off of losses. Epps is really good on the ground, and Harris is still a total unknown.

Middleweight Division

#8 Buddy Garner, Onslaught (9-0-1) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-1-2)

McAllister is really going to be tested in this fight. Garner is tough, ranked and undefeated, while McAllister lost his last fight to Alex Cole. Garner was held to a draw in his last fight so he should be motivated to get back on his win streak. Clearly is Garner wins, moves up, and possibly leaves Spokane. Of course, a win for McAllister would be a huge boon for his career.

Lightweight Division

Marcus Speed, Outlaws (3-1) v. Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (3-3-1)

Another pair of fighters who are coming off of losses. Neither fighter has all that much going for them, so a win for either should be helpful. One noticeable advantage for Speed is his 6-inch height advantage.

Light Heavyweight Division

Steve Mason, Onslaught (2-1-2) v. Ricky Heath, Rush (9-4-1)

Mason has had a bit of a down streak as he hasn't won in his last three fights. With his last loss being to Mike Watson, another fighter who is on his way up. Heath has a bit more experience, but hasn't won in his last two fights either. However, Heath did give LeToussier a good run before finally succumbing to the now champion. Heath is probably Austin's best fighter, and they will count on him to get the points here.

John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-1) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-4)

This match is set up to be an entertaining match between two good up and comers. Ballard, has been good, but has yet to finish a man in the cage, but hasn't been beaten either. Rivero was undefeated until his last fight, a loss, to Faas Smit. Both men are good punchers, this fight could go either way.

Middleweight Division

Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (7-2) v. Thorbjorn Rekdal, Outlaws (4-1-1)

A really good support match here. Thomas and Rekdal are both coming off of wins. Thomas is the fan favorite here. His pop is far higher than Rekdal, and the fans will be squarely behind him. Rekdal is less seasoned than Thomas, but is still good enough to give him a run for his money.

Co-Main Event

Heavyweight Division

Derek South, Cyclopes (4-0) v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws (6-0)

The first of our main events sees South finally make his GAMMA debut against the undefeated Kapur from Buffalo. South, the former BCF Heavyweight Champ takes on Kapur, a much bigger and better foe than he has previously faced. Both men have lots to brag about, and hopefully, the fight can decide the dual as well.

Co-Main Event

Lightweight Division

Jamie Hewitt, Rush (2-0) v. Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (3-1)

The (not-so) big main even between our two lightweights. Hewitt and O' Donnell are tough customers, but both are still very green. Hewitt is coming off of a TKO of Luke Hilton and O' Donnell's last win was over Malcom 'O Hearn. Both of these men are big talkers and play to the crowd. The fans are in for a good fight here.

PilotMan

01-28-2008, 09:53 AM

GAMMA: Meltdown
Broadcast around the world from
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Attendance: 1,440

Buffalo Outlaws (4-2-0 8-7 12pts 2nd) v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-1-2 7-6 8pts 3rd)
Austin Rush (0-4-2 5-12 2pts 5th) v. Spokane Onslaught (1-4-1 7-11 4pts 4th)

Heavyweight Division

#9 Eddie Whelan, Onslaught (12-3-1) v. Vincent Chapin, Rush (10-9-2)

Round 1
Chapin starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Whelan checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Chapin doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Chapin cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Whelan with a beauty of a right hook. Whelan stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Chapin presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Whelan clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Whelan scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Chapin in the gut. Chapin uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Chapin gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Whelan reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Chapin has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Whelan has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Chapin from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Chapin tries to step over and fully apply it, but Whelan breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Chapin steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Whelan hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Chapin will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Chapin by 10-9.

Round 2
Whelan hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Chapin to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Whelan hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Chapin tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Whelan having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Chapin. Chapin forces Whelan back against the cage and comes in close to try and unload. Whelan pushes him away with a shove, palm across the face, and Chapin loses his balance and is dumped onto the ground. Whelan leaps into action to follow up. Whelan presses the advantage and starts wailing away, although most of the punches aren't landing very well. A few are though, and Chapin can't do much more than cover up. An elbow finds its way through, and looked like it landed on the bridge of the nose. Big right hand from Whelan, who is expending a lot of energy on this attack. Chapin tries to grab a guillotine, but can't get it. Left hand, connects, from Whelan. That landed hard on the chin, and that convinces the referee to get in and stop the match. A controversial decision. Whelan wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 9:10. (*)

Whelan gets another win against Chapin although he was in real trouble in the first round. The second round was kind of strange the way it went down. Same result in the end. Onslaught go ahead 1-0.

Welterweight Division

David Allen, Onslaught (4-4-1) v. Datuk Ong Ka Ting, Rush (1-0)

Round 1
The round begins with Allen taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Datuk replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Allen goes for the takedown, but Datuk sprawls. Allen tries to power through, but Datuk uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Allen defend this. Datuk is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Allen isn't allowing it. Allen pulls Datuk in tight, locking up both his arms. Datuk pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Datuk tries a big right hand, which Allen defends well. He has quite a high guard, Datuk has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Allen once again drags Datuk down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Datuk easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Datuk trying to pass guard. Allen tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Datuk, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Datuk scores with a jab, then a second. Allen goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Datuk enough time to take him down again. Datuk quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Allen once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Datuk on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Datuk.

Round 2
Datuk starts with a high kick, but Allen was well out of range. Allen throws out a few jabs, nothing too dangerous though, Datuk easily avoided them. Datuk steps in and exchanges strikes with Allen, neither fighter gets a particular advantage from it. Allen parries away a nice right hand and gets in a crisp counter punch that catches Datuk on the shoulder. The round has been a little flat so far, neither of them is really forcing the issue. They enter into a clinch, which doesn't help matters, and that seems to last for an eternity before the referee separates them and tells them to get on with it. Datuk finally shows some fire, putting together a combination of two jabs, a cross, and an uppercut. Allen did well to defend it, bobbing and weaving out of the way and using his gloves to parry away anything that was too close. He uses a low kick to the thigh as a response, then steps in and unloads with two fine punches, although Datuk blocked them. Datuk scores the best punch of the round so far, coming in fast, ducking under a dangerous right hand, and catching Allen square in the face with a lunging overhand right. Allen backs off and covers up, clearly having felt that one, and unfortunately Datuk's attempts to follow up and thwarted as he gets tied up in a clinch near the cage. The time expires, with Datuk probably having stolen that round thanks to that one big punch. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Datuk.

Round 3
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before Allen throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Datuk's jaw, but it is parried. Datuk steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. Allen moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Datuk put a lot of weight behind it. Allen hits a nice jab, then clinches. Datuk hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. Allen hits a low kick to the leg. Datuk bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. Allen goes down! Good shot from Datuk! He tries to follow up and pound on Allen, but Allen is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Datuk, sensing that Allen is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. Allen ends up backed up against the cage. Datuk gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by Allen, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Datuk has in his hands is really posing Allen some problems. The clinch drags on, with Datuk unable to break free, and the round ends like that. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Datuk. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (DUD)

A frustrating end for Datuk as his dominance in the match did materialize into a win for him. The Onslaught say ahead 1-0.

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (0-1)

Round 1
Epps leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Harris deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Harris uses a knee to the ribs before backing Epps up against the cage. Right hand from Epps connects though, that was well timed. Harris breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Epps was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Harris sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Epps fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Harris steps back to avoid a straight left. Epps comes in to try it again, and gets caught with a lovely hook. Epps goes down hard, but isn't out, just stunned. Harris quickly mounts him before he can shake it off, and unloads with punches. The referee is very quickly in there and pulls Harris off, giving him the win. Replays show the referee was right to do so, Epps took three nasty looking shots in a row from the mount. Official time of the TKO is 6:36 of the first round. (*)

Harris gets his first win of his MMA career, and it was in good fashion too. Much better than the fourty five second beating that he took in his debut. Epps really letdown his team here, getting tagged and beaten by a guy with 0 wins. The Outlaws go up 1-0.

Middleweight Division

#8 Buddy Garner, Onslaught (9-0-1) v. Lloyd McAllister, Rush (3-1-2)

Round 1
Garner and McAllister circle to start. McAllister throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Garner sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. McAllister comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Garner to slip a nice jab in, catching McAllister just underneath the right eye. Garner comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. McAllister misses with a right cross, then backs off. Garner stalks him, forcing McAllister back up against the cage. Garner doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. McAllister throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Garner pounces, hitting lefts and rights. McAllister covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Garner in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Garner throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. McAllister comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Garner parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Garner's favour. The first round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Garner.

Round 2
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. McAllister is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Garner blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from McAllister is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Garner is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before McAllister can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give McAllister some problems later on. McAllister moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Garner is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of McAllister before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown McAllister off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. McAllister goes for a trip, but Garner cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Garner may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Garner.

Round 3
Garner misses with a straight right. McAllister hits a standing kick, and Garner is rocked, stumbling backwards and falling to the floor. McAllister leaps into action and fires off a barrage of right hands. The referee dives in and protects Garner, bringing the fight to an end. The kick didn't knock Garner out, but it left him stunned, and that was all that McAllister needed to finish the job. The official time is 1:49. (**)

WOW! Holy crap, what happened here? I am totally in shock. There was no way that I ever would have pegged McAllister to get the win here. A fluke of a power shot, and it completely changes the entire fight. With this loss, the Onslaught could be in trouble. Austin ties 1-1.

Lightweight Division

Marcus Speed, Outlaws (3-1) v. Ian Linderman, Cyclopes (3-3-1)

Round 1
Speed leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Linderman deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Linderman uses a knee to the ribs before backing Speed up against the cage. Right hand from Speed connects though, that was well timed. Linderman breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Speed was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Linderman sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Speed fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Linderman narrowly misses a right cross. Linderman steps in to throw a right hand, but doesn't get a chance to pull the trigger as Speed is already in with a takedown. Linderman hits the floor hard, and Speed winds up in his guard. Speed gets past the guard, but only just, one leg is trapped by Linderman. A couple of right hands by Speed leave ugly red marks where they hit the unprotected stomach of Linderman. Speed gets both legs free and transitions higher up the body, putting Linderman in huge trouble. Speed manages to get a forearm firmly across the throat of Linderman and he pushes down. Linderman, with no way of getting out, has no alternative but to tap out. Official time of the choke submission is 6:30 of the first. (**)

Boy, Speed sure took the fight to Linderman here. Linderman's ground game is a total joke. Speed sends Buffalo to a 2-0 lead.

Light Heavyweight Division

Steve Mason, Onslaught (2-1-2) v. Ricky Heath, Rush (9-4-1)

Round 1
Mason hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Heath to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Mason hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Heath tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Mason having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Heath. Heath throws a couple of scorching jabs; neither hit, but it forces Mason to back pedal all the way back to the cage. Heath follows in and throws a stinging kick to the ribs. Mason tries to catch it, but couldn't. Mason throws a right hand to try and catch Heath coming in, but it's wide of the mark. Heath throws a head kick, and it's a beauty, landing flush to the cheek. It was delivered with enormous power, and Mason drops to the floor immediately, he is out cold. The referee stops Heath from following up, it's all over. Official time of the knock out is 8:37 of the first.(**)

That was tough for Mason as he is completely kayoed. Heath could find himself moving back up the rankings with this win. The Rush move to a 2-1 lead.

John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-1) v. Ashley Ballard, Outlaws (4-0-4)

Round 1
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Ballard is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Rivero blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Ballard is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Rivero is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Ballard can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Ballard some problems later on. Ballard moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Rivero is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Ballard before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Ballard off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Ballard goes for a trip, but Rivero cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Rivero may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Rivero.

Round 2
Slow start. Rivero connects with the first meaningful strike of the round, a right hand that glances off the shoulder area. Ballard fights back with a left hand that finds the ribs. Rivero steps back and unleashes a big sweeping kick to the legs. Ballard can't get his front leg out of the way in time, and the kick takes it out from under him, sending Ballard down to the ground. Rivero goes to follow up, but gets sucked into guard. Rivero tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Ballard is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Rivero tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Rivero connects, but there was no real power behind it. Rivero fakes Ballard out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Ballard manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Rivero switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Ballard blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Rivero looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Ballard is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Rivero tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Ballard is safe. End of round 2. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Rivero.

Round 3
They come together into a clich almost right away. Rivero gets a knee in, but that's about the total sum of the action, and the referee separates them. Ballard moves in, but gets caught with a big kick to the legs that causes him to stumble to the mat. Rivero came in fast to try and capitalise, but Ballard uses the guard well. Rivero tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Ballard is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Rivero tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Rivero connects, but there was no real power behind it. Rivero fakes Ballard out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Ballard manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Rivero switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Ballard blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Rivero looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Ballard is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Rivero tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Ballard is safe. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Rivero. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Once again, Ballard is good enough, but not good enough. His 5th draw of his career, but it beats 5 losses. Rivero won the fight, and was never in trouble, but Ballard was good enough to defend every attack that Rivero unleashed from the ground. Outlaws stay up 2-0.

Middleweight Division

Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (7-2) v. Thorbjorn Rekdal, Outlaws (4-1-1)

Round 1
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Rekdal throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Thomas from coming inside. Rekdal works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Thomas responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Rekdal backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Thomas circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Rekdal blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Rekdal fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Thomas covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Rekdal though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. Rekdal throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. The first round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Rekdal.

Round 2
The two fighters touch gloves as the round begins. Rekdal starts brightly, throwing out a series of jabs and raking punches, but Thomas is too light on his feet and avoids all of them. Thomas steps in and hits a lovely overhand right, then a low kick to the outside of the thigh. Rekdal throws a vicious right cross, but Thomas goes under it and catches Rekdal with a scathing left hand to the gut. The next few minutes follow a very similar pattern; Thomas using his excellent movement to 'hit and run', coming in from a variety of angles to score with crisp punches, dodging out of the way of Rekdal's counters. Rekdal is being made to look sluggish by comparison, and the amount of punches that Thomas has landed in comparison to him is becoming huge. None of them have been particularly big punches, certainly nothing likely to end a fight, but the sheer number of them must be hurting Rekdal. Rekdal finally hits a meaningful blow, catching Thomas coming in with a low kick. Thomas still gets a crisp jab in though, and is back out of range before Rekdal can apply a second strike. The round comes to an end with Thomas having dominated. The second round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Thomas by 10-9.

Round 3
Thomas starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Rekdal on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Thomas to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Rekdal, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Thomas, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Rekdal is looking a little lost so far, Thomas is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. A looping left from Rekdal, but it's wide of the mark. Thomas leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Rekdal was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Rekdal comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Rekdal is that although Thomas clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Thomas by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Not the kind of match that I thouht it would turn into. I expected more action than what we ended up getting. Both fighters will be happy that they didn't take the L, but neither will be overly excited either. The Outlaws win the dual by keeping their lead 2-0. The final match becomes irrelevant. Oh Well.

Co-Main Event

Heavyweight Division

Derek South, Cyclopes (4-0) v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws (6-0)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Kapur, providing the first moment of real action. South hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Kapur side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. South is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 South.

Round 2
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. South throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble Kapur. Kick to the thigh from Kapur, but it lacked power. An exchange of punches goes nowhere, and they fall into a clinch. The referee separates them when nothing happens. South gets in close and fires off a series of body shots, nicely done. He tries to step back to avoid any counter blows, but Kapur smothers him in a clinch. South takes a knee to the ribs from the clinch, then gets pushed into the cage. Kapur uses a swift leg sweep to take South down to the ground. Kapur stands, and uses his arms to push South's guard apart. Leaning down between the legs, he starts throwing vicious punches. South tries to bring his legs back in to pull guard again, while simultaneously covering up, but he is having trouble; Kapur is using his body to keep the legs from coming in. More punches rain down, and South is starting to get really pounded. A big shot lands hard on the nose, then a left hand crunches into his cheek. The referee has seen enough and pulls Kapur away, signalling the end of this match. Kapur wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 1:14. (**)

Well, South takes the first loss of his career, and the size difference proved to be a really big deal. Especially the way it ended. Kapur was tough and runs his record to 7-0. Buffalo completes the shut out with a 3-0 win.

Co-Main Event

Lightweight Division

Jamie Hewitt, Rush (2-0) v. Liam O' Donnell, Onslaught (3-1)

Round 1
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. O'Donnell is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Hewitt blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from O'Donnell is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Hewitt is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before O'Donnell can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give O'Donnell some problems later on. O'Donnell moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Hewitt is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of O'Donnell before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown O'Donnell off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. O'Donnell goes for a trip, but Hewitt cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Hewitt may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. End of round 1. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hewitt by 10-9.

Round 2
Hewitt leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, O'Donnell deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. O'Donnell uses a knee to the ribs before backing Hewitt up against the cage. Right hand from Hewitt connects though, that was well timed. O'Donnell breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Hewitt was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from O'Donnell sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Hewitt fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Tentative long range jabs from both fighters. O'Donnell with a low sweeping kick, but it was telegraphed. Hewitt comes in quick but misses a kick. O'Donnell with a straight right, another, but then walks right into a solid punch. That certainly connected, the crowd could clearly hear it. O'Donnell backs up quickly, almost on instinct; his hands are down by his side, and he looks glassy eyed and unsteady on his feet. The referee quickly steps in and ends the fight, stopping Hewitt from following up. It'll go down as a TKO for Hewitt. As Hewitt celebrates, the doctor is quickly in to check on O'Donnell. From the looks of things, he may have been dealt a concussion with that punch to the jaw, as he doesn't look like he knows where he is. Official time of the TKO is 6:13 of the second round.(*)

A bit of surprise here as Hewitt out punches a guy who had won his last two fights by pounding his opponent into oblivion. Hewitt's win propels Austin to their first ever win. The dual ends with the final being Rush 3, Onslaught 1.

Overall, the fans felt that the show was so-so. But it, did give us a pop increase in all 78 regions. That is very helpful. Also our show saw the worst official match of my GAMMA career, between Allen and Datuk. The Outlaws have clinched the last spot in the Finals, and will face Durham for the intial Battleground trophy. Austin's win moved them up from 5th to 4th. We take some heat for the main event, as the match as a whole didn't go down that well.

PilotMan

01-28-2008, 11:00 AM

Derek South injured his ribs in his loss to Rav Kapur, and will be out for a couple of months. Jamie Hewitt was also injured in his victory. Nothing too serious, but he will be out of action for a little while. Liam O' Donnell did indeed suffer a concussion and will be out for a little while too.

Here are the current Team Battle Standings

Durham Red Raiders 5-1-1 13-5 16pts
Buffalo Outlaws 5-2-0 11-8 15pts
Pittsburgh Cyclopes 2-2-2 8-9 8pts
Austin Rush 1-4-2 8-12 5pts
Spokane Onslaught 1-5-1 7-14 4pts

All three of our fighters that we were sharing with BCF have signed new deals that allow us to fight them exclusively. This affects Wayne McKellen, Leandro Piquet and Percey Catcher.

Our next PPV event is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada. And is scheduled for the end of July. The card is set with some very good fights booked.

PilotMan

01-30-2008, 01:17 PM

GAMMA: LeToussier v. Sharp Preview
Friday, 4th week of July, 1997
Las Vegas, Nevada

Welterweight Division

Dominykas Jankovic (9-5) v. #6 Gordon Idle (8-2-1)

A basic starting fight between two guys who are trying to get a foothold in GAMMA. Jankovic suffered a loss his last time out, and Idle got a win. Idle is fighting his first fight since being released from the Austin Rush. Neither fighter is very well known, and with both fighters from overseas look for the fans to be rather ambivalent about the fight. Both men are similar all around fighters, so anything is possible here.

Heavyweight Division

#7 Fatuma Roy (17-6-1) v. Tank Manu'a (12-4)

Manu'a is a giant of a man standing at 6'5” and over 260lbs, while Roy is one of the smaller heavies, shorter than 6 feet and barely 215. Manu'a makes his GAMMA debut, and we will find out if that good record is going to be worth anything here. Roy is going to have the crowd behind him as he looks to start a win streak with a win here.

Light Heavyweight Division

Thomas Smith (7-2-2) v. Bambang Sriyanto (11-6-2)

Sriyanto makes his GAMMA debut since finishing a stint with Alpha-1. Sriyanto is coming off of a win, while Smith had a draw in his last fight. Smith likes to GNP while Sriyanto is more well rounded. Smith is much more popular in the States, and will like having the crowd behind him.

Lightweight Division

#5 Jason Dalglish (11-3) v. Charles Stiles (10-3-1)

Dalglish and Stiles is a grapplers dream. Although the fans may not like it. Both men like to spend their time defending, although Dalglish did get a win with his fists the last time out. Stiles is coming off of huge win where he was able to TKO Sean Morrison. Another win here, against a ranked opponent would put him back into the spotlight. Both fighters are reasonably well known, with Dalglish having a few more fans behind him.
Middleweight Division

Petey Mack (7-2-1) v. Noach Van Der Capellen (11-5)

Both men are rebounding off of losses here and both men have been up and down over the last year. Both men are also still adjusting to their new weight classes with Mack moving down and Capellen moving up in weight. Capellen is better known here in the US, and should have the support of the fans.
As far as quality of opposition goes, both men have fought some top rank fighters. Capellen has fought for the (welterweight) title, but Mack has fought better fighters overall.

Stuart Strange (9-4-3) v. #7 Davis Spyrou (13-5-1)

Spyrou is coming off of his loss to Amaro for the title, while Strange hasn't won a fight in a year. At one time Strange was quite highly ranked but a series of draws and a loss haven't moved him anywhere. Spyrou has better opposition and is ranked higher, but Strange is a good fighter, who should not be underestimated. Strange will be the overwhelming crowd favorite.

Light Heavyweight Division

#6 Harry Milne (20-7-1) v. #8 George Laurent (13-2-1)

Milne is fighting for the first time since dropping weight classes following his defeat against Tim Boyer. Milne was considered a top heavyweight fighter, and is now considered an even better light heavy. As for Laurent, this is his first fight since his loss to LeToussier for the title. This could be a crucial fight for both men as they look to solidly (re)- establish themselves in this weight class. Both men are from England, but it is Laurent who the crowd will be cheering for here in America.

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (18-8-2) v. #5 Linfield Ballard (12-7-1)

Bracewell isn't ranked, doesn't have a great record, didn't win his last fight, but if you were to rate his opposition you would say that he may have fought the toughest guys around. Having fought for the title (Regueiro), and fought another guy who just fought for the title (Cahill). He hasn't lost in a year. Ballard hasn't fought that much, but did beat Capellen in his last fight. He is ranked higher as well. Still the fans are going to be behind Bracewell in this one.

Light Heavyweight Division

#3 Leon Banks (11-3) v. Zvonimir Asanovic (10-2-2)

Banks makes his GAMMA debut here against the former LH Champ Asanovic. Both men are exciting fighters. Asanovic needs a win to get back to the top, where he is currently unranked, while Banks hasn't fought in over a year. Banks is more popular and the crowd is excited to have the American-born fighter back fighting in America. Expect both men to put on a good show.

Lightweight Division

#10 Sean Morrison (12-5-1) v. #2 Edson Edmilson (15-6)

Here is a match that most never thought would materialize. First, Morrison had been at the top of his game, that was until, he was beaten by Giovani Silva, and then shockingly beaten again, by Charles Stiles. Now he faces another Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master in Edmilson. Edmilson was the Alpha-1 lightweight champion for almost a year from the end of '93 thru most of '94. Morrison was the GAMMA Lightweight Champ from Feb of '95 through July of '96. So both of these men are proven winners. Edmilson makes his GAMMA debut in this fight. Clearly his reputation precedes him, look at his ranking. Edmilson has a 5 inch height advantage in the fight, which will play to his advatage on the ground. If Morrison were to take a loss here, some would really have to question the direction that his career is heading. For Emilson, a win could set up a rematch with Giovani Silva, a man that he has already beaten once. Silva would love to get some redempion for that loss. Morrison is much more popular, and will be the one that the crowd cheers for.

Heavyweight Division

#3 James Foster (17-3) v. Gary Sampson (16-12-2)

Gary Sampson lives for the competition. His last time out he was beaten by Rick Stanley, who was making his return fight since his loss. Now he takes on the former Heavyweight Champ in James Foster. Foster is the marketing face of GAMMA, and they need him to be on top in order to have some of those big matchups in the heavyweight division. Foster is heavily favored in this fight and has almost the entire world at his back cheering him on. Clearly his loss (his second in three fights) hasn't stopped his fans who do the rankings. He is still rated as one of the best PFP fighters in all the world. He needs a strong win here to keep that show going. For Sampson, he is here to get paid, and put on a good show, oh, and I am sure that he wouldn't mind if he came away with the win himself. This is his 31st fight, and he isn't getting any younger.

Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Anthony LeToussier (17-5) v. Challenger #2 Christopher Sharp (12-1-1)

This is the most highly anticipated fight in all of GAMMA at this moment. Sharp has been on a rampage and has won three of his last four fights, while LeToussier has won his last four. Both guys have loads of fans, and are known as great showmen. Sharp wasn't necessarily all that excited about fighting LeToussier right now, he didn't quite feel that he was ready, but when you put together a run like he has and the fans are screaming for it, you give them what they want. LeToussier is making his second defense of the title since he won it form Asanovic. Look for a barnburner of a fight with LeToussier looking to use his big kicks to keep Sharp from taking him to the ground, where it is perceived that he has a big advantage. The Light Heavyweight division is now one of the premiere divisions here in GAMMA, and to be able to showcase these two top fighters at an event like this goes a long way toward keeping the fans that we have as well as getting new ones.

PilotMan

01-30-2008, 10:06 PM

GAMMA: LeToussier v. Sharp
Friday, 4th week of July, 1997
Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 2,838

Welterweight Division

Dominykas Jankovic (9-5) v. #6 Gordon Idle (8-2-1)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Idle puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Jankovic defended well. Straight right from Jankovic in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Idle probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Jankovic gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Idle. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Idle by 10-9.

Round 2
A couple of straight lefts from Idle start the round, but neither got past the gloves of Jankovic. They clinch, with Jankovic looking like he initiated it. They struggle for supremacy. Idle gets taken down, but traps Jankovic in guard. The fight falls into a lull as a pattern develops; Jankovic punctuating attempts to pass guard with some sharp punches to the body and face, while Idle parries away any big blows and puts all of his effort into making sure Jankovic doesn't get a better position. Things heat up as Jankovic manages to break the guard and get through into a half mount. Idle hits a nice clean right hand in response. Jankovic throws a couple of hard punches to the stomach. He has one leg trapped, and is trying to pull that free so that he can move further up the body and really start pounding away. Idle knows that having the leg trapped is his key to not ending up in huge trouble, and so has it locked up tight. Jankovic tries a half-hearted attempt at a kimura, but Idle defends it well. The round ends with Jankovic still unable to transition into side control, although he has landed enough shots to have lit up Idle's upper body with red marks, and definitely won the round on points. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Jankovic by 10-9.

Round 3
Idle doesn't hold back, starting by immediately shooting in for a takedown. Jankovic sprawls and keeps him at bay. Idle pushes harder, but Jankovic has the much better position and manages to flip him over, putting Idle on his back. Jankovic gets sucked into his guard though. Idle has the guard held very high. Jankovic throws a big right hand, but almost puts himself right into a triangle as a result, and he is forced to fight free. Idle throws a punch and it lands right above the nose. Jankovic throws four massive punches as a response, threatening to try and knock Idle right through the canvas, Idle is forced to simply cover up and try to survive. Jankovic is controlling the round from this position, although it has to be said that he hasn't yet truly looked like he can stop the match from here. Idle moves to butterfly guard and then tries to scramble back up, but Jankovic stops that by throwing another set of big punches, forcing Idle to go back to the full guard. The round ends with them still like that, with Jankovic having totally controlled the round from the guard. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Jankovic. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

Descent little fight although it didn't prove anything. Jankovic fought well against the higher ranked fighter, and Idle didn't look like he was capable of doing anything. A good start to the show.

Heavyweight Division

#7 Fatuma Roy (17-6-1) v. Tank Manu'a (12-4)
Round 1
Roy scores the first meaningful blow of the round, hitting a powerful overhand right that thumped past the gloves. Manu'a shakes it off though, and scores with a nice low kick to the outside of the thigh. He steps in to throw some strikes, but Roy moves to a new angle and scores with a series of jabs. Manu'a turns and swings a heavy right hand, but Roy goes underneath it and hits a wicked kick to the gut. That exchange really showed the difference between the two fighters; Roy looks light on his feet and very agile, Manu'a looks slow and sluggish by comparison. Manu'a will need to find a way to nullify Roy's footwork, perhaps by getting in close, as he has been picked apart for the first half of this round. Roy darts in again, and gets in a nice flurry. Manu'a manages to hit a crisp jab in return, but one of Roy's punches caught him above the eye, leaving a mark, so he came off the worse from that exchange. The round ends without any further big strikes happening, Roy controlling the round with his superior movement. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Roy.

Round 2
Tentative circling to begin with. They meet in the center, but quickly fall into a clinch. Roy gets a nice shot in to the ribs. Manu'a gets a pair of punches to the side of the head, but they lacked power. The referee breaks them up eventually. Roy presses forward, flicking out straight rights. Manu'a leans in to throw a looping left hand. Roy avoids it, and it allows him to throw a powerful counter punch that catches Manu'a right above the ear. Great punch. Roy moves in and throws a devastating right hand. Manu'a just about manages to parry it, but it still caught him on the shoulder. Manu'a throws a right hand counter, but Roy swats it aside and lands a big left to the chest. Manu'a clinches up again. So far, Roy's power is allowing him to control this round, Manu'a is simply being out-gunned thus far. They end up next to the cage. Manu'a gets in a couple of nasty right hands to the chest. That's the first time this round that he looks to have actually hurt Roy. Roy pushes Manu'a up against the cage and unloads with three big right hands. One got through and caught Manu'a above the left eye, the other two hit home across the chest. Manu'a clinches up again to avoid getting obliterated, and the round ends before they are broken up. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Roy.

Round 3
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Manu'a is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Roy blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Manu'a is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Roy is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Manu'a can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Manu'a some problems later on. Manu'a moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Roy is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Manu'a before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Manu'a off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Manu'a goes for a trip, but Roy cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Roy may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Roy by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

An uncomfortable fight in Manu'a's debut. He didn't look like much against the higher ranked fighter, but then again, Roy didn't really show off his stuff either. Roy will be frustrated that he couldn't seal the deal against a guy that he beat for half an hour.

Light Heavyweight Division

Thomas Smith (7-2-2) v. Bambang Sriyanto (11-6-2)

Round 1
Slow start to the round. Not much happens before they wind up clinched together, struggling for supremacy. Smith uses a trip to make a takedown, but doesn't go down himself, instead staying back. He pushes the raised legs away and dives in to get side control, but Sriyanto scrambles and manages to get up, pushing Smith down to the ground. Sriyanto ends up on top, in guard. Sriyanto throws out a right hand, parried away by Smith. The guard is quite tight, for the moment at least Sriyanto looks content to stay there and throw some punches. Smith isn't offering any sort of attacking threat yet, instead concentrating on keeping the strikes from landing. A big punch is driven into the ribs, Smith thought it was going for the face. Another punch lands in the same place, and a red mark starts to develop. Smith reaches up and pulls Sriyanto down into a clinch, and tries to work an armbar from the bottom. Sriyanto defends it easily, and gets in a sharp jab to the face too. He stands up slightly, leaning forward into the guard, and starts throwing some right hands. One gets through, the others are parried. Smith looked like he might be considering trying to apply a triangle then, as Sriyanto was very exposed, but he didn't get a chance due to the ferocity of the punches. Sriyanto gets back down to kneeling in the guard. Another right hand lands to the ribs. Smith fires off two punches from his back, but Sriyanto defends them easily by simply leaning backward out of reach. Sriyanto stands again, the guard remaining tight around him, and throws another couple of bombs. This time Smith does try to apply the triangle, and an armbar at the same time, but Sriyanto breaks free. Time is ticking down, looks like Smith will survive this ground and pound attack. The round ends without further note. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sriyanto.

Round 2
Smith starts fast, coming out almost immediately with a three punch combination. None of them get through, and Sriyanto manages to squeeze a jab of his own through and score just above the left cheek. They exchange a flurry of blows right in the center, it's difficult to see who got the best of it, and both of them retreat a few steps to recover. Good start to the round, early indications are that this is going to be all about the striking, neither fighter has even hinted at going for a takedown. Sriyanto uses a low kick to set up a nice right hand, and Smith is forced back against the cage. Sriyanto picks his shots and gets a big punch to the body in. Smith uses a couple of looping punches to make Sriyanto keep back, but it doesn't last for long, as Sriyanto bursts forward and hits two big right hands, taking a counter punch to the body though, and they wind up in a clinch. They exchange weak-looking blows from that position, before the referee grows tired of the inactivity and breaks them apart. Smith scores with a low kick. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Sriyanto unwinds a right hook that narrowly misses. That will be the last action of the round though. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sriyanto.

Round 3
Tentative start, neither fighter is willing to commit yet. Sriyanto fires off a jab, but it was easily blocked. Smith fakes a kick, then comes in hard and fast with a takedown, sending Sriyanto to the floor. The momentum causes Smith to almost go completely over the top though, and Sriyanto is able to flip him to the side and end up on top, in the guard position. Sriyanto looks to pound out a victory, throwing some big punches. Smith's guard prevents him from getting his body behind the shots though, and none of them have enough power to really trouble Smith. A couple do get through and hit home though. Smith reaches up and smothers Sriyanto into a clinch. He fights free, with some difficulty, and starts punching away again. Smith parries the shots away. Unfortunately the round enters a lull, with Sriyanto unable to pass guard and so being content just to throw punches from there, while Smith is unwilling to risk letting Sriyanto pass guard. We enter the final thirty seconds of the round before Sriyanto gets a breakthrough, managing to power through the guard and mount Smith! Smith covers up and tries to buck and roll his hips to desperately try and dislodge Sriyanto. It doesn't work, but it does unbalance him enough to reduce the amount of punches being thrown. Some do come raining down though, and Smith is probably relieved when the round ends with him not having taken too much damage. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sriyanto. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Ohhhh, Smith is a lucky one there, he was beaten up pretty good throughout the whole fight. Sriyanto made a nice debut here, and did quite well, almost getting the win there at the end. Still, a draw here sucks the momentum right out of both of them.

Lightweight Division

#5 Jason Dalglish (11-3) v. Charles Stiles (10-3-1)

Round 1
Dalglish starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but Stiles avoids it without too much trouble. Dalglish isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with Stiles getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Dalglish finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. Stiles opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Dalglish is backed up against the cage, covering up. Stiles clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Dalglish hits a knee strike to the hip. Stiles slips one leg behind Dalglish and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Dalglish landed hard, with Stiles on top. They're in half guard. It's to Dalglish's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking Stiles from attacking the left hand side of the body. Dalglish is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. Stiles tries to step over to mount, but Dalglish keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. Stiles fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Dalglish doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. Stiles isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Dalglish ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before Stiles can get free. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Stiles.

Round 2
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Dalglish that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. Stiles looks to be working an angle. Stiles ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Dalglish, although no damage has actually been done yet. Stiles makes Dalglish back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Stiles throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Dalglish lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Stiles by surprise, putting him down! Dalglish follows up and starts raining down right hands. Stiles covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Dalglish off, the match is over. Dalglish wins via second round TKO at 2:34. (*)

Once again, it is Dalglish and his striking ability that get him the win. Better known as a submission specialist, his stand up game has really come around. Stiles is going to be pissed, that he let that win over Morrison get away. For Dalglish, this win keeps him squarely at the top of the lightweight division, and although he was soundly beaten by Silva, one can make a good argument that he deserves to remain there.

Middleweight Division

Petey Mack (7-2-1) v. Noach Van Der Capellen (11-5)

Round 1
Van Der Capellen works an angle and comes in from the side of Mack, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Mack hits a low kick to back Van Der Capellen against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Van Der Capellen fights out and the action returns to the center. Van Der Capellen backs Mack up against the cage in a clinch. There's a struggle, and Van Der Capellen pops his right arm free and gets in two brutal elbows to the side of the head before Mack can re-tie the arm back up. Those were really crunching blows, the second one in particular rocked Mack. Van Der Capellen gets his arm free again, and delivers another two vicious blows. Mack doesn't go down, but may well be out on his feet. The referee seems to think so, as he covers Mack up, stopping any further punishment. Those deadly elbows have won the match for Van Der Capellen. Official time of the TKO is 2:44 of the first. (***)

VDC makes stunningly quick work of Mack here, as his work in the clinch really paid off. Mack, who was expected to get the win here, will be heading back to the drawing board to find out what he can do to improve in the future. For VDC, a nice win, and a possible start back to the top of the middleweight division. He will need to get a couple more if that is going to happen though.

Stuart Strange (9-4-3) v. #7 Davis Spyrou (13-5-1)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Spyrou works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Strange backed up against the cage. Spyrou gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Strange, who uses his legs well to defend. Spyrou pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Strange gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Spyrou follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Spyrou hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Strange tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Strange leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Spyrou.

Round 2
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Spyrou puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Strange defended well. Straight right from Strange in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Spyrou probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Strange gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Spyrou. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Spyrou.

Round 3
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Strange gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. Strange clinches with Spyrou and pushes him back against the cage. Spyrou gets in a knee, but a second attempt gets caught. Strange uses that for leverage, and with only one leg remaining, Spyrou has no base left with which to stop Strange drilling him with a big slam! Spyrou landed hard, but pulled guard, and will be thankful that he landed next to the cage, which can be used to his advantage. Spyrou struggles to contain Strange, who passes to half guard without too much trouble. A few hard shots get thrown, and Spyrou does well to defend them, deflecting them off his gloves. Strange is trying to get his leg free so that he can get into side control. Spyrou throws a couple of punches from his back, but they do very little damage. Strange half-stands, and throws a couple of big punches with a lot of force behind them. One is blocked, but the other hits home just below the left eye. Spyrou tries to cover up, while Strange manages to get his leg free and get into a mount. Spyrou is in big trouble. He tries to roll his hips and shift Strange's weight, but it's not working. Strange fires off a couple of punches, then drops an absolute bomb of a right hand, landing flush on the chin! Spyrou is out, just for a second, but the referee has already pulled Strange off. Sharp-eyed refereeing there. This match is over by knock out. Official time of the knock out is 1:15 of the third round. (**)

Great win for Strange, who had been in a bit of a lull. For Spyrou, a long hard fall after missing his shot at the title. There is a good chance now that he will drop right out of contention in the middleweight division.

Light Heavyweight Division

#6 Harry Milne (20-7-1) v. #8 George Laurent (13-2-1)

Round 1
Laurent starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but Milne avoids it without too much trouble. Laurent isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with Milne getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Laurent finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. Milne opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Laurent is backed up against the cage, covering up. Milne clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Laurent hits a knee strike to the hip. Milne slips one leg behind Laurent and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Laurent landed hard, with Milne on top. They're in half guard. It's to Laurent's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking Milne from attacking the left hand side of the body. Laurent is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. Milne tries to step over to mount, but Laurent keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. Milne fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Laurent doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. Milne isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Laurent ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before Milne can get free. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Milne.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Milne forces Laurent back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Milne is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Laurent clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Laurent gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Milne seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Laurent who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Milne had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Milne throws a ragged jab, missing by a mile as Laurent simply ducks under and unloads a vicious hook from below. It catches Milne square on the jaw, and he goes down! Laurent mounts and starts firing off punches, rapid-fire. The referee waits to see if Milne can recover, decides that he can't, and pulls Laurent off. The match is over. Official time of the TKO is 7:37 of the second. (**)

Good recovery for Laurent. His efforts will pay off over the long run. For Milne, I think that he underestimated the man that he was facing, clearly he didn't spar opponents who was hard hitters. That makes two straight losses for Milne now. He ain't getting any younger.

Welterweight Division

Peter Bracewell (18-8-2) v. #5 Linfield Ballard (12-7-1)

Round 1
Tentative start, neither fighter is willing to commit yet. Bracewell fires off a jab, but it was easily blocked. Ballard fakes a kick, then comes in hard and fast with a takedown, sending Bracewell to the floor. The momentum causes Ballard to almost go completely over the top though, and Bracewell is able to flip him to the side and end up on top, in the guard position. Bracewell passes guard and gets into side control, but it's an awkward position; Ballard has the entire right hand side of his body up against the cage, and both his legs wrapped around Bracewell's left arm. Bracewell's attacking options are fairly limited. He uses a couple of back fists to strike away at the face, but Ballard covers up to defend them. Bracewell tries to pin down one of Ballard's arms and bring his legs around to trap them fully, but Ballard uses his free arm to stop that from happening. The ground battle enters a stalemate, as Bracewell finds himself unable to do any real damage other than occasional strikes, which he doesn't have the leverage to get much power behind, with virtually no chance of gaining a submission thanks to his left arm being trapped. The referee eventually stands them up, and the time expires before anything interesting can happen with them standing. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Bracewell.

Round 2
The round begins, and it is Bracewell who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Ballard defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Bracewell works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Ballard ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Bracewell down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Ballard. Interesting first minute of action, Bracewell is looking particularly sharp. Ballard tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Bracewell back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Ballard tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Bracewell scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. An exchange of punches goes nowhere, and they fall into a clinch. The referee separates them when nothing happens. They square up to each other in the center. Bracewell throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Ballard on the side of the head. Ballard got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Bracewell has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Ballard tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Bracewell defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. End of round 2. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Bracewell.

Round 3
Nice fast-paced start from Bracewell, who gets right in Ballard's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as Ballard side-stepped. Ballard fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Bracewell steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from Ballard. Bracewell is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Bracewell sweeps Ballard's standing leg and takes them to the ground. Ballard quickly pulls guard. Bracewell passes guard and gets into side control, but it's an awkward position; Ballard has the entire right hand side of his body up against the cage, and both his legs wrapped around Bracewell's left arm. Bracewell's attacking options are fairly limited. He uses a couple of back fists to strike away at the face, but Ballard covers up to defend them. Bracewell tries to pin down one of Ballard's arms and bring his legs around to trap them fully, but Ballard uses his free arm to stop that from happening. The ground battle enters a stalemate, as Bracewell finds himself unable to do any real damage other than occasional strikes, which he doesn't have the leverage to get much power behind, with virtually no chance of gaining a submission thanks to his left arm being trapped. The referee eventually stands them up, and the time expires before anything interesting can happen with them standing. End of round 3. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Bracewell. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

A solid fight from Bracewell, and a good look at Ballard, who was good enough not to get beaten on the ground. His good defense is just what he needed, as Bracewell was considered the better ground warrior. Neither man is going to be overjoyed with the draw, but neither can complain either.

Light Heavyweight Division

#3 Leon Banks (11-3) v. Zvonimir Asanovic (10-2-2)

Round 1
Banks hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Asanovic to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Banks hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Asanovic tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Banks having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Asanovic. Asanovic with a jab. For a second it looked like Banks was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. Big kick from Asanovic! That was out of nowhere, and hit Banks on the jaw. I don't think anyone saw that coming, least of all Banks, and he has been laid out cold with one massively powerful kick. Official time of the knock out is 4:56 of the first round. (****)

Holy fuck didn't see that coming from anywhere! Asanovic puts his name back into the hat in a big, big way. Banks will be out some time after that kick. WOW!

Lightweight Division

#10 Sean Morrison (12-5-1) v. #2 Edson Edmilson (15-6)

Round 1
The round begins with Edmilson taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Morrison replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Edmilson goes for the takedown, but Morrison sprawls. Edmilson tries to power through, but Morrison uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Edmilson defend this. Morrison is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Edmilson isn't allowing it. Edmilson pulls Morrison in tight, locking up both his arms. Morrison pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Morrison tries a big right hand, which Edmilson defends well. He has quite a high guard, Morrison has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Edmilson once again drags Morrison down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Morrison easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Morrison trying to pass guard. Edmilson tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Morrison, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Morrison scores with a jab, then a second. Edmilson goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Morrison enough time to take him down again. Morrison quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Edmilson once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Morrison on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Morrison.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. Morrison flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Edmilson easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Morrison could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Edmilson moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Morrison is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Morrison forces Edmilson back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Edmilson in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Morrison does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Edmilson saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Morrison turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Morrison is up quickly, causing Edmilson, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Morrison was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Morrison throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Edmilson to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Edmilson by 10-9.

Round 3
Edmilson starts with a high kick, but Morrison was well out of range. Edmilson looks to be working an angle. Edmilson steps in and exchanges strikes with Morrison, neither fighter gets a particular advantage from it. Morrison parries away a nice right hand and gets in a crisp counter punch that catches Edmilson on the shoulder. The round has been a little flat so far, neither of them is really forcing the issue. They enter into a clinch, which doesn't help matters, and that seems to last for an eternity before the referee separates them and tells them to get on with it. Edmilson finally shows some fire, putting together a combination of two jabs, a cross, and an uppercut. Morrison did well to defend it, bobbing and weaving out of the way and using his gloves to parry away anything that was too close. He uses a low kick to the thigh as a response, then steps in and unloads with two fine punches, although Edmilson blocked them. Edmilson scores the best punch of the round so far, coming in fast, ducking under a dangerous right hand, and catching Morrison square in the face with a lunging overhand right. Morrison backs off and covers up, clearly having felt that one, and unfortunately Edmilson's attempts to follow up and thwarted as he gets tied up in a clinch near the cage. The time expires, with Edmilson probably having stolen that round thanks to that one big punch. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Edmilson. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Bit of a dissapointing fight there. Morrsion should really have been able to put the fight away there in the second round. Hopefully the fans saw it as an entertaining fight, but it is dissapointing that neither man walked away with the win and the momentum.

Heavyweight Division

#3 James Foster (17-3) v. Gary Sampson (16-12-2)

Round 1
The round starts. They touch gloves. Sampson throws a rapid-fire series of punches, forcing Foster to back off. Foster throws a nice kick that thumps into the rib cage. Another kick is thrown, this time aimed at the head, but Sampson sees it coming and steps back. Foster advances and they meet in the center. Sampson ducks a right hand, scores with a left to the gut. Foster throws a one-two combination, neither connecting, but it does allow him to follow up with a stinging kick to the ribs. A big red mark has appeared there. Sampson bursts forward and goes for a big swing, Foster ducks under it, hits a right to the chest, then unloads another kick. This one hits the thigh, causing Sampson to noticeably wince. It may have caught the very top of the knee judging from the replays. Sampson tries to come in to get a measure of revenge, but is met with some low kicks that make sure that he can't get close enough to throw any bombs. Foster's impressively sharp kicking game is hurting Sampson and allowing him to take firm control of this round. There's not much time left, and Sampson is going to have to do something special to win this round now. He doesn't, as time expires without anything interesting happening. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Foster.

Round 2
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Foster puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Sampson defended well. Straight right from Sampson in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Foster probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Sampson gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Foster. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Foster.

Round 3
Foster doesn't exactly disguise his intentions for this round, going right to the center and motioning for Sampson to come and trade blows. Sampson wisely keeps back for the time being, content to throw long-range jabs. Foster isn't quite as content though, as he begins to stalk Sampson. They meet near the cage. Sampson hits a nice jab, then goes to clinch. Foster stops that with a powerful right hand to the body, then a fizzing left hook that glances off the side of the head. An attempt at a knock out right hand finds nothing but gloves. It is clear that Foster believes that he has the power to get a knock out here, his game plan appears to be to look for the one punch finish. Sampson is trying to keep moving, to not let Foster get set to throw a bomb. Foster is controlling this round by virtue of the knock out threat, as Sampson is being forced to fight somewhat defensively. Foster throws another big punch, narrowly missing, but does score with a follow up jab, landing just above the right eye. Sampson returns fire with a pair of jabs, both finding gloves. Time begins to tick away. It hasn't been the most exciting round, but Foster has controlled it and managed to land the better shots. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Foster. The official result of the match is a draw. (***)

Arrgh! My big fights are fizzling before my eyes. Foster should have been able to put this fight away eaisly. Instead, Sampson keeps backing up and basically refused to get beaten. Foster should have been more aggressive in taking this fight to the ground. A draw will help him, but won't get him any new fans.

Main Event

GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Champion Anthony LeToussier (17-5) v. Challenger #2 Christopher Sharp (12-1-1)

Round 1
LeToussier scores the first meaningful blow of the round, hitting a powerful overhand right that thumped past the gloves. Sharp shakes it off though, and scores with a nice low kick to the outside of the thigh. He steps in to throw some strikes, but LeToussier moves to a new angle and scores with a series of jabs. Sharp turns and swings a heavy right hand, but LeToussier goes underneath it and hits a wicked kick to the gut. That exchange really showed the difference between the two fighters; LeToussier looks light on his feet and very agile, Sharp looks slow and sluggish by comparison. Sharp will need to find a way to nullify LeToussier's footwork, perhaps by getting in close, as he has been picked apart for the first half of this round. LeToussier darts in again, and gets in a nice flurry. Sharp manages to hit a crisp jab in return, but one of LeToussier's punches caught him above the eye, leaving a mark, so he came off the worse from that exchange. The round ends without any further big strikes happening, LeToussier controlling the round with his superior movement. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to LeToussier.

Round 2
Sharp throws a straight right, batted away by LeToussier. Sharp goes for a second, but gets beaten to the punch as LeToussier scores with a kick that catches Sharp across the outside of the knee. LeToussier throws another one, and this time it lands just above the same knee. Sharp backs off slightly. LeToussier throws a high jab, then head-fakes and comes in with a left hook from low down. Sharp fires back with a crisp right hand that connects to the shoulder rather than the face. LeToussier throws another fizzing low kick, again connecting with the knee. Sharp tried to check it, but couldn't in time. Those strikes are going to add up soon and start reducing his mobility. LeToussier throws another kick, this time at chest-height, but it's merely a set-up to allow him to come in fast and start throwing a series of jabs. Sharp covers up, throwing occasional straight rights in return. LeToussier backs off, but not before cracking another kick into the thigh region. Time is running down, Sharp has failed to deal with those kicks, and it has definitely cost him this round, and possibly done some damage to his knee. The round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 LeToussier.

Round 3
The round begins, and it is LeToussier who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Sharp defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. LeToussier works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Sharp ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow LeToussier down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Sharp. Interesting first minute of action, LeToussier is looking particularly sharp. Sharp tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving LeToussier back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Sharp tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. LeToussier scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. An exchange of punches goes nowhere, and they fall into a clinch. The referee separates them when nothing happens. They square up to each other in the center. LeToussier throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Sharp on the side of the head. Sharp got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; LeToussier has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Sharp tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but LeToussier defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to LeToussier.

Round 4
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. LeToussier throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Sharp from coming inside. LeToussier works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Sharp responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. LeToussier backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Sharp circles and throws a series of high jabs, but LeToussier blocked them with ease, using the gloves. LeToussier fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Sharp covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from LeToussier though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. LeToussier throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. End of round 4. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 LeToussier.

Round 5
Sharp starts strongly, hitting two stiff jabs to the gloves, stinging the hands of LeToussier. The third strike is a meaty left hook that narrowly misses. If that had hit, LeToussier may well have been decapitated. Despite leaning backwards, LeToussier throws a mighty kick that explodes across the chest, Sharp staggers back. That was an enormously powerful blow, and Sharp didn't see it coming at all. They circle for a moment, sizing each other up. LeToussier throws a flurry of jabs, but Sharp blocks them easily. A right hand from Sharp lands below the eye, and a straight left glances off the shoulder. Another exchange doesn't see either fighter get an advantage. Sharp throws a heavy left, but LeToussier goes underneath it. Another hard kick from LeToussier, this time smashing into the left thigh. Sharp almost get knocked down. He throws a left hook in retaliation which misses by a mile, and gives LeToussier the chance to hit another big kick, this time to the ribs. The round has been pretty even, with the exception of those kicks by LeToussier which have really made a big difference. As the round comes to an end, it looks like those will make sure that LeToussier wins the round on points. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to LeToussier by 10-9. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (***)

Well Sharp manages to do what no other fighter has been able to and that is to go 50 minutes with LeToussier. Despite getting beaten up pretty badly along the way. LeToussier's feet were the real difference maker here, as his kicks were virtually indefensible. Sharp never got the offense, or the ground game going that he needed to in order to take the fight his way. A draw will kill the momentum for both men, but I have a feeling that we may not be seeing the last of either one.

Fans were happy with the show and were gained pop in all 61 regions that we had coverage. A couple of really nice fights in there along with a couple of stinkers.

PilotMan

02-05-2008, 07:13 PM

ason Dalglish, who won his fight last night suffered a serious foot injury and is going to miss about half a year. Fatuma Roy was also hurt although his injury is believed to be much less serious. Leon Banks will be out with an injury after getting knocked cold in his fight.

PilotMan

02-05-2008, 07:13 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
to be broadcast around the world
from Helena, Montana
Friday, Second week of August

Durham Red Raiders (5-1-1 13-5 16pts) v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-2-2 8-9 8pts)
Spokane Onslaught (1-5-1 7-14 4pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (5-2-0 11-8 15pts)

These duals won't settle much except to finish the regular season for all except Pittsburgh and get Durham and Buffalo a look at each other before their final match for the Battleground Title.

Welterweight Division

Dana Delaney, Onslaught v. Eli Harris, Outlaws

Middleweight Division

Dennis Gallagher, Cyclopes v. Wayne McKellen, Red Raiders

Welterweight Division

Rey Eton, Red Raiders v. Bruno Epps, Cyclopes

Lightweight Division

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders

Heavyweight Division

Bob Dozier, Onslaught v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws

Middleweight Division

Buddy Garner, Onslaught v. Phil Ball, Outlaws

Lightweight Division

Marcus Speed, Outlaws v. Luke Hilton, Onslaught

Light Heavyweight Division

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders v. Bill Brown, Cyclopes

Christian Mountfield, Outlaws v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught

Main Event

Heavyweight Division

Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes v. Marvin Stevens, Red Raiders

PilotMan

02-05-2008, 07:14 PM

GAMMA is pleased to announce the signing of two high profile fighters who were recently released from Alpha-1 in Japan. The first is former lightweight champion Ricardo Fernandes (17-7). Fernandes is 31 and won his last fight. He is very well known through the world and will make our deep lightweight division even deeper.

Second is former heavyweight champion, Robun Yamazaki. Yamazaki is 32 with a MMA record of 18-6. His last fight was a win in November of last year. Yamazaki is considered to be one of the best heavies in the world.

We are fortunate to have both of these men fighting for us. Our overall roster if approaching 150 fighters which is insanely high. Still, I don't feel like it is too much, as guys are still regularly getting fights.

We bring in a third former Alpha-1 fighter. He is Gabriel Gallego. Gallego is 27 and boasts a 13-1 record. He won his last fight, in April of this year. Gallego will fight at the welterweight division.

PilotMan

02-19-2008, 03:43 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown Previews
to be broadcast around the world
from Helena, Montana
Friday, Second week of August

Durham Red Raiders (5-1-1 13-5 16pts) v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-2-2 8-9 8pts)
Spokane Onslaught (1-5-1 7-14 4pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (5-2-0 11-8 15pts)

These duals won't settle much except to finish the regular season for all except Pittsburgh and get Durham and Buffalo a look at each other before their final match for the Battleground Title.

Welterweight Division

Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-2-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (1-1)

Delaney shows up with a couple more fights under his belt, but comes off of a draw, while Harris is coming off of a solid win. It's hard to know what you get with Harris as he lost and won in dramatic fashion. With Delaney, you get a guy who hasn't won in over a year, but still has good skills. Fans know Delaney better, so expect a better following for him.

Middleweight Division

Dennis Gallagher, Cyclopes (3-2) v. Wayne McKellen, Red Raiders (4-1)

McKellen makes his GAMMA debut since coming over from BCF. Gallagher is also over from BCF, and was beaten in under a minute in his debut. Anything could happen between these two, and neither is well known. Your guess is as good as mine.

Welterweight Division

#10 Ray Eton, Red Raiders (7-2-2) v. Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-3)

Eton comes in as the only ranked fighter going at it in tonights show. His top 10 ranking is due to being undefeated in his last three fights. Epps comes in having lost two straight, and with a chip on his shoulder. He knows that his team is done for the year, but a win over the only ranked guy in the show. Eton is very well known by comparison and will have almost unanimous support.

Lightweight Division

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes (6-0) v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders (4-4-2)

Carsley comes in with a great record and a 7 month layoff. His last fight was last year, a win over Marcus Speed. O' Hearn has dropped two straight and will be anxious to get back to winning. Carsley is the fans choice to win the fight, and this commentators pick as well.

Heavyweight Division

Bob Dozier, Onslaught (5-3) v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws (7-0)

Two big boys battle it out for heavyweight respect. Kapur hopes to keep his win streak alive and hopes that by doing that he is able to break into the top 10. He has been hard to handle for all comers. Dozier lost his last fight to Mugur Boc, and thinks that he has what it takes to dismantle the big Kapur. This will be Kapur's third fight in three months. He has been very active since returning from his injury. Kapur is the better known and will have good fan support in the fight.

Middleweight Division

Buddy Garner, Onslaught (9-1-1) v. Phil Ball, Outlaws (7-8-1)

Garner returns to the ring to fight his 4th fight in 4 months. He was shocked in his last fight by being beaten by Lloyd McAllister. Ball, who held McAllister to a draw, has lost his last two fights, and hopes that he can turn things around here. Garner is very popular and will have many fans cheering him on.

Lightweight Division

Marcus Speed, Outlaws (4-1) v. Luke Hilton, Onslaught (4-3)

Luke Hilton has lost both of his last fights, but shows up here against a bigger man. Speed has a 5 inch height advantage here. Speed is better known and should be able to get get the win over Hilton if he can stay on his feet. If Hilton can score the knockdown and gain control he can steal the fight.

Light Heavyweight Division

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders (3-0-2) v. Bill Brown, Cyclopes (0-0-1)

A battle of green, unbeaten fighters. Brown, who was a big underdog in his first fight, pulled off a draw in a fight that he could have won. The funny thing was that fight was against Zvonimir Asanovic. Not your average, run of the mill guy, that you debut against. Brown fought a great fight, and didn't lost. Hyde, in his last fight, beat Nick Detroit. Hyde is better known and combined with his record is expected to pull off the win over the unknown Brown.

Christian Mountfield, Outlaws (5-3-1) v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught (5-4-2)

This is a rematch between these two from when they fought last year. That fight resulted in a draw. Since, both fighters have been beaten by Faas Smit, and neither has really moved up the food chain. Mountfield is slightly better known, and boasts a better record. Look for him to have the best shot.

Main Event

Heavyweight Division

Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes (10-7-1) v. Marvin Stevens, Red Raiders (8-0-3)

Sheedy was beaten in his last fight, but that doesn't stop him from bringing more experience into the fight. Stevens though, is undefeated, but hasn't looked great. Both men are big fighters, so there will be a lot of flesh flying around the cage. Stevens will have more fans cheering for him. Both men like to be in control on the ground. There is a good possiblity that whoever can get control first will win the fight.

PilotMan

02-19-2008, 03:48 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
broadcast around the world
from Helena, Montana
Friday, Second week of August
Attendance: 709

Durham Red Raiders (5-1-1 13-5 16pts) v. Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-2-2 8-9 8pts)
Spokane Onslaught (1-5-1 7-14 4pts) v. Buffalo Outlaws (5-2-0 11-8 15pts)

These duals won't settle much except to finish the regular season for all except Pittsburgh and get Durham and Buffalo a look at each other before their final match for the Battleground Title.

Welterweight Division

Dana Delaney, Onslaught (4-2-2) v. Eli Harris, Outlaws (1-1)

Round 1
Harris moves in quickly to begin, trapping Delaney against the cage. Looks like a statement of intent, Harris is going to try and out-wrestle Delaney. Harris works for position, and tries to get in a hard shot to the face, Delaney turned out of it and got free though, no damage done. Harris comes in again, looking for the grapple, but gets sent back with a succession of three crisp jabs and a speculative high kick. They clinch, although it's an ugly-looking one. Harris forces his way to the side, still grappling for supremacy, and then manages to get all the way behind. Delaney gave up his back quite easily. Harris takes Delaney down with a variation on the suplex, but Delaney keeps his wits and makes sure that he is able to pull guard pretty quickly upon landing. Delaney is forced to cover up as Harris starts hammering away with enormous strikes from the guard, trying to simply power the shots through. Some do cause some damage, landing as Delaney tries unsuccessfully to throw some counters. Harris transitions to side control without any issues and starts finding the punches down again, this time with more leverage and therefore more power. Delaney tries to defend them, but a lot of them are getting through. The referee finally has enough and calls an end to the match, feeling that Delaney was getting overwhelmed. Official time of the TKO is 2:25 of the first. (*)

Another solid win for Harris. I certainly didn't expect that he would make such short work of the other fighter. Outlaws go up 1-0.

Middleweight Division

Dennis Gallagher, Cyclopes (3-2) v. Wayne McKellen, Red Raiders (4-1)

Round 1
They come together, both throwing punches. Gallagher gets a nice clean shot in, and McKellen stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Gallagher is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Gallagher wins via TKO at 0:29 of the first round. (*)

Damn, those BCF guys have it tough in their first GAMMA fights. McKellen gets creamed in his debut. Gallagher, who had been beaten that fast, pulls one out with a win in just about the same time. Cyclopes take a 1-0 lead.

Welterweight Division

Rey Eton, Red Raiders v. Bruno Epps, Cyclopes

Round 1
Epps is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Eton with a jab to the cheek. Eton uses a nice straight left to return fire. Epps comes in to work the body, but Eton saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Epps onto the floor, falling into guard. Eton tries to grab an arm to work a submission, but Epps is defending it well by using short, sharp strikes to keep him back. Eton tries to pass the guard, but has no luck. A punch from Eton connects, but there was no real power behind it. Eton fakes Epps out cleverly, and slips to a half mount. Epps manages to hit a firm elbow, then is forced to defend the full mount attempt. Eton switches tactics and tries to work a kimura on the other arm, but Epps blocks it, squirms his leg free, and secures the guard again. Eton looks frustrated at losing the half mount after having worked so hard to get it in the first place. Epps is liable to lose the round on points, but he has done a fine job of defending the submissions attempts so far. Eton tries to secure a leglock, but the guard is tight and Epps is safe. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Eton.

Round 2
Slow start to the round. Not much happens before they wind up clinched together, struggling for supremacy. Epps uses a trip to make a takedown, but doesn't go down himself, instead staying back. He pushes the raised legs away and dives in to get side control, but Eton scrambles and manages to get up, pushing Epps down to the ground. Eton ends up on top, in guard. Eton stands into a half-crouching position, dragging Epps's guard with him. Epps reaches up, parries away a couple of strikes, and tries to grab an arm to apply an armbar to. Eton knocks the attempt away and nails a hard shot to the ribs before reaching over and trying to nail a downward punch to the chin. Epps blocks it. Eton floats over and gets into side control. Epps scrambles to try and get back up, but is too close to the cage, which works against him. Eton lays in a couple of punches to the chest to soften Epps up, then tries to move up and isolate one of the arms. Epps makes sure to bring his body around to give him as much protection as possible. It works, as Eton can't get either arm isolated properly. Eton changes tactics and tries to get into crucifix position. Epps fights it for as long as he possibly can, but eventually gets caught. The length of struggle is, in itself, a good defence though, as the round ends before Eton can do anything with the position he has achieved, which will frustrate him enormously. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Eton.

Round 3
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Epps is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Eton blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Epps is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Eton is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Epps can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Epps some problems later on. Epps moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Eton is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Epps before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Epps off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Epps goes for a trip, but Eton cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Eton may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Eton by 10-9. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (**)

Well, Epps didn't get beat. Although he was within seconds of it. Eton for a good fight, and really created some problems for Epps. In the end he gets a draw, not exactly what he wanted. Cyclopes lead 1-0.

Lightweight Division

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes v. Malcom O' Hearn, Red Raiders

Round 1
Fast start by Carsley, who has thrown three crisp jabs in the first twenty seconds, although none of them got past the gloves. O'Hearn circles, drawing a lunge from Carsley, allowing him to score with a nice low kick to the front leg. Carsley ignores that and darts in for a takedown, but only ends up holding one leg, O'Hearn hopping on the other to remain vertical. Carsley tries to push forward to complete the takedown, but O'Hearn manages to pull them all the way back to the cage before ultimately going down. That's a much better position to be in though, he has his corner right there, and can use the cage to effectively cut off any form of attack to the left hand side of his body. Carsley has one leg trapped between O'Hearn's, and is struggling to get it free. He throws a couple of punches, none of them doing much damage, and then tries to work on one of the arms. It might be a kimura that he looking for. O'Hearn defends it well, without fully escaping it, Carsley can't really do a lot with it due to how much he is having to stretch to apply it, due to his leg being trapped. O'Hearn suddenly releases the leg and scrambles up, looking to take Carsley's back. Carsley was ready for it though, and blocks it by pinning a half-standing O'Hearn up against the cage. It's a precarious position for both fighters. O'Hearn throws a couple of short-range punches. Carsley gets a leg in and trips O'Hearn, putting him back on the ground, albeit this time in full guard. It was a nice escape attempt from O'Hearn, at least he can take heart from the fact that it resulted in a better defensive position. Time is running out, it looks like this round will end with them in this position. End of round 1. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Carsley.

Round 2
O'Hearn is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Carsley with a jab to the cheek. Carsley uses a nice straight left to return fire. O'Hearn comes in to work the body, but Carsley saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put O'Hearn onto the floor, falling into guard. Carsley passes guard and gets into side control, but it's an awkward position; O'Hearn has the entire right hand side of his body up against the cage, and both his legs wrapped around Carsley's left arm. Carsley's attacking options are fairly limited. He uses a couple of back fists to strike away at the face, but O'Hearn covers up to defend them. Carsley tries to pin down one of O'Hearn's arms and bring his legs around to trap them fully, but O'Hearn uses his free arm to stop that from happening. The ground battle enters a stalemate, as Carsley finds himself unable to do any real damage other than occasional strikes, which he doesn't have the leverage to get much power behind, with virtually no chance of gaining a submission thanks to his left arm being trapped. The referee eventually stands them up, and the time expires before anything interesting can happen with them standing. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Carsley.

Round 3
Nice fast-paced start from Carsley, who gets right in O'Hearn's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as O'Hearn side-stepped. O'Hearn fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Carsley steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from O'Hearn. Carsley is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Carsley sweeps O'Hearn's standing leg and takes them to the ground. O'Hearn quickly pulls guard. O'Hearn tries to push free, but Carsley forces him to go back to guard by raining down some jabs. Carsley reaches over and tries to apply some sort of neck vice, but O'Hearn breaks it by bringing his arms up. Carsley steps through in an effort to mount O'Hearn, but can only get to half guard as one of his legs gets trapped. Carsley throws some strikes, then tries to work an armbar on the closest arm. O'Hearn rolls over and uses his free arm to keep that from happening. That goes on for quite a long time, with Carsley determined to try and work the arm free and get an armbar, while O'Hearn uses everything at his disposal to block it. The round ends without Carsley having made the breakthrough, although he clearly ran away with the round in terms of points. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Carsley. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

O Hearn showed a lot of heart and found himself defending almost the entire fight. Carsley tried a number of different tactics but never found the one that got him the win. Cyclopes retain the lead 1-0.

Heavyweight Division

Bob Dozier, Onslaught v. Rav Kapur, Outlaws

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Dozier forces Kapur back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Dozier is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Kapur clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Kapur gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Dozier seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Kapur who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Dozier had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. They clinch, although it's an ugly-looking one. Kapur forces his way to the side, still grappling for supremacy, and then manages to get all the way behind. Dozier gave up his back quite easily. Kapur takes Dozier down with a variation on the suplex, but Dozier keeps his wits and makes sure that he is able to pull guard pretty quickly upon landing. Dozier is trying to turn. Kapur fires off a big punch, and it connects right on the point of the chin. Dozier goes limp, he is out cold from one brutal shot, Kapur manages to get the knock out from the guard position. The referee leaps in and makes sure that Kapur doesn't throw any more bombs. Kapur wins via 1st round knock out with the official time being 6:39. (*)

Damn, Kapur wins another by pounding away from on top, while in the guard. Dozier started off well, but got in trouble once he was on his back. Outlaws go up 2-0.

Middleweight Division

Buddy Garner, Onslaught v. Phil Ball, Outlaws

Round 1
Garner meets Ball in the center. They exchange tentative long-range punches. Ball steps in to press the action, but gets caught with a right hand. Garner scores with a left too, then a crisp jab. Ball backs off, that exchange did not go in his favour by any means. Garner presses the advantage and gets in a couple more jabs, forcing Ball onto the back-foot, all the way until he is up against the cage. Garner stands just in range and starts throwing occasional straight rights, forcing Ball to try and react in time. Ball parries a few shots away, but also gets caught with a couple. He steps forward and tries to get a clinch, but Garner keeps away from it and continues to flick quick jabs out. Ball is really getting schooled so far, Garner's hand speed and technique have allowed him to completely control everything about this round, Ball hasn't been able to generate anything of note. Ball tries to change that by coming after Garner, but Garner meets him in the center and exchanges punches, again winning the encounter comfortably. The final minute of the round sees Ball try two more times, and in neither can he manage to break Garner's control. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Garner.

Round 2
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Garner works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Ball backed up against the cage. Garner gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Ball, who uses his legs well to defend. Garner pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Ball gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Garner follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Garner hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Ball tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Ball leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Garner.

Round 3
Ball comes out quick and immediately starts pressing Garner back toward the cage. Ball tries to use the position to his advantage, pinning Garner in to prevent him from moving freely, but the exchange of punches that follows is clearly won by Garner, who catches Ball with a wicked right cross during the flurry of blows. Ball tries again, but Garner is looking sharp and parries away any dangerous shot, getting in a few crisp jabs of his own along the way. Ball finally backs off, realising that this isn't working. Garner is showing superior ability with his hands, they're fast and accurate, Ball isn't able to cope with them at close quarters, being made to look slow and ragged in comparison. Ball switches to using raking right hands and looping punches, keeping Garner back, but its effectiveness is limited as Ball's punches are easily parried away, and Garner can still hit the occasional right hand. The round ends with that being the pattern. Garner has used his better punching technique and hand speed to confound Ball, and has controlled this round almost entirely. End of round 3. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Garner. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

So Garner produces a good fight, but doesn't get the kill shot while Ball never looked like he was going to accomplish anything in the cage. The Outlaws have to be pleased with that as they clinch a tie, and keep the lead at 2-0.

Lightweight Division

Marcus Speed, Outlaws v. Luke Hilton, Onslaught

Round 1
A couple of straight lefts from Speed start the round, but neither got past the gloves of Hilton. They clinch, with Hilton looking like he initiated it. They struggle for supremacy. Speed gets taken down, but traps Hilton in guard. Hilton throws out a right hand, parried away by Speed. The guard is quite tight, for the moment at least Hilton looks content to stay there and throw some punches. Speed isn't offering any sort of attacking threat yet, instead concentrating on keeping the strikes from landing. A big punch is driven into the ribs, Speed thought it was going for the face. Another punch lands in the same place, and a red mark starts to develop. Speed reaches up and pulls Hilton down into a clinch, and tries to work an armbar from the bottom. Hilton defends it easily, and gets in a sharp jab to the face too. He stands up slightly, leaning forward into the guard, and starts throwing some right hands. One gets through, the others are parried. Speed looked like he might be considering trying to apply a triangle then, as Hilton was very exposed, but he didn't get a chance due to the ferocity of the punches. Hilton gets back down to kneeling in the guard. Another right hand lands to the ribs. Speed fires off two punches from his back, but Hilton defends them easily by simply leaning backward out of reach. Hilton stands again, the guard remaining tight around him, and throws another couple of bombs. This time Speed does try to apply the triangle, and an armbar at the same time, but Hilton breaks free. Time is ticking down, looks like Speed will survive this ground and pound attack. The round ends without further note. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hilton by 10-9.

Round 2
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Speed, providing the first moment of real action. Hilton hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Speed side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Hilton is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Hilton.

Round 3
They come together into a clich almost right away. Hilton gets a knee in, but that's about the total sum of the action, and the referee separates them. Speed moves in, but gets caught with a big kick to the legs that causes him to stumble to the mat. Hilton came in fast to try and capitalise, but Speed uses the guard well. Hilton fires off a couple of tentative punches, testing out the guard of Speed. Hilton tries to pass the guard, but can't, Speed isn't going to let him get a better position, as he knows that Hilton will start raining down punches. Hilton tries a big right hand, but it's easily defended. Speed gets a punch of his own in, but it didn't connect properly. Hilton again tries to get past the guard, but again is foiled. It's turned into a bit of a stalemate, although the referee probably won't stand them up as long as the punches continue to flow. Hilton fakes an elbow before trying to pass the guard for a third time, and briefly has side mount, but Speed fought it hard and gets back to guard within seconds. Butterfly guard by Speed, and Hilton is having trouble generating any attacking threat. He'll probably win the round as he has been more aggressive, but Speed has defended the danger well. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Hilton. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Speed did very little offensively in this fight, while Hilton had Speed right where he wanted him at least twice. Hilton had the better overall fight, but the fact that he couldn't put it away means that Buffalo wins the dual 2-0 with one to go.

Light Heavyweight Division

Owen Hyde, Red Raiders v. Bill Brown, Cyclopes

Round 1
Hyde starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Brown. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Brown goes for a single leg and puts Hyde on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Brown from getting on top. Hyde definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Brown hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Hyde again. This time Hyde isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Brown will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Hyde defends. Brown tries to slip past to get side control, but Hyde just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Brown has the side. Two big elbows land, and Hyde seems in trouble. Brown goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Brown.

Round 2
Hyde with a jab. They both seem to be looking for an opening, and it's creating a stalemate at the moment. Big kick from Hyde! That was out of nowhere, and hit Brown on the jaw. I don't think anyone saw that coming, least of all Brown, and he has been laid out cold with one massively powerful kick. Hyde wins via 2nd round knock out with the official time being 0:50. (**)

After round one, I wouldn't have expected that outcome but Hyde lands the big kick and ties up the dual for the Red Raiders 1-1.

Christian Mountfield, Outlaws v. Nick Detroit, Onslaught

Round 1
Slow start to the round. Not much happens before they wind up clinched together, struggling for supremacy. Detroit uses a trip to make a takedown, but doesn't go down himself, instead staying back. He pushes the raised legs away and dives in to get side control, but Mountfield scrambles and manages to get up, pushing Detroit down to the ground. Mountfield ends up on top, in guard. Mountfield tries to work free from the guard, but can't. Detroit reaches up to try and bring Mountfield down into a clinch, but the attempt gets swatted away. Mountfield fires off a couple of punches, leaning forward to get some leverage, and Detroit is forced to cover up. Mountfield switches and starts firing off some rapid-fire shots to the chest, Detroit deals with it by pulling the guard tighter and punching upward. Mountfield looks like he is happy to sit there and throw punches at his leisure, with no real effort to pass guard. Detroit occasionally tries to roll his hips to get free, but it may be that he has realised that this round is beyond saving, and is just making sure that he doesn't put himself into a position to be knocked out or submitted by trying to escape. Indeed, time ticks away with nothing breaking the pattern of occasional strikes and defensive positioning. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mountfield.

Round 2
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Detroit puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Mountfield defended well. Straight right from Mountfield in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Detroit probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Mountfield gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Detroit. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Detroit.

Round 3
Mountfield starts the round like a house on fire, hitting three quick jabs and a vicious right hook. Detroit covered up well, but at least one of the jabs got through and landed above the left eye. Detroit backs up to buy some time, but Mountfield keeps coming and lands a right hand to the body. Detroit scores with a jab in return, then goes with a kick to the waist. Mountfield catches the leg though and quickly rushes forward with a takedown. Detroit pulls guard. Mountfield fires off a couple of tentative punches, testing out the guard of Detroit. Mountfield tries to pass the guard, but can't, Detroit isn't going to let him get a better position, as he knows that Mountfield will start raining down punches. Mountfield tries a big right hand, but it's easily defended. Detroit gets a punch of his own in, but it didn't connect properly. Mountfield again tries to get past the guard, but again is foiled. It's turned into a bit of a stalemate, although the referee probably won't stand them up as long as the punches continue to flow. Mountfield fakes an elbow before trying to pass the guard for a third time, and briefly has side mount, but Detroit fought it hard and gets back to guard within seconds. Butterfly guard by Detroit, and Mountfield is having trouble generating any attacking threat. He'll probably win the round as he has been more aggressive, but Detroit has defended the danger well. The third round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Mountfield. With no judges to go to, the match ends in a time limit draw. (*)

A second draw between these two. Neither man looked super impressive out there. Detroit and Mountfield both need some more seasoning. Buffalo Outlaws win 2-0.

Main Event

Heavyweight Division

Frank Sheedy, Cyclopes v. Marvin Stevens, Red Raiders

Round 1
Stevens comes out fast, but gets hit with a counter right hand strike when he throws a left hand which was too high. Sheedy moves in and hits a nice body shot before they clinch. Stevens gets in a short, sharp jab to the side of the head, it looked to hit right on the ear. Sheedy didn't like that, and scores with two knee strikes and a punch to the cheek. They break apart. Sheedy swings and hits a nice right hand. Stevens fires off a series of sharp jabs, all hitting gloves. He throws out a looping left, but gets tagged with a punch to the jaw and stumbles to the ground! Sheedy dives in to finish him off, but he scrambles back up quickly and they end up facing off on their feet again. Replays show that the punch barely connected, it was more of a stumble on Stevens's part than anything else. It might not look that way to the judges though. Sheedy looks more confident after that, and puts together a nice chain of strikes, ending with a scathing low kick that catches Stevens on the outside of the calf. He definitely felt that. Time is running out; Sheedy will probably take this round on the judges' score cards, primarily due to that one dubious knock down. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sheedy.

Round 2
Sheedy and Stevens circle to start. Stevens throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Sheedy sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Stevens comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Sheedy to slip a nice jab in, catching Stevens just underneath the right eye. Sheedy comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Stevens misses with a right cross, then backs off. Sheedy stalks him, forcing Stevens back up against the cage. Sheedy doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Stevens throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Sheedy pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Stevens covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Sheedy in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Sheedy throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Stevens comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Sheedy parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Sheedy's favour. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sheedy.

Round 3
Sheedy leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Stevens deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Stevens uses a knee to the ribs before backing Sheedy up against the cage. Right hand from Sheedy connects though, that was well timed. Stevens breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Sheedy was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Stevens sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Sheedy fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Sheedy with a body shot. Sheedy leads with a right hand, then comes in for a quick takedown. Stevens saw it coming and smartly turns out of the grapple, pushing Sheedy to the ground, and ending up taking his back in a great defensive move. Stevens gets one arm in and snakes it around the throat of Sheedy, squeezing his wind-pipe shut. Sheedy tries to pull the arm free, but can't, and so rolls over in a last-ditch effort to break free. It is to no avail though, as that allows Stevens to get a body-scissors in too. With no alternatives left, Sheedy taps out. Official time of the rear choke submission is 6:35 of the third. (**)

Marvin Stevens maintains his unblemished record with a win against fellow big man Sheedy. His fight was less than exciting, but I was glad that it didn't end in another draw. The win by Stevens gives the Red Raiders the 2-1 win.

The fans went home happy after the fight. We were able to gain pop in all 78 regions where the show was broadcast.

PilotMan

02-21-2008, 09:32 PM

Phil Ball, Eli Harris and Wayne McKellen all suffered minor injuries that will keep them out of action for up to a couple of months. Harris' injury is the most severe, and if complications arise he could be out of action for half a year. That is not expected to happen though.

I am having a little problem right now. I can't help but sign more fighters. This organization is getting so big that keeping it straight is getting more and more difficult. Luckily I made myself a little spreadsheet. Thank goodness that I did.

Our newest fighters are Kendall Tracey, and Tuck Durdell. Durdell, from Manitoba, is untested and yet to debut in MMA, but we will give him a chance. Tracey has a 4-0 record and hails from Quebec. He has yet to fight in a major MMA organization, so GAMMA will be a big test for him.

PilotMan

02-21-2008, 09:33 PM

GAMMA: Amaro v. Dean II
Riverside, CA
Friday, 4th week of August

Lightweight Division

Sadahige Yoshida (1-0) v. Jay Dorridge (2-0)

Welterweight Division

Sinali Shomen (2-1) v. Darin Blood (2-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-9-1) v. Faas Smit (8-0-1)

Lightweight Division

Marko Prochazka (11-3) v. Korekiyo Anzai (8-2)

Light Heavyweight Division

Mike Watson (4-0-1) v. Rob Baines (11-3-1)

Welterweight Division

Ichisake Miyagi (15-8) v. Doug Hansen (15-3-3)

Heavyweight Division

Rick Stanley (21-8-3) v. Khru Duangjan (24-13)

Middleweight Division

Casim Yenkini (7-3-1) v. Maarten De Vries (15-4-2)

Welterweight Division

Rodolphe Gygax (17-9-1) v. Dan Halvorsen (23-11-5)

Heavyweight Division

Stratos Papaioannou (21-4-1) v. Tim Boyer (17-5-2)

Lightweight Division

Jack Humphreys (14-3) v. Brandon Sugar (9-2)

Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (17-3-1) v. Challenger Matthew Dean (12-3)

PilotMan

02-21-2008, 09:34 PM

GAMMA: Amaro v. Dean II Previews
Riverside, CA
Friday, 4th week of August

Lightweight Division

Sadahige Yoshida (1-0) v. Jay Dorridge (2-0)

Your standard opener here. Yoshida makes his GAMMA debut against Dorridge who has won his first fight here. Except that his win wasn't against just anyone, it was against Mario de Souza. De Souza's rep is solid, and Dorridge is out to prove that it wasn't a fluke win. Dorridge is better known in the states, and his win over De Souza has boosted him some, expect the fans to be on his side.

Welterweight Division

Sinali Shomen (2-1) v. Darin Blood (2-1)

Shomen and Blood make their GAMMA debuts here tonight. Blood's last fight saw him knocked out by Brandon Sugar in a BCF fight. While there is no indication of who Shomen fought, as it must have been a small local promtion. Anything can happen here. Blood is from Hawaii so fans will be pulling for him.

Light Heavyweight Division

Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-9-1) v. #5 Faas Smit (8-0-1)

Hauwe hasn't had a win in over a year, and now he fights the undefeated Faas Smit, who has won three in a row, and is fighting since being let go from his Team Battle team. For Hauwe, a chance at getting his career back on track, while Smit will be looking to use this to boost himself even further up the rankings.

Lightweight Division

#9 Marko Prochazka (11-3) v. #6 Korekiyo Anzai (8-2)

Prochazka fights for the first time since his title loss against Silva. His opponent is former BCF Lightweight Champion Anzai. Anzai is coming off of a win in his last fight. I like this match up for two reasons. First if Prochazka wins he puts him name back in the box of top ranked contenders and in Anzai wins against a fighter as highly regarded as Prochazka, he can count himself as one of the top contenders for the title. Niether man has an overabundance of experience to fall back on, and both men are fallible, but either one is good enough to get the win.

Light Heavyweight Division

#3 Mike Watson (4-0-1) v. Rob Baines (11-3-1)

Rob Baines was on the path to a title shot when he was beaten badly by Christopher Sharp. Now he hopes to start the long climb back up the ladder. However, his opponent tonight is better than than that. His opponent is fighting for the first time since being released from his Team Battle squad. Watson won his last fight by KO, and takes on a guy who runs his own training camp. Many have to wonder how a guy is ranked so high after only 5 MMA fights. We I have to wonder too. Baines, since his loss, has fallen out of the top 10, and he has to feel jaded as a result. A good fight between these two is expected. Watson will be the crowd favorite.

Welterweight Division

Ichisake Miyagi (15-8) v. #2 Doug Hansen (15-3-3)

Doug Hansen has been unbeateable since coming to GAMMA from the BCF. His string of four fights without a loss goes back over a year. Miyagi was going the opposite way until he shockingly pulled off a submission win over Rodolphe Gygax. Miyagi is coming off of his first win since 1993. He draws another tough fighter in Hansen. At some point this fight will go to the ground, both men feel comfortable there, and either can win from there. Despite his high ranking fans are going to be pulling for Miyagi in this one. His reputation just precedes him a long way.

Heavyweight Division

#6 Rick Stanley (21-8-3) v. #7 Khru Duangjan (24-13)

Who doesn't like to see two old guys go at it? These two have a combined age of 69! Both are ranked and coming off of wins. Stanley's reputation would suffer a little more if he were to lose here. Duanjan is only fighting his second time in GAMMA. While Stanley is still trying to recover from his loss to Stafford Alois. Stanley is a star here and will be fighting with many of the fans behind him. If Duangjan were to score a win, it would not only vault him up in the rankings, but boost his reputation as well.

Middleweight Division

#7 Casim Yenkini (7-3-1) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (15-4-2)

De Vries isn't ducking fighters, holding his own until he can get a shot at the title. He is fighting the guys who want his spot. Just like king of the hill, he was to take on all comers. Yenkini had draw in his last fight, but has hung around the top ten. A win against De Vries would go a long way toward a potential title shot. The biggest thing here is that no one has a clue who Yenkini is. While De Vries is one of the most popular men in the US. Many will think that this is a walkover fight for him, but truly it isn't.

Welterweight Division

Rodolphe Gygax (17-9-1) v. #3 Dan Halvorsen (23-11-5)

A pair of MMA legends go at it here in GAMMA tonight. Gygax has been up and he has been down. Just when you think that he is a legit contender, he gets beaten by an unranked fighter. For Halvorsen, he is still trying to get ajustded to life in a lighter weight class. Still, he hasn't been beaten in over 3 years! Halvorsen is fighting a guy who can knock him out with one punch, but also has a horrid ground game. You would think that Halvorsen should win here, but a loss would be very costly. Fans will certainly be pulling for him.

Heavyweight Division

#1 Stratos Papaioannou (21-4-1) v. Tim Boyer (17-5-2)

Stratos, coming off of his gigantic beating of Foster, takes on the “Tower of Power” in Boyer. Boyer recently got his first win in four fights, beating Harry Milne, and effectively sending him to the light heavyweight division. Boyer is struggling to crack the top ten, but a win here would send him flying up the rankings. For Papa, he needs another win against a solid fighter to make the statement that he should get the next shot at Raul Hughes for the title. Boyer has 4 inches and 45 pounds on Papa. But if he finds himself on his back, it's all over. Papa will dominate him from that position and take the win. Boyer's best asses is his long reach, and good power in his hands and feet. Boyer is going to be the fan favorite tonight, and that could help him to get the win.

Lightweight Division

#3 Jack Humphreys (14-3) v. #5 Brandon Sugar (9-2)

Jack Humphreys foray into the lightweight division continues with a match against a former BCF Lightweight Champion. Sugar beat Jackson Grey in his GAMMA debut, but is out to prove that his ranking is deserved. A win against the highly regarded Humphreys would position him well for a possible fight against Silva. Sugar might be a bit too inexperienced to pose much of a challenge to the former GAMMA Welterweight Champion. Humphreys is quite popular and will have the crowd solidly on his side.

Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (17-3-1) v. Challenger #3 Matthew Dean (12-3)

Matthew Dean gets the rematch that he has been relishing since his defeat to Amaro one year ago. Since that loss Dean has picked up wins against Stuart Strange, and Robert Darrell. Neither are considered outstanding fighters, but both were ranked highly at the time of the fights. Since Amaro's win, he has defended his title two times. One was a draw with Maarten De Vries, and the next was a win over Davis Spyrou. Dean has more respect now than when he held the title, while Amaro has been solid in his performances. The fans are pumped for this one, Dean is fighting in front of his home state, and the fans will certainly be on his side to get the title.

PilotMan

02-22-2008, 09:57 AM

GAMMA: Amaro v. Dean II
On PPV, broadcast in the US, Canada, Asia and Japan from
Riverside, CA
Friday, 4th week of August
Attendance: 7,331

Lightweight Division

Sadahige Yoshida (1-0) v. Jay Dorridge (2-0)

Round 1
Yoshida meets Dorridge in the center. They exchange tentative long-range punches. Dorridge steps in to press the action, but gets caught with a right hand. Yoshida scores with a left too, then a crisp jab. Dorridge backs off, that exchange did not go in his favour by any means. Yoshida presses the advantage and gets in a couple more jabs, forcing Dorridge onto the back-foot, all the way until he is up against the cage. Yoshida stands just in range and starts throwing occasional straight rights, forcing Dorridge to try and react in time. Dorridge parries a few shots away, but also gets caught with a couple. He steps forward and tries to get a clinch, but Yoshida keeps away from it and continues to flick quick jabs out. Dorridge is really getting schooled so far, Yoshida's hand speed and technique have allowed him to completely control everything about this round, Dorridge hasn't been able to generate anything of note. Dorridge tries to change that by coming after Yoshida, but Yoshida meets him in the center and exchanges punches, again winning the encounter comfortably. The final minute of the round sees Dorridge try two more times, and in neither can he manage to break Yoshida's control. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Yoshida.

Round 2
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. Dorridge is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as Yoshida picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. Dorridge throws a wild punch as a counter, but Yoshida ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. Dorridge gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that Dorridge is looking for big punches, Yoshida is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and Dorridge manages to back Yoshida up against the cage. Dorridge takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but Yoshida ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before Dorridge can unload. Dorridge may need to think about changing tactics, Yoshida is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. Dorridge fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching Yoshida on the thigh. Yoshida presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. Dorridge gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Yoshida by 10-9.

Round 3
They start the round with an exchange of strikes, all from fairly long range as they circle and try to work angles. None of the blows did any damage, either missing or being straight into the opponent's gloves. Yoshida is the first to land a worthwhile blow, hitting a straight right that catches Dorridge on the side of the cheek. Yoshida follows up by backing him up against the cage, throws a couple of big punches, but gets pulled into a clinch without doing any serious damage. Dorridge goes for a trip and almost gets it, but Yoshida is able to regain his footing at the last moment. Dorridge has Yoshida against the cage, and hits three right hands to the side of the ribs. Yoshida reaches down and picks up a leg, using that as leverage to topple Dorridge, who pulls guard. Yoshida starts pounding away and does some damage before Dorridge grapples and pulls him down into a clinch. Dorridge has both of Yoshida's arms tied up, preventing much in the way of attacking action. Yoshida uses some shoulder shrugs to the face, but Dorridge isn't going to be too bothered by that. Yoshida pulls one arm free. Dorridge still has tight control of the other, and brings his legs up, trying to apply an armbar. Yoshida sees it coming and blocks it easily, getting in a couple of punches for good measure. Yoshida steps through the legs and forces Dorridge to release the arm so that he can cover up against a series of strikes. Dorridge manages to ensare one leg though, and so Yoshida has to make do with being in half guard instead of getting the full mount that he wanted. Yoshida hits a couple of punches, takes one back, then attempts to get side control. Dorridge keeps him at bay. Time is ticking away, if Yoshida is going to use this position to finish the match, it had better be done soon. Yoshida pulls Dorridge's left arm to one side and straightens it out, perhaps looking to turn it into an armbar. Dorridge rolls over to stop the arm getting trapped. Yoshida continues to work for it though. Time expires though, the round is over. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Yoshida. The official result of the match is a draw. (DUD)

Thirty minutes of action from these two, and both men fought well. Yoshida appeared to control the majority of the fight, and probably would have won had the fight been able to continue. Dorridge shows us that perhaps his win against De Souza was a fluke.

Welterweight Division

Sinali Shomen (2-1) v. Darin Blood (2-1)

Round 1
Right hand from Shomen was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Blood. Shomen follows up by coming in close, but Blood is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Shomen hits a low kick, then moves in for a jab. Blood saw it coming and unloads with an enormous punch to the jaw. Shomen goes down immediately, he has been knocked clean out by the power of Blood. Blood wins via first round knock out at 1:43. (*)

And Blood makes his presence felt and the crowd responds well to it. Shomen didn't fare too well in his GAMMA debut.

Light Heavyweight Division

Bryan Van Den Hauwe (12-9-1) v. #5 Faas Smit (8-0-1)

Round 1
The two competitors start slowly, circling and looking for an opening. Van Den Hauwe fakes shooting in for a takedown, but Smit didn't buy it for a second. In comes Van Den Hauwe from an angle to the right, but Smit had it covered all the way, and not only easily steps out of the way of the attempted right hand, but manages to score with a solid right hand to the side of the head. Van Den Hauwe felt that, and is forced to cover up quickly as Smit steps in quickly and unloads with a flurry of powerful blows, looking to capitalise on the earlier strike. Van Den Hauwe is forced back against the cage, but to his credit, he did a good job defending those strikes and didn't seem to take any significant damage. Smit doesn't get in too close, realising that it would likely mean getting caught in a clinch, so he stands slightly back instead and throws some low kicks and looping punches. Van Den Hauwe responds by throwing out some straight jabs, but neither fighter is really doing any damage to their opponent. Smit clearly grows tired of the wait, and moves in to hit a body blow. It connects, but Van Den Hauwe is quick to tie him up in a clinch. That lasts quite a while, until the referee gets in there and breaks them up, telling them to fight. Van Den Hauwe throws out a few jabs, nothing too dangerous though, Smit easily avoided them. Smit scores with a stiff jab, and bobs and weaves to avoid all three of the rapid-fire punches that come back from Van Den Hauwe. Nicely done. Van Den Hauwe, realising that he is losing this round, comes forward with a sense of urgency, throwing right hands to put Smit on the back foot. Smit handles it well though, refusing to let Van Den Hauwe get an angle, and using some nice counter punches to the body to further cement the fact that this round is going to him on points. Time expires with Van Den Hauwe throwing increasingly desperate punches. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Smit by 10-9.

Round 2
Smit leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Van Den Hauwe deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Van Den Hauwe uses a knee to the ribs before backing Smit up against the cage. Right hand from Smit connects though, that was well timed. Van Den Hauwe breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Smit was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Van Den Hauwe sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Smit fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Smit seems to be growing in confidence over the past thirty seconds. He has just come up with four good separate straight rights, although I don't think any of them did too much damage. He moves in for another, but takes a wicked kick from Van Den Hauwe. Smit looks wobbly, and his hands drop. Van Den Hauwe sees it, and comes in with a solid right hand that drops Smit to the mat. Van Den Hauwe follows up with more punches, and the referee has to get in there and stop it, Smit was not defending himself properly. I think it's the kick that did the most damage, it seemed to scramble his brains. Official time of the TKO is 6:16 of the second. (**)

Well.......Not really the result that I had in my mind when I booked this fight. Smit should have been able to handle VDH. However, Hauwe gets the win, and a night to celebrate by handing Faas Smit the first loss of his MMA career.

Lightweight Division

#9 Marko Prochazka (11-3) v. #6 Korekiyo Anzai (8-2)

Round 1
Tentative start to the round by both fighters, neither looks willing to commit themselves and make the first mistake. Procházka stalks Anzai, working him back toward the cage. There's an exchange of strikes...and Procházka is down! Anzai goes to finish it, but gets sucked into the guard position. Replays show that Anzai stunned Procházka with a nice straight right to the cheek during the earlier flurry, and that's what dropped him. Anzai passes guard and gets into side control, but it's an awkward position; Procházka has the entire right hand side of his body up against the cage, and both his legs wrapped around Anzai's left arm. Anzai's attacking options are fairly limited. He uses a couple of back fists to strike away at the face, but Procházka covers up to defend them. Anzai tries to pin down one of Procházka's arms and bring his legs around to trap them fully, but Procházka uses his free arm to stop that from happening. The ground battle enters a stalemate, as Anzai finds himself unable to do any real damage other than occasional strikes, which he doesn't have the leverage to get much power behind, with virtually no chance of gaining a submission thanks to his left arm being trapped. The referee eventually stands them up, and the time expires before anything interesting can happen with them standing. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Anzai.

Round 2
Nice fast-paced start from Anzai, who gets right in Procházka's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as Procházka side-stepped. Procházka fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Anzai steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from Procházka. Anzai is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Anzai sweeps Procházka's standing leg and takes them to the ground. Procházka quickly pulls guard. Anzai tries to pass guard, but Procházka doesn't allow it. Procházka throws a couple of punches, but they're parried away. He breaks his guard to bring a leg across and try to kick Anzai in the face, but it's a mistake as Anzai pushes the leg aside and gets side control. Anzai pushes them closer to the cage, near his own corner so that they can give him instructions. Following what they say, Anzai throws some heavy blows to the unprotected stomach of Procházka, then tries to isolate the closest arm. Procházka frantically tries to stop that happening, but does indeed give it up. He does manage to roll to the side, giving himself some good leverage and preventing Anzai from extending the arm. Anzai continues trying to apply an armbar, but Procházka is not allowing it. Eventually Anzai turns and tries to get a crucifix position instead. Procházka fights that off too. The round ends with Anzai still doggedly trying to get an armbar submission, and Procházka tenaciously stopping it. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Anzai.

Round 3
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Procházka is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Anzai blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Procházka is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Anzai is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Procházka can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Procházka some problems later on. Procházka moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Anzai is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Procházka before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Procházka off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Procházka goes for a trip, but Anzai cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Anzai may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Anzai. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

Korekiyo really had this fight in hand in the second, but Prochazka was just good enough to keep him from getting the win. That showed good heart on his behalf. Anzai controlled all the rounds, and Prochazka should be upset that he wasn't able to do more, especially after a fight when he was fighting for the title.

Light Heavyweight Division

#3 Mike Watson (4-0-1) v. Rob Baines (11-3-1)

Round 1
They circle each other. Baines misses with a low kick, and Watson darts in to hit a jab before retreating. They come together and exchange punches, both got a few shots in. Watson is looking much lighter on his feet, and keeps moving in, hitting a few punches, then getting back out of range. Baines is trying to catch him coming in, but doesn't have the timing quite right. It happens again. Watson isn't getting much power on the punches, but he is getting ahead on points. Baines tries to get in close, but Watson is keeping moving, and isn't letting himself get cornered. Baines looks to be working an angle. Watson gets a solid punch in, catching Baines just above the left eye. Baines finally gets a clinch, forcing Watson up against the cage, but it's too little, too late as the round ends. The first round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Watson.

Round 2
Slow start to this round, Watson is being tentative and Baines looks like he is waiting for an angle to appear. The first exchange of strikes doesn't really go anywhere. A second set falls in Watson's favour, as he gets a nice jab in, hitting right above the nose, and a solid shot to the body. Baines goes in for a takedown but only manages to secure one leg. Watson hammers down two shots to the back, but can't really do a lot else. Baines tries to push him over onto his back, but Watson manages to pull free and back off. Baines throws a high left handed jab then goes in for another takedown. Good sprawl from Watson, and he backs off. Baines doesn't get a chance to go for a third, because Watson takes the fight to him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing him back against the cage. Watson clinches up, only after hitting a hard shot to the stomach though. The clinch seems to go on forever, with Baines unable to get a good enough position to try a takedown, and Watson tied up too much to really throw any decent strikes. Eventually the time runs out and they head back to their corners. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Watson.

Round 3
Not the most interesting of starts to the round, it's mainly a lot of circling. The referee apparently gets bored, as he tells them to get on with it and fight. Baines complies, firing off a dangerous right cross, narrowly missing. Watson throws a couple of stiff jabs, but they only find gloves. Baines fakes left, then comes in from the right, hitting a nice body blow. Watson steps forward and unleashes a big kick, thundering it into Baines's ribs. He felt that one for sure. Watson follows up by hitting a right hand too. Baines finds himself backed up against the cage. Watson advances, and throws a scythe-like kick to the legs. Baines can't get out of the way, and almost gets felled by the impact. Watson steps in and scores with a high head kick. Baines partially blocked it with his hands, which was probably the only thing stopping it from being a knock out blow. Baines gets a right hand jab out in response, then pulls Watson into a clinch. Knee strike from Watson. They break. Baines still looks hurt from that first kick. Watson gets in close and gives a receipt for that earlier body blow, nailing a right hand to the gut. Baines hits a jab to the cheek in response, then clinches again. Time runs down, the round will end before anything more can happen. Watson has used those powerful kicks to dominate this round. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-8 to Watson. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Boy, Watson owned that fight, and there was nothing that Baines could do. He did not get beat though and that was the most important thing. Watson had every opportunity to win the fight but just couldn't get enough of Baines to secure the win.

Welterweight Division

Ichisake Miyagi (15-8) v. #2 Doug Hansen (15-3-3)

ound 1
There's a few minor exchanges of punches to start the round, and Hansen gets the better of them. Neither fighter is throwing any bombs, but Hansen is showing the better technique, and has hit a few nice body shots. They come together again, and Hansen shows quick hands to get in three nice shots. Miyagi definitely felt them. Neither fighter seems interested in taking this to the ground, they're just circling, throwing a few punches, then regrouping. Miyagi is struggling to inflict much damage. He may need to switch tactics, as so far Hansen is looking very comfortable. Miyagi comes in with left, but Hansen saw it coming and slipped in a great right hand counter punch. Miyagi is getting frustrated. The remainder of the round is no different, as the occasional exchanges of strikes are clearly go the way of Hansen's superior technique. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-8 Hansen.

Round 2
Touch of gloves starts the round. Hansen comes in quickly, and unloads with a beauty of a combination, two jabs, a hook, a body punch and an uppercut. One of the jabs and the body shot definitely got through, the others were blocked. Miyagi backs off, only offering a wayward right hand in response. They circle, then Hansen once again comes in with an aggressive rush. They exchange blows in a flurry, with Hansen bobbing and weaving excellently while throwing out crisp jabs. Miyagi got a leg kick in, but his jabs didn't find their mark. Hansen is relying on his superior striking skills so far, and it is paying dividends, Miyagi is getting picked apart and is looking increasingly unable to to contend with his opponent's better technique. Hansen throws a low kick, and that is really the first mistake of the round from him, as it is sloppy and allows Miyagi to move in and grab a clinch. Miyagi forces Hansen back against the cage, and is clearly happy to have gained a position where Hansen cannot unload with strikes as effectively. Miyagi hits a knee, then gets three or four small punches in to the side of the head. Not much power in them though. Hansen sneaks in an elbow, and then attempts to get free, to no avail. Miyagi goes for a trip, but Hansen pushes free and quickly gets back to the center. Miyagi keeps his distance for a few moments to recover his composure, then gets ready to fight again. Hansen works an angle, throwing quick jabs all the time, then switches stance and hits a long looping punch that finds gloves. A right hand follows up though, and that does find the mark, causing Miyagi to throw a wild haymaker in response. Hansen tries to capitalise with a further flurry, and hits a nice left hook, but Miyagi soon has them back in a clinch. That goes on for a while, until the clock runs down. End of round 2. Blurcat.com gives that one to Hansen by 10-9.

Round 3
Miyagi is quickest out, and comes at Hansen with a series of jabs and straight punches. Hansen covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. Hansen hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Miyagi who takes it to the ground. Hansen pulls guard. There's a lull, as Miyagi tries to pass, and Hansen defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. Hansen almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Miyagi, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Miyagi. The official result of the match is a draw. (*)

Unimpressive fight from Hansen. He fought the better fight, but being more of a counter fighter, the chance to pull off the win never presented itself. For Miyagi, a draw isn't a loss and that has to make him feel good. Hansen isn't a very exciting fighter, but he is a tough opponent to beat.

Heavyweight Division

#6 Rick Stanley (21-8-3) v. #7 Khru Duangjan (24-13)

Round 1
Stanley hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Duangjan to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Stanley hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Duangjan tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Stanley having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Duangjan. The two fighters are circling. Duangjan comes in for a punch, but Stanley countered well by coming in fast and low and using a good solid takedown. Stanley is in Duangjan's guard. Stanley moves from the guard and gets side control. He is trying for the mount, but Duangjan is defending it. There's a small lull as Stanley continues to try and get the mount. There it is, Duangjan finally couldn't stop it. Stanley starts firing off punches, and Duangjan has nowhere to go. A big elbow gets through. A right hand lands on the nose of Duangjan. The referee is watching intently, I don't think he's going to let this go much longer unless Duangjan can come up with some answers. Stanley hits another big elbow. And another. The referee leaps in, it's over! Official time of the TKO is 6:39 of the first. (***)

Stanley clearly showed that despite his lower ranking, he is still an incredible fighter. Duangjan just isn't going to hang with him for any length of time, and perhaps needs to think that the GAMMA Heavyweight title is just going to be out of his reach. Maybe he will show up fighting in Battleground next season.

Middleweight Division

#7 Casim Yenkini (7-3-1) v. #2 Maarten De Vries (15-4-2)

Round 1
They circle each other. Yenkini misses with a low kick, and De Vries darts in to hit a jab before retreating. They come together and exchange punches, both got a few shots in. De Vries is looking much lighter on his feet, and keeps moving in, hitting a few punches, then getting back out of range. Yenkini is trying to catch him coming in, but doesn't have the timing quite right. It happens again. De Vries isn't getting much power on the punches, but he is getting ahead on points. Yenkini tries to get in close, but De Vries is keeping moving, and isn't letting himself get cornered. De Vries looks to be working an angle. De Vries gets a solid punch in, catching Yenkini just above the left eye. Yenkini finally gets a clinch, forcing De Vries up against the cage, but it's too little, too late as the round ends. The first round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 De Vries.

Round 2
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Yenkini, providing the first moment of real action. De Vries hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Yenkini side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. De Vries is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for De Vries.

Round 3
De Vries starts with a high kick, but Yenkini was well out of range. De Vries glances at the referee, not sure why. De Vries steps in and exchanges strikes with Yenkini, neither fighter gets a particular advantage from it. Yenkini parries away a nice right hand and gets in a crisp counter punch that catches De Vries on the shoulder. The round has been a little flat so far, neither of them is really forcing the issue. They enter into a clinch, which doesn't help matters, and that seems to last for an eternity before the referee separates them and tells them to get on with it. De Vries finally shows some fire, putting together a combination of two jabs, a cross, and an uppercut. Yenkini did well to defend it, bobbing and weaving out of the way and using his gloves to parry away anything that was too close. He uses a low kick to the thigh as a response, then steps in and unloads with two fine punches, although De Vries blocked them. De Vries scores the best punch of the round so far, coming in fast, ducking under a dangerous right hand, and catching Yenkini square in the face with a lunging overhand right. Yenkini backs off and covers up, clearly having felt that one, and unfortunately De Vries's attempts to follow up and thwarted as he gets tied up in a clinch near the cage. The time expires, with De Vries probably having stolen that round thanks to that one big punch. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to De Vries. The match automatically ends in a time limit draw. (***)

Wow, did De Vries lay an egg here. He didn't end up doing much of anything here, and never hurt Yenkini in all that time. Yenkini didn't accomplish anything either, and I am afraid that the match didn't go down well with the crowd either.

Welterweight Division

Rodolphe Gygax (17-9-1) v. #3 Dan Halvorsen (23-11-5)

Round 1
Gygax leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Halvorsen deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Halvorsen uses a knee to the ribs before backing Gygax up against the cage. Right hand from Gygax connects though, that was well timed. Halvorsen breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Gygax was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Halvorsen sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Gygax fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Halvorsen hits a low kick, then moves in for a jab. Gygax saw it coming and unloads with an enormous punch to the jaw. Halvorsen goes down immediately, he has been knocked clean out by the power of Gygax. Gygax wins via first round knock out at 3:34. (**)

Well, what did I say in the preview. Halvorsen was in a dangerous fight against a dangerous fighter and he needed to be careful. Gygax uses his tremendous power to waylay another big name, highly ranked fighter. Halvorsen is going to drop like a rock, while Gygax will move back up, and then probably back down again. The fans are in dissaray.

Heavyweight Division

#1 Stratos Papaioannou (21-4-1) v. Tim Boyer (17-5-2)

Round 1
Papaioannou isn't hanging around, right from the start Boyer is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Boyer circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Papaioannou weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Papaioannou, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Boyer is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Papaioannou really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Boyer was wide open for a moment there. Papaioannou hits a high kick, catching Boyer on the shoulder. Jab from Boyer finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Papaioannou fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Boyer scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Papaioannou, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Papaioannou.

Round 2
The round begins, and it is Boyer who starts better, energetically bounding straight into action by throwing a three-punch combination and a scything leg kick. Papaioannou defended all four blows well, but is forced to be on the backfoot right from the word go. Boyer works for an angle, coming in from the left hand side with a high right hand. Papaioannou ducks under it and nestles a stiff jab in the solar plexus. It doesn't seem to slow Boyer down much though, as he swiftly turns and hits a crisp left to the side of the head, followed almost instantly by a mid-level kick that smacks above the hip of Papaioannou. Interesting first minute of action, Boyer is looking particularly sharp. Papaioannou tries to turn the momentum by advancing quickly and driving Boyer back against the cage with a series of jabs and hooks, and they end up clinched. Papaioannou tries a knee from that position, but it is blocked. Boyer scores with two sharp blows to the ribs, and then they break away from each other. Both fighters circle. They square up to each other in the center. Boyer throws a head fake and comes in from low down to hit a rising shot that catches Papaioannou on the side of the head. Papaioannou got a shot in too though, although it hit the shoulder rather than the head. Time is running down; Boyer has probably done enough to win the round, but it has turned quite scrappy since the clinch against the cage, both will probably be slightly unhappy with that. Papaioannou tries a late surge, coming in hard and fast with a leading left, but Boyer defends it well and scores the only meaningful shot of the exchange with a crisp left hand. End of round 2. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Boyer.

Round 3
Boyer leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Papaioannou deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Papaioannou uses a knee to the ribs before backing Boyer up against the cage. Right hand from Boyer connects though, that was well timed. Papaioannou breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Boyer was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Papaioannou sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Boyer fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Papaioannou gets caught with a solid right hand out of nowhere, and is rocked. Boyer follows up with another one, and Papaioannou looks in trouble all of a sudden. He is backed up against the cage and Boyer is unloading. The punches are raining down, Papaioannou is covering up. The referee has seen enough and stops the fight, clearly feeling that Papaioannou was unable to defend himself intelligently. Boyer wins. Official time of the TKO is 7:58 of the third. (***)

Oh man, oh man, oh man. Top contenders continue to fall before my eyes. Papa should have taken this fight to the ground, but apparently he just couldn't get inside. Boyer's size was just too much for him and his powerful shots ended the fight. My heavyweight division is falling apart. The rankings are sure going to be mixed up after today.

Lightweight Division

#3 Jack Humphreys (14-3) v. #5 Brandon Sugar (9-2)

Round 1
Humphreys starts with a high kick, but Sugar was well out of range. Sugar looks to be working an angle. Humphreys steps in and exchanges strikes with Sugar, neither fighter gets a particular advantage from it. Sugar parries away a nice right hand and gets in a crisp counter punch that catches Humphreys on the shoulder. The round has been a little flat so far, neither of them is really forcing the issue. They enter into a clinch, which doesn't help matters, and that seems to last for an eternity before the referee separates them and tells them to get on with it. Humphreys finally shows some fire, putting together a combination of two jabs, a cross, and an uppercut. Sugar did well to defend it, bobbing and weaving out of the way and using his gloves to parry away anything that was too close. He uses a low kick to the thigh as a response, then steps in and unloads with two fine punches, although Humphreys blocked them. Humphreys scores the best punch of the round so far, coming in fast, ducking under a dangerous right hand, and catching Sugar square in the face with a lunging overhand right. Sugar backs off and covers up, clearly having felt that one, and unfortunately Humphreys's attempts to follow up and thwarted as he gets tied up in a clinch near the cage. The time expires, with Humphreys probably having stolen that round thanks to that one big punch. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Humphreys.

Round 2
Humphreys and Sugar circle to start. Sugar throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Humphreys sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Sugar comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Humphreys to slip a nice jab in, catching Sugar just underneath the right eye. Humphreys comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Sugar misses with a right cross, then backs off. Humphreys stalks him, forcing Sugar back up against the cage. Humphreys doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Sugar throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Humphreys pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Sugar covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Humphreys in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Humphreys throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Sugar comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Humphreys parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Humphreys's favour. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Humphreys.

Round 3
Sugar starts out with a few straight rights, range-finding rather than actually dangerous. Humphreys keeps out of their way. Sugar steps forward and tries to unload with a looping left, but Humphreys moves to the side and fires off a powerful right hand of his own, landing above the left eye. Sugar doesn't go down, but definitely felt that shot. Humphreys moves in closer and fires off two punches to the face and a big hook to the body. Sugar parried the first two, but the third hit home hard. Humphreys begins to stalk Sugar, who may be slightly winded. They meet again in the center and exchange blows. Sugar hits a high jab but gets caught with another hard punch to the side of the head. Sugar clinches up, stopping Humphreys from following up. It looks like Sugar needs to change his game plan, standing up and banging with Humphreys is playing right into his opponent's hands, as Humphreys clearly has the more powerful strikes in his arsenal, and Sugar is going to get floored sooner or later, judging by this round. The referee parts them from the clinch. Humphreys continues to look ready to unleash some big punches. Sugar takes a takedown, then comes in much closer, throws a jab, and clinches back up. Sugar looks like he is going to grapple, stopping Humphreys from throwing bombs. Sugar gets in a few short punches to the ribs. The round ends with them still in the clinch. Humphreys will take that round on points, having used the threat of a knock out to basically control everything about that round except the clinches. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Humphreys by 10-9. The official result of the match is a draw. (**)

Sugar showed good heart, and did well enough not to get beaten. Humphreys did enough to get the win but not enough to get the win within the time frame. This fight result won't solve anything in the lightweight division, and probably won't keep Humphreys from getting the next shot at Giovani Silva.

Main Event

GAMMA Middleweight Title

Champion Fernando Amaro (17-3-1) v. Challenger #3 Matthew Dean (12-3)

Round 1
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Dean fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Amaro. They clinch, and Amaro winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Dean tries to push Amaro back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. Amaro throws a couple of scorching jabs; neither hit, but it forces Dean to back pedal all the way back to the cage. Amaro follows in and throws a stinging kick to the ribs. Dean tries to catch it, but couldn't. Dean throws a right hand to try and catch Amaro coming in, but it's wide of the mark. Amaro throws a head kick, and it's a beauty, landing flush to the cheek. It was delivered with enormous power, and Dean drops to the floor immediately, he is out cold. The referee stops Amaro from following up, it's all over. Amaro wins via knock out at 8:56 of the first round. Fernando Amaro retains the GAMMA Middleweight title. (***)

And Matthew Dean fall victim again, to Fernando Amaro. A fight that many thought would go to the ground, ends up with Dean getting caught with a head kick and flopping to the ground. Amaro defends his title for the third time, and remains one of the most dangerous Middleweights in the World.

I was afraid of that. Fans generally hated the show. It just didn't excite anyone. We gain in 47 areas, but lose pop in a terrible 14 areas. It isn't going to bankrupt us, but we can't keep putting together stinker shows.

PilotMan

02-22-2008, 09:59 AM

First order of business, I figured that I had a plan to keep from having too many draws. That plan was to extend the fights to let the guys figure it out for themselves. Lately, I have been seeing too many draws again. I need guys to either win or lose. Draws help guys who are on losing streaks, but fans don't care about that. They like to see guys who are on winning streaks. As long as I have draws, with no winner, I am going to have fighters whose winning streaks are derailed with stupid draws. As a result, effective immediately, fights will end with a judges decision. Match lengths will remain the same, as I really want the guys to sort it out in the ring. No other promotion has draws, so we can't either if we want to be competitive.

Maarten De Vries and Doug Hansen were both injured last night, but it won't affect their status for their next fights. They likely won't see action for another two to three months. Rob Baines was also injured, but his injury, which will keep him out a couple of months won't affect his next fight.

On the other hand, Rodolphe Gygax suffered a shoulder injury and is going to be out for the next six months. For a guy with time catching up to him, that isn't helpful. His body may just wear out before he gets another title shot.

The last regular season dual for our inagural Team Battle Series is set to show on Meltdown. The final dual is between the Pittsburgh Cyclopes and the Austin Rush. The Rush could pull into a third place finish with a 2 point win or more against the Cyclopes. Next month will be the final episode of Meltdown, and the Championship Finale between the Durham Red Raiders and the Buffalo Outlaws. After that I will introduce the new teams that will compete in Battleground. That will commence in November.

To augment our Meltdown show, we have added five other feature fights. Here is how the card breaks down.

One thing to note is that Aleksander Ivonov (0-1) is subbing for the Pittsburgh Cyclopes, as both South and Sheedy are still recovering.

PilotMan

02-22-2008, 10:06 AM

GAMMA: Meltdown Preview
to be broadcast on TV around the world from
Biloxi, Mississippi on
the second Friday, of September, 1997

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-3-2 9-11 8pts) v. Austin Rush (1-4-2 8-12 5pts)

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-4) v. Tuck Durdell (0-0)

Durdell makes his MMA and GAMMA debut against a former champion. For Rush, this fight is more about getting his career back on track than going for the title. It has been no secret that he has had some serious issues since he came to GAMMA over a year ago. He hasn't won a fight since. Getting submitted twice and knocked out. All contributing to a 4 fight losing streak. If Rush cannot find a way to win this fight, he should probably pack his bags and head back to the BCF.

Heavyweight Division

Aleksander Ivonov, Cyclopes (0-1) v. Don Norman, Rush (6-11)

The first fight in the duel finds a sub fighting for Pittsburgh against the Rumble King. Norman is a good match-up for the young fighter. He has lost his last couple of fights, and Ivonov would like to get his feet a little wetter than his last fight.

Welterweight Division

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-3-1) v. Datuk Ong Ka Ting, Rush (1-0-1)

Epps has to feel good about this fight. He is coming off of a fight where he took a ranked Ray Eton to a time limit draw. However, he still hasn't actually won a fight, although with draws being thrown out, he could get one here. Datuk is still undefeated but his last fight wasn't great. This could go either way.

Middleweight Division

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-4) v. Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (7-2-1)

Drew Jenks is making quite a name for himself right now. The former light heavyweight, who used to be 3-0 has now lost 4 straight. And he has lost them to anyone. Now as a middleweight, he hasn't found any more success at all. Thomas is good, and will be a tough opponent. Thomas fought to a time limit draw against Rekdal in his last fight. He will be looking for a win here, and will settle for nothing less.

Light Heavyweight Division

John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-1-1) v. Leandro Piquet, Rush (6-3)

32 year old Piquet is making his GAMMA debut for the Austin Rush against the Cyclopes Rivero. Piquet has only previously fought in South America in small Regional events. Although he boasts a respectabe record, he is up against a good , known fighter in Rivero. Rivero has only fought twice over the last year had didn't win either fight. Piquet has his work cut out for him, Rivero isn't likely to easy on him.

Jethro Munter (2-2-2) v. Kendall Tracey (4-0)

With the regular season over, Munter becomes available to fight. He welcomes Kendall Tracey to GAMMA. Munter doesn't sport a great record but he hasn't lost in over a year. Over that time he has been improving. Tracey, a 25yo Canadian, hasn't lost yet, but hasn't fought internationally either.

Middleweight Division

Uwe Maier (7-2) v. #5 Carl Ratcliffe (9-3-2)

Maier makes his GAMMA debut after spending some time in the BCF. Although he lost his last fight to Robert Darrell he is eager to make an impression. Ratcliffe has been on the rise, and hasn't lost in over a year. Maier could cause him some trouble as he is certainly worth more than passing consideration.

Lightweight Division

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes (6-0-1) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-3)
Carsley comes in here with an unblemished record and a good reputation. He hopes to be the punctuation mark at the end of an expected Cyclopes victory. Magilton, despite having more fights than Carsley is still for the most part of an unknown in the world of MMA. He has failed to win in any of the last 4 fights over the last year. Carsley comes in the favorite, but his last outing wasn't great, so experts will be looking to see how he develops in this fight.

Light Heavyweight Division

#10 Elgar (11-5-1) v. #7 Percy Catcher (8-2)

One of the featured fights of the evening pits established GAMMA star, Elgar, fighting against Percy Catcher in his GAMMA debut. Catcher, 25, is on the rise, and has good potential, but he is facing Elgar, who even at 33, is dangerous as can be. Catcher has won his last couple of fights, but those were in the BCF, and not facing anyone as good as Elgar. Elgar's last fight was a draw against Chekhov. Should be a fun fight.

Main Event

Lightweight Division

#4 Ricardo Fernandes (17-7) v. #8 Beau Gorshin (24-15)

Gorshin's career is coming to a close, at 37, he fights in his 40th fight. That is quite some achievement for MMA. Even though his career is closing out, he can still pose quite a challenge. His opponent is Ricardo Fernandes, a former Alpha-1 Champion, who held the lightweight title for almost a year and a half. Now he comes to GAMMA and looks to make his run toward Silva and a possible title shot here. Fernandes has won his last couple of fights, while Gorshin was defeated in his last fight by Korekiyo Anzai, a former BCF fighter. A win for Gorshin sends a message that he cannot be taken lightly and that he is far from being done.

PilotMan

02-23-2008, 12:14 PM

GAMMA: Meltdown
broadcast on TV around the world from
Biloxi, Mississippi on
the second Friday, of September, 1997
Attendance: 1,266

Pittsburgh Cyclopes (2-3-2 9-11 8pts) v. Austin Rush (1-4-2 8-12 5pts)

Middleweight Division

Andrew Rush (12-4) v. Tuck Durdell (0-0)

Round 1
Rush doesn't waste any time, scoring with a big right hook almost immediately. Durdell was caught sleeping, and that really landed hard, if it had been more accurate it might have been a knock out blow. Durdell hits two sharp body shots in return, but it's clear that he is rattled. Durdell looks to be working an angle. They get in close and exchange punches, it's not clear who got the better of that. Rush hits a good looping punch to the side of the head, that's another one that's rattled Durdell. Rush is getting more force behind his punches at the moment, and that's the key difference. Durdell narrowly misses a right cross. Time ticks away, and Durdell offers nothing that would make you think that he has any chance of winning this round on points. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Rush.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. Durdell throws out a jab, but Rush bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Rush works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Durdell covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Rush is making Durdell look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Durdell hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. An exchange of punches goes nowhere, and they fall into a clinch. The referee separates them when nothing happens. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Rush got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Durdell slightly. Durdell initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Durdell looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Rush is clearly winning them. Durdell needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Rush tries a speculative high kick, but Durdell saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Durdell tries to work an angle, but Rush is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Rush, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Rush.

Round 3
Durdell starts strongly, immediately rushing in for a takedown. Rush got taken by surprise a little, but wrestles his way free of the grapple and pulls to safety. Rush doesn't hang around for a second attempt, he uses a looping left to set himself up to come in close and score with a series of strikes, two or three nice body shots included. Durdell covers up, throwing the occasional jab as a counter. Rush goes for a vicious uppercut, but gets pulled into a clinch. Durdell goes for a takedown via a trip, but Rush defends it. Another trip attempt, another failure. Durdell pushes Rush up against the cage and tries to wrestle him to the ground, but Rush keeps his balance and sprawls to stop it. Rush gets in a hard right hand to the side of the face, taking advantage of the fact that Durdell was leaning in too far. Rush reverses so that Durdell is against the cage. They remain clinched, with nothing more than minor strikes being thrown, for a long time. The referee finally breaks them apart and gets them back to the center. Rush throws a kick, waist-high, but Durdell avoids it. That could have been used for a takedown attempt if Durdell had been quicker and caught it. Rush hits two or three punches in a row, stinging the gloves of Durdell. The round draws to a close. It'll be interesting to see where the judges go with this, as Rush clearly got the better strikes in throughout the round, but Durdell did probably show more aggression by virtue of his almost constant attempts to get the takedown. The 3rd round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Rush. The official scores are in; two judges give 30-27, the other 29-28, all for Andrew Rush. (DUD)

The first fight with judges ends with a judges decision. Andrew Rush is able to take a superior fight and turn it into a victory. Durdell put up a good fight, but was out clubbed, and out wrestled. This puts an end to the losing streak of Rush. Hopefully, he can keep it up and get his career back on the right path.

Heavyweight Division

Aleksander Ivonov, Cyclopes (0-1) v. Don Norman, Rush (6-11)

Round 1
Ivanov throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Norman defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Ivanov clinches with Norman and pushes him back against the cage. Norman gets in a knee, but a second attempt gets caught. Ivanov uses that for leverage, and with only one leg remaining, Norman has no base left with which to stop Ivanov drilling him with a big slam! Norman landed hard, but pulled guard, and will be thankful that he landed next to the cage, which can be used to his advantage. Norman is forced to cover up as Ivanov starts hammering away with enormous strikes from the guard, trying to simply power the shots through. Some do cause some damage, landing as Norman tries unsuccessfully to throw some counters. Ivanov transitions to side control without any issues and starts finding the punches down again, this time with more leverage and therefore more power. Norman tries to defend them, but a lot of them are getting through. The referee finally has enough and calls an end to the match, feeling that Norman was getting overwhelmed. Ivanov wins via TKO at 1:59 of the first round. (*)

That was a fast end to the fight. Ivonov gets his first MMA win against a vastly more experienced fighter. Norman could be on his way out as perhaps GAMMA is just a little too much for him. He was a big reason that Austin was unable to score many wins this year. Cyclopes 1-0.

Welterweight Division

Bruno Epps, Cyclopes (3-3-1) v. Datuk Ong Ka Ting, Rush (1-0-1)

Round 1
Datuk and Epps circle to start. Epps throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Datuk sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Epps comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Datuk to slip a nice jab in, catching Epps just underneath the right eye. Datuk comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Epps misses with a right cross, then backs off. Datuk stalks him, forcing Epps back up against the cage. Datuk doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Epps throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Datuk pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Epps covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Datuk in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Datuk throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Epps comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Datuk parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Datuk's favour. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Datuk.

Round 2
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Datuk works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Epps backed up against the cage. Datuk gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Epps, who uses his legs well to defend. Datuk pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Epps gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Datuk follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Datuk hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Epps tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Epps leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Datuk.

Round 3
Epps moves in close and hits a left hook to the body. Datuk steps back, and suddenly fires off a roundhouse kick. Epps didn't see it coming, and it lands right behind his ear. Epps is down, knocked out cold, and the referee is quick to step in and stop Datuk from inflicting any more damage. Datuk wins via 3rd round knock out with the official time being 0:50. (**)

A patient and well executed win for Datuk. He keeps his undefeated record in tact and gets the Rush a point to tie the dual at 1-1.

Middleweight Division

Drew Jenks, Rush (3-4) v. Patrick Thomas, Cyclopes (7-2-1)

Round 1
Jenks throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Thomas throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Jenks steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Thomas hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Jenks. They struggle all the way back, with Jenks ending up backed up against the cage. Thomas hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Jenks stomps downward onto his foot. Jenks manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Thomas gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Jenks ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Jenks tries a high kick to start, but Thomas saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Thomas who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Jenks on the nose. Jenks hits a straight right, enough to stop Thomas from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. The first round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Thomas.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. Jenks throws out a jab, but Thomas bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Thomas works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Jenks covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Thomas is making Jenks look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Jenks hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. Jenks tries to back Thomas up against the cage wall, but it comes to nothing. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Thomas got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Jenks slightly. Jenks initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Jenks looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Thomas is clearly winning them. Jenks needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Thomas tries a speculative high kick, but Jenks saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Jenks tries to work an angle, but Thomas is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Thomas, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The second round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Thomas.

Round 3
There is some tentative circling to begin with, before they meet in the center for the first action of the round. It's a tight affair, both fighters heavily using the jab, but Thomas looks to get the better of it, landing with one crisp strike to the face in particular. Jenks backs off, a little shaken. Replays show that it landed right on the nose. Thomas press the action, forcing Jenks back against the cage and upping the tempo with rapid-fire lefts and rights, bobbing and weaving at the same time to keep from getting caught with a counter punch. Jenks clinches up. Thomas is displaying a much more accomplished and confident striking game than Jenks, the technique and speed with which the punches are being delivered is leaving Jenks looking ragged in comparison. The pattern continues once they've been separated, with Thomas looking the sharper of the two. He isn't overwhelming Jenks by any means, but he is comfortably controlling the pace and tempo of the round, and preventing Jenks from stamping any sort of mark on it. The third round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Thomas by 10-9. The judges scores are unanimous, and give a score of 30-27 to Patrick Thomas. (*)

Thomas easily won this fight, and Jenks loses for the 5th time in a row. His career has gone nowhere, and he has to be thinking what will it take to get a win? Thomas' win gives the Cyclopes a 2-1 lead.

Light Heavyweight Division

John Rivero, Cyclopes (8-1-1) v. Leandro Piquet, Rush (6-3)

Round 1
The round begins with Piquet taking the iniative, coming in quickly with a straight right and a leg kick. Rivero replies with a snap jab and a wild left that misses by a long way. Piquet goes for the takedown, but Rivero sprawls. Piquet tries to power through, but Rivero uses that against him and turns it into a takedown of his own. They're quite close to the cage, which may help Piquet defend this. Rivero is in guard. He throws a couple of half-hearted jabs, then tries to pass, but Piquet isn't allowing it. Piquet pulls Rivero in tight, locking up both his arms. Rivero pulls free and again tries to pass guard. This has turned into a bit of a stalemate, the referee may be thinking of standing them up if nothing happens soon. Rivero tries a big right hand, which Piquet defends well. He has quite a high guard, Rivero has to be wary not to fall into a triangle when leaning in like that. Piquet once again drags Rivero down into a clinch, and this time even tries to work a guillotine, but Rivero easily deals with it and hands out two solid right hands to the ribs along the way. We're back to Rivero trying to pass guard. Piquet tries to throw a big punch and almost hands an armbar to Rivero, but he realises the danger in time and manages to recover. The referee finally gets them back to their feet due to the lack of progress that has been made. Rivero scores with a jab, then a second. Piquet goes for a sweeping kick to the right knee, but it isn't fast enough and gives Rivero enough time to take him down again. Rivero quickly goes to pass guard, looking for side control, but Piquet once again defends it. It looks like a frustrating round will end with them on the ground, and almost certainly has to go to Rivero on points due to him being the aggressor and getting two takedowns in. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Rivero.

Round 2
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Rivero lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Piquet sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Rivero on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Piquet manages to get the better position, pushing Rivero up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Piquet. Rivero hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Piquet tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Rivero was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Piquet down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Piquet covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Rivero hits a big elbow to the ribs, Piquet definitely felt that. Rivero drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Piquet brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Rivero will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Piquet defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Rivero unable to generate any attacks, and Piquet unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Rivero will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Rivero by 10-9.

Round 3
Rivero starts strong, hitting a nice low kick and following in with a shot to the body. Piquet backs off, but just gets pushed up against the cage. Rivero presses the advantage and works a nice hook to the body. Piquet responds with an attempted sweep, and when that doesn't work, a punch that lands behind the ear. Rivero gets in a low kick as he backs off, and the fight returns towards the center. Piquet throws a ragged jab, missing by a mile as Rivero simply ducks under and unloads a vicious hook from below. It catches Piquet square on the jaw, and he goes down! Rivero mounts and starts firing off punches, rapid-fire. The referee waits to see if Piquet can recover, decides that he can't, and pulls Rivero off. The match is over. The official time of the TKO is 2:48 of round 3. (**)

Actually, even though he ended up getting beaten, Piquet made a good showing for himself. Rivero was calm and in control. His ground game was superior and he gives the Cyclopes the win 3-1 and runs his record to 9 wins. He should break into the top 10 very soon.

Jethro Munter (2-2-2) v. Kendall Tracey (4-0)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Tracey puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Munter defended well. Straight right from Munter in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Tracey probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Munter gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Tracey. The round ends. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Tracey.

Round 2
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Munter gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. For a second it looked like Munter was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. Munter tries to work an angle, then steps in...and gets creamed with a high head kick! Tracey landed it right to the ear of all places, and Munter's legs give way, sending him crashing to the floor. The referee immediately covers him up, he is clearly out cold. Tracey gets the win via K.O. The official time is 1:43. (*)

Munter hadn't been knocked out in quite a while, and it was almost shocking to see it happen here. Especially against a fighter with as little expectation as the debuting Tracey. Tracey runs his record to 5-0.

Middleweight Division

Uwe Maier (7-2) v. #5 Carl Ratcliffe (9-3-2)

Round 1
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Maier, providing the first moment of real action. Ratcliffe hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Maier side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Ratcliffe is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Ratcliffe.

Round 2
Ratcliffe hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Maier to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Ratcliffe hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Maier tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Ratcliffe having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Maier. Ratcliffe makes Maier back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Ratcliffe throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Maier lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Ratcliffe by surprise, putting him down! Maier follows up and starts raining down right hands. Ratcliffe covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Maier off, the match is over. The official time of the TKO is 3:37 of round 2. (**)

Ratcliffe's loss proves that ranking don't mean as much as you think that they do. Maier's win gets him back on track, makes an impact on the Middleweight division and puts Carl Ratcliffe on a path back down in the rankings.

Lightweight Division

Randy Carsley, Cyclopes (6-0-1) v. Kenny Magilton III, Rush (4-2-3)

Round 1
Carsley starts fast, immediately going on the attack with jabs and straight rights. Magilton covers up from the initial burst, then starts throwing some raking rights and lefts. Carsley bobs and weaves out of harm's way, countering by flicking off jabs whenever possible, peppering Magilton with strikes. None of them are likely to knock Magilton down, but they will add up over time. Magilton moves in and tries to back Carsley up against the cage, but he is too quick, and won't allow himself to get caught. Magilton is having a real problem with Carsley's movement, which is allowing him to dart in and out almost at will, hitting quick jabs and avoiding any counters. There's another example, as Carsley scores with a sharp left hand to the chest, and is gone before the big right hand of Magilton hits. Magilton looks frustrated, and switches tactics, no longer looking for the big punches but trying to stop Carsley getting in close by using low kicks and long, raking punches. Carsley is kept from doing any further damage, but Magilton isn't generating any offence either. Carsley comes in from an angle, takes a right hand, but scores with a flurry of his own. Magilton tries to hit a low kick, but misses. Time is running down, Carsley is going to take this round on points, he has been able to dominate it thanks to his superior movement. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Carsley by 10-9.

Round 2
They start the round with an exchange of strikes, all from fairly long range as they circle and try to work angles. None of the blows did any damage, either missing or being straight into the opponent's gloves. Carsley is the first to land a worthwhile blow, hitting a straight right that catches Magilton on the side of the cheek. Carsley follows up by backing him up against the cage, throws a couple of big punches, but gets pulled into a clinch without doing any serious damage. Magilton goes for a trip and almost gets it, but Carsley is able to regain his footing at the last moment. Magilton has Carsley against the cage, and hits three right hands to the side of the ribs. Carsley reaches down and picks up a leg, using that as leverage to topple Magilton, who pulls guard. Carsley starts pounding away and does some damage before Magilton grapples and pulls him down into a clinch. Magilton has both of Carsley's arms tied up, preventing much in the way of attacking action. Carsley uses some shoulder shrugs to the face, but Magilton isn't going to be too bothered by that. Carsley pulls one arm free. Magilton still has tight control of the other, and brings his legs up, trying to apply an armbar. Carsley sees it coming and blocks it easily, getting in a couple of punches for good measure. Carsley steps through the legs and forces Magilton to release the arm so that he can cover up against a series of strikes. Magilton manages to ensare one leg though, and so Carsley has to make do with being in half guard instead of getting the full mount that he wanted. Carsley hits a couple of punches, takes one back, then attempts to get side control. Magilton keeps him at bay. Time is ticking away, if Carsley is going to use this position to finish the match, it had better be done soon. Carsley pulls Magilton's left arm to one side and straightens it out, perhaps looking to turn it into an armbar. Magilton rolls over to stop the arm getting trapped. Carsley continues to work for it though. Time expires though, the round is over. The second round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Carsley.

Round 3
Magilton starts strongly, hitting two stiff jabs to the gloves, stinging the hands of Carsley. The third strike is a meaty left hook that narrowly misses. If that had hit, Carsley may well have been decapitated. Despite leaning backwards, Carsley throws a mighty kick that explodes across the chest, Magilton staggers back. That was an enormously powerful blow, and Magilton didn't see it coming at all. They circle for a moment, sizing each other up. Carsley throws a flurry of jabs, but Magilton blocks them easily. A right hand from Magilton lands below the eye, and a straight left glances off the shoulder. Another exchange doesn't see either fighter get an advantage. Magilton throws a heavy left, but Carsley goes underneath it. Another hard kick from Carsley, this time smashing into the left thigh. Magilton almost get knocked down. He throws a left hook in retaliation which misses by a mile, and gives Carsley the chance to hit another big kick, this time to the ribs. The round has been pretty even, with the exception of those kicks by Carsley which have really made a big difference. As the round comes to an end, it looks like those will make sure that Carsley wins the round on points. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Carsley. The judges scores are unanimous, and give a score of 30-27 to Randy Carsley. (**)

A pretty easy and quality win from Carsley. Magilton had no answer for the better fighter. Carsley didn't get himself into any situations where he was going to lose. For Magilton, he always seemed a step behind and was unable to mount any offense during the fight.

Light Heavyweight Division

#10 Elgar (11-5-1) v. #7 Percy Catcher (8-2)

Round 1
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before Elgar throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Catcher's jaw, but it is parried. Catcher steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. Elgar moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Catcher put a lot of weight behind it. Elgar hits a nice jab, then clinches. Catcher hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. Elgar hits a low kick to the leg. Catcher bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. Elgar goes down! Good shot from Catcher! He tries to follow up and pound on Elgar, but Elgar is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Catcher, sensing that Elgar is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. Elgar ends up backed up against the cage. Catcher gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by Elgar, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Catcher has in his hands is really posing Elgar some problems. The clinch drags on, with Catcher unable to break free, and the round ends like that. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Catcher.

Round 2
Elgar throws the first punch of the round, a high searching jab that didn't carry a great deal of threat with it. Catcher throws a one-two combination in return, neither connecting, then steps in and delivers a hard kick to the outside of the thigh. Elgar steps back, throwing a right hand as he does to buy himself space. They circle, then move in again to exchange strikes, neither fighter getting a clear advantage. They come together again and the same result. It has become something of a stalemate at the moment. They come together to exchange strikes for the third time, and this time they wind up in a clinch. Catcher hits a knee to the ribs. A couple of shots to the back from Elgar. They struggle all the way back, with Elgar ending up backed up against the cage. Catcher hits another knee, but there wasn't much power behind it. Elgar stomps downward onto his foot. Elgar manages to reverse their positions, but that only lasts about thirty seconds before it gets reversed once more. Catcher gets an arm free and tries to throw a big shot to the cheek, Elgar ducks under it and gets the arm back under control. The referee finally breaks them up, and we're back to where we started. Elgar tries a high kick to start, but Catcher saw it coming and easily avoids it. They come back together in the center, and it's Catcher who gets the first sustained attack of the round, hitting two hard body shots and a jab that caught Elgar on the nose. Elgar hits a straight right, enough to stop Catcher from following up any further. The time expires with them standing. Not a great round for either of them or the crowd, it was very scrappy. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to Catcher by 10-9.

Round 3
Catcher starts fast, firing off several crisp jabs that keep Elgar on the back foot. A solid left hits gloves, but it's really just a set-up for Catcher to step in and use an uppercut. Not sure how much of it caught Elgar, but certainly enough to to make him grab a clinch to stop any further punishment. Great start to the round from Catcher, it has been total domination so far. The clinch is broken, and the two fighters exchange some long range jabs that are easily avoided. Elgar is looking a little lost so far, Catcher is controlling this round by virtue of his crisp accurate punches and higher aggression levels. Catcher looks to be working an angle. Catcher leads with the left, then moves in and gets in a wicked right hand that grazes the cheek. Elgar was fortunate there, if that had landed properly it would have been over. Elgar comes back with a leg kick to set up a one-two combination, but the round is coming to a close and it's going to be too little too late. The one bright spot for Elgar is that although Catcher clearly won the round, he didn't actually turn that dominance into any sort of real damage. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Catcher by 10-9. Percy Catcher wins the match, getting a score of 30-27 from all three judges. (**)

It was a bit surprising to see just how dominating that Catcher's win was here. There was much more expected from Elgar that he gave here. It was expected that he would go to the ground, but the power of Catcher was just too much for him to deal with. Catcher really made a nice showing for himself, and keeps his win streak alive.

Main Event

Lightweight Division

#4 Ricardo Fernandes (17-7) v. #8 Beau Gorshin (24-15)

Round 1
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Gorshin fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Fernandes. They clinch, and Fernandes winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Gorshin tries to push Fernandes back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. They come together, both throwing punches. Fernandes gets a nice clean shot in, and Gorshin stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Fernandes is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. The official time of the TKO is 5:56 of round 1. (**)

Dissapointing showing for Gorshin. Perhaps his 40th should be his last. Certainly this is the last time that he will be ranked in the top 10 in his career. Fernandes brings just what was expected, although his opponent was supposed to offer a little more resistance than this.

Fans were very happy with the show, and we were able to gain pop in all 78 regions that we had coverage.

PilotMan

02-23-2008, 12:15 PM

John Rivero is out for about 6 weeks with an injury to his elbow. Tuck Durdell also was injured in his fight with Andrew Rush. Expect him to be out for 2-3 months. That isn't good, as he was expected to be on a new Battleground squad.

Our next show will air as standard, at the end of September. It will feature Giovani Silva defending his lightweight title. As a bonus, Julio Regueiro will defend his GAMMA Welterweight title too.

PilotMan

02-23-2008, 12:16 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. Henson
Live on PPV, broadcast all over the world
4th Friday, September, 1997
Denver, Colorado

Lightweight Division

Sadahige Yoshida (1-0-1) v. Jackson Gray (9-5-1)

Middleweight Division

Robert Darrell (9-3) v. Adam White (0-0)

Lightweight Division

Gustavo Bautista (12-4) .v Will Kane (9-1)

Light Heavyweight Division

#9 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-3) v. #10 Curt Kitson (11-4-1)

Garry McSweegan (13-4-1) v. Lenny McFadden (9-5-2)

Middleweight Division

#7 Bixente Fontaine (10-4-1) v. #8 Tucker Plumm (14-8-1)

Heavyweight Division

#2 Robun Yamazaki (18-6) v. Tony McCall (20-5-2)

Welterweight Division

#7 Lukas Mellberg (11-1-2) v. #8 Simon Vine (9-3-2)

Middleweight Division

Greg Atteveld (17-12) v. #3 Jim Carpenter (20-5-1)

Heavyweight Division

#3 Lefter Oktay (9-1) v. Tank Manu'a (12-4-1)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-3) v. Challenger #10 Gabriel Gallego (13-1)

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (24-9) v. Challenger #8 Callum Henson (6-0-2)

PilotMan

02-23-2008, 12:16 PM

It should be noted that Callum Henson is currently on the roster of the Durham Red Raiders, and that the Red Raiders are involved in their Championship dual against the Buffalo Outlaws. Needless to say, Henson will not fighting that night. Instead, he gets a shot, early by most standards, against the #5 pound for pound, and best lightweight fighter in the world. I think that he can find it within himself to try for the win. The Red Raiders are going to miss him. They will need to rely on Malcom O'Hearn to get the win.

We have signed a deal with a Canadian PPV carrier Canada 1-Choice. This is our third PPV carrier and gives us our first PPV coverage in Canada. We also become the first organization to have 3 PPV carriers, and the first in Canada.

PilotMan

02-23-2008, 12:17 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. Henson Previews
Live on PPV, broadcast all over the world
4th Friday, September, 1997
Denver, Colorado

Lightweight Division

Sadahige Yoshida (1-0-1) v. Jackson Gray (9-5-1)
Gray is on a bit of a slide having lost his last two fights, first to Stiles and then to Brandon Sugar. He is fighting a very inexperienced Yoshida, who is undefeated, however very green. Yoshida, 21, could fight at bantamweight, but instead has to fight here. Gray needs to stop his losing streak right here. If Yoshida is just hoping steal a win here.

Middleweight Division

Robert Darrell (9-3) v. Adam White (0-0)

Robert Darrell would like to get his swagger back after being beaten by Matthew Dean. His chance is a win over debuting Adam White. New fighters kind of get thrown to the wolves here in GAMMA. White will get a chance to prove his untested mettle here against an established fighter.

Lightweight Division

Gustavo Bautista (12-4) .v Will Kane (9-1)

An interesting match-up here between Kane and Bautista. Kane got a fast win in his last fight over Duane Weatherly, but Bautista is a more reputable fighter than Weatherly. Bautista lost in his GAMMA debut to Jack Humphreys. Kane is no Humphreys, so he could be ripe for a beating here. Kane will certainly vault into the rankings with a win here.

Light Heavyweight Division

#9 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-3) v. #10 Curt Kitson (11-4-1)

Chekhov is on a streak of three draws in a row. With the new rules, that will come to an end here. The man that he is facing is a similar fighter, in record and reputation. Whoever gets the win here will be on the way up. Kitson is coming off of a win, and Chekhov would like to start a streak. Neither fighter is particularly well liked, so the fans should be split evenly.

Garry McSweegan (13-4-1) v. Lenny McFadden (9-5-2)

McSweegan is still trying to pick up the pieces from his less than desirable start in GAMMA. His last fight was a win over submission artist JJ Reid. He is fighting “Lethal” Lenny McFadden today, who is coming off of a loss in his last fight. Neither fighter has been setting GAMMA on fire, but both are just outside of the top rankings. McSweegan and McFadden are equally popular with McSweegan being more popular internationally.

Middleweight Division

#7 Bixente Fontaine (10-4-1) v. #8 Tucker Plumm (14-8-1)

Another battle between a pair of evenly matched fighters. Plumm has beaten Petey Mack and Rodolphe Gygax, while Fontaine's most recent win was over Andrew Rush. Neither man has been on fire lately but that shouldn't keep this from being a good fight. Plumm is more experienced but is pretty much unknown in the US. Fontaine will be the crowd favorite to win here.

Heavyweight Division

#2 Robun Yamazaki (18-6) v. Tony McCall (20-5-2)

Yamazaki makes his GAMMA debut against the dangerous, but unranked Tony McCall. McCall sports a great record, but was set back by his loss to Fatuma Roy in his last fight. He did fight Raul Hughes for the title almost a year ago, but was injured and inactive for much of the last year. Yamazaki is a dangerous puncher who won his last fight last November against Ari Peltonen in Alpha–1. Yamazaki is most famous for his victory over Kunimichi Kikuchi. Kikuchi isn't well known here, but is known all around the world as one of the best heavyweight fighters in the world. It has been 5 years since Yamazaki held the Alpha-1 heavyweight title.

Welterweight Division

#7 Lukas Mellberg (11-1-2) v. #8 Simon Vine (9-3-2)

Both men come into the fight with wins in their last fights. Mellberg has an impressive record, his most recent win was a third round submission of Joe Hinchcliffe. Before that, Mellberg had gone from contender to unranked with unimpressive showings his his three previous fights. Vine is fighting for the first time on PPV, all of his previous fights were fighting for Durham in Battleground. He has impressive wins over Eli Harris and David Allen. Hardly title contenders, but at least it puts him heading in the right direction.

Middleweight Division

Greg Atteveld (17-12) v. #3 Jim Carpenter (20-5-1)

Carpenter has been at or near the top of the Middleweight division for most of the last year without fighting. It is hard to fight when you are recovering from a severe neck injury. So Carpenter makes his return to the cage against the very dangerous Atteveld. Atteveld suffered through back to back losses against top ranked De Vries and Spyrou, only to come back with a win over Tucker Plumm. A win over Carpenter would mean a lot to the 34 year old from Missouri. Carpenter could have taken an easier opponent, but he really needed to make a good showing against a good opponent to justify his high ranking that he had held for the time that he was out.

Heavyweight Division

#3 Lefter Oktay (9-1) v. Tank Manu'a (12-4-1)

The first of the three big fights of the night. Lefter Oktay hopes to keep his momentum going after his knockout loss to champion, Raul Hughes. In his last fight he scored a TKO first round win over Aleksander Ivonv, a fighter who was making his debut in MMA. Tonight will be a little more challenging. Tank Manu'a stands 3 inches over Oktay and outweighs him by 52 pounds, but that advantage didn't help him to beat Fatuma Roy, a fighter similar to Oktay in size. Manu'a still sports an impressive record, and comes into this fight with Oktay with every bit of confidence that he needs to win.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-3) v. Challenger #10 Gabriel Gallego (13-1)

Boy, talk about being in the right place at the right time. Gallego makes his debut in GAMMA with a chance to unseat possibly the most popular MMA fighter in the world. Regueiro has been unbeatable in his career. Some would argue that his opponents haven't been exactly world class, Cahill, Hansen, Van Der Capellen, Bracewell. With Humphreys out of the Welterweight division, who is there that can challenge him? Gallego only lost the Alpha-1 welterweight title in January of this year after making three defenses. His only loss was to Alberto Basora, the brother of Pittsburgh Cyclopes' fighter Luis Basora. Now Gallego takes his chances against Regueiro, for the GAMMA Welterweight Title.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (24-9) v. Challenger #8 Callum Henson (6-0-2)

Giovani Silva has run through every contender in the lightweight division, and now gives a surprise shot to Durham Red Raiders' fighter Callum Henson. Henson's last fight was a win over Bruce Steven, and he also has a recent win over Luke Hilton. Silva has run through Morrison, Dalglish, De Souza, and Prochazka. Now he would like to add Henson to that list. Many are asking how much the 34 year old “Brazilian Whirlwind” has left, but as long as he keeps fighting like he has been he shouldn't be in any question. Henson is still very green, and just couldn't pass up a title shot against a legend like Silva.

PilotMan

02-23-2008, 12:19 PM

GAMMA: Silva v. Henson
Live on PPV, broadcast all over the world
4th Friday, September, 1997
Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 4,013

Lightweight Division

Sadahige Yoshida (1-0-1) v. Jackson Gray (9-5-1)

Round 1
Gray hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Yoshida to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Gray hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Yoshida tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Gray having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Yoshida. Yoshida with a body shot. Gray steps in to throw a right hand, but doesn't get a chance to pull the trigger as Yoshida is already in with a takedown. Gray hits the floor hard, and Yoshida winds up in his guard. Yoshida passes guard without too much trouble, and cracks Gray with a hard punch to the cheek. Gray tries to scramble into a better position without dropping his guard against another punch, but can't, and Yoshida maneuvers so that he has one knee planted on Gray's chest, keeping him from rolling. Yoshida quickly secures the left arm and transitions into a tight arm bar. Gray has no way out, he taps. Yoshida wins via armbar submission at 5:42 of the first round. (*)

Wow, Gray was made to look silly in this fight. Yoshida made quick work and raised his star a full notch with a win over Gray. Gray will have a lot to think about after this. Certainly it wasn't the way that he wanted it to end.

Middleweight Division

Robert Darrell (9-3) v. Adam White (0-0)

Round 1
White throws a straight right, batted away by Darrell. White goes for a second, but gets beaten to the punch as Darrell scores with a kick that catches White across the outside of the knee. Darrell throws another one, and this time it lands just above the same knee. White backs off slightly. Darrell throws a high jab, then head-fakes and comes in with a left hook from low down. White fires back with a crisp right hand that connects to the shoulder rather than the face. Darrell throws another fizzing low kick, again connecting with the knee. White tried to check it, but couldn't in time. Those strikes are going to add up soon and start reducing his mobility. Darrell throws another kick, this time at chest-height, but it's merely a set-up to allow him to come in fast and start throwing a series of jabs. White covers up, throwing occasional straight rights in return. Darrell backs off, but not before cracking another kick into the thigh region. Time is running down, White has failed to deal with those kicks, and it has definitely cost him this round, and possibly done some damage to his knee. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Darrell by 10-9.

Round 2
The fighters come together right in the center. White throws out a jab, but Darrell bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Darrell works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, White covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Darrell is making White look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. White hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. White looks to be working an angle. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Darrell got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked White slightly. White initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. White looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Darrell is clearly winning them. White needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Darrell tries a speculative high kick, but White saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. White tries to work an angle, but Darrell is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Darrell, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Darrell.

Round 3
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Darrell works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with White backed up against the cage. Darrell gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by White, who uses his legs well to defend. Darrell pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. White gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Darrell follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Darrell hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. White tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. White leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Darrell. The three judges all give the match as 30-27 to Robert Darrell. (*)

White actually made a pretty good debut here against Darrell, but just wasn't skilled enough to deal with Darrell. Darrell fought well and executed his plan well. A good win, and the 10th of his MMA career.

Lightweight Division

Gustavo Bautista (12-4) .v Will Kane (9-1)

Round 1
Bautista doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Kane easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Kane throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Kane backs Bautista up against the cage, and we've got a tussle for the superior position. Kane manages to get one arm free from the tangle, and slams a big elbow just below the hairline. Bautista quickly gets that arm tied up again. Knee from Bautista, then two or three small punches to the back. There appears to be blood starting to flow from Bautista's forehead, the earlier strike looks to have lacerated it. The referee has spotted it too, and he gets them to break apart. He wants the doctor to have a look at it. A few minutes of deliberation follow before the doctor tells the referee that the wound is too deep. The referee unfortunately has to end the match, Bautista has been ruled unfit to continue. Kane wins via 1st round medical stoppage with the official time being 1:18. (*)

That was an unfortunate end to a fight that I was really looking forward to. Kane is tough when he is clinched and snares a win here against Bautista. It is the 10th win in his MMA career too.

Light Heavyweight Division

#9 Aleksei Chekhov (8-2-3) v. #10 Curt Kitson (11-4-1)

Round 1
Kitson starts strongly, immediately rushing in for a takedown. Chekhov got taken by surprise a little, but wrestles his way free of the grapple and pulls to safety. Chekhov doesn't hang around for a second attempt, he uses a looping left to set himself up to come in close and score with a series of strikes, two or three nice body shots included. Kitson covers up, throwing the occasional jab as a counter. Chekhov goes for a vicious uppercut, but gets pulled into a clinch. Kitson goes for a takedown via a trip, but Chekhov defends it. Another trip attempt, another failure. Kitson pushes Chekhov up against the cage and tries to wrestle him to the ground, but Chekhov keeps his balance and sprawls to stop it. Chekhov gets in a hard right hand to the side of the face, taking advantage of the fact that Kitson was leaning in too far. Chekhov reverses so that Kitson is against the cage. They remain clinched, with nothing more than minor strikes being thrown, for a long time. The referee finally breaks them apart and gets them back to the center. Chekhov throws a kick, waist-high, but Kitson avoids it. That could have been used for a takedown attempt if Kitson had been quicker and caught it. Chekhov hits two or three punches in a row, stinging the gloves of Kitson. The round draws to a close. It'll be interesting to see where the judges go with this, as Chekhov clearly got the better strikes in throughout the round, but Kitson did probably show more aggression by virtue of his almost constant attempts to get the takedown. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Chekhov.

Round 2
Kitson starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Chekhov checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Kitson doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Kitson cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Chekhov with a beauty of a right hook. Chekhov stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Kitson presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Chekhov clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Chekhov scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Kitson in the gut. Kitson uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Kitson gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Chekhov reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Kitson has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Chekhov has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Kitson from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Kitson tries to step over and fully apply it, but Chekhov breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Kitson steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Chekhov hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Kitson will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Kitson by 10-9.

Round 3
They clinch. Chekhov gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Chekhov landed hard with Kitson right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Kitson hits three big punches to the face, and Chekhov is rocked. Kitson gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Chekhov has no alternative but to tap out. The official time is 0:50. (**)

A solidly entertaining fight between these two men, a see-saw battle, with Kitson ending up snagging the win.

Garry McSweegan (13-4-1) v. Lenny McFadden (9-5-2)

Round 1
Good start from McFadden, taking McSweegan down almost immediately! McSweegan scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. McFadden will be disappointed with that. McSweegan comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing McFadden to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. McSweegan felt that one for sure. He stalks McFadden, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, McFadden keeps out of the way. McSweegan tries a kick, but McFadden catches the foot and uses it for a trip. McFadden gets McSweegan down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. McFadden throws some punches, then tries to pass. McSweegan doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. McFadden easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from McFadden followed by a pass attempt, with McSweegan blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to McFadden by 10-9.

Round 2
McSweegan starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by McFadden. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. McFadden goes for a single leg and puts McSweegan on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing McFadden from getting on top. McSweegan definitely seems to want to keep this standing. McFadden hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down McSweegan again. This time McSweegan isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, McFadden will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but McSweegan defends. McFadden tries to slip past to get side control, but McSweegan just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and McFadden has the side. Two big elbows land, and McSweegan seems in trouble. McFadden goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 McFadden.

Round 3
McSweegan leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, McFadden deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. McFadden uses a knee to the ribs before backing McSweegan up against the cage. Right hand from McSweegan connects though, that was well timed. McFadden breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, McSweegan was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from McFadden sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. McSweegan fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. The two fighters come together in the center. McSweegan leads with a left, but McFadden easily avoids it and comes in close to throw some body shots. It all gets a bit scrappy, but it ends with McFadden falling to the ground. Replays show that McSweegan did catch him with a jab, but it clearly did very little damage, McFadden had already stumbled while taking a step backward. Regardless of how it happened though, McFadden is down, and McSweegan is quick to rush in to capitalise. McSweegan has a good position, half-straddling the upper body of McFadden, and can pick his shots. A hard right thunders into the left cheek of McFadden, and a left hits the same spot. McFadden turns his hips, looking to try and shake McSweegan loose, but gets turned over completely and gives up his back! McSweegan starts punching again, driving fists into the side of McFadden's face. McFadden is trapped, and can barely cover up. A few more punches connect, one vicious one to the ear looking particularly nasty, and that's enough for the referee to pull McSweegan away. McSweegan wins via 3rd round TKO with the official time being 4:54. (**)

Talk about a turn around. McFadden owned McSweegan for two rounds, taking him down 4 times, but unable to put him away. McSweegan was able to capitalize on a fluke and turn the fortunes his way. A win is good for him and will help him work his way up the rankings.

Middleweight Division

#7 Bixente Fontaine (10-4-1) v. #8 Tucker Plumm (14-8-1)

Round 1
The two competitors start slowly, circling and looking for an opening. Plumm fakes shooting in for a takedown, but Fontaine didn't buy it for a second. In comes Plumm from an angle to the right, but Fontaine had it covered all the way, and not only easily steps out of the way of the attempted right hand, but manages to score with a solid right hand to the side of the head. Plumm felt that, and is forced to cover up quickly as Fontaine steps in quickly and unloads with a flurry of powerful blows, looking to capitalise on the earlier strike. Plumm is forced back against the cage, but to his credit, he did a good job defending those strikes and didn't seem to take any significant damage. Fontaine doesn't get in too close, realising that it would likely mean getting caught in a clinch, so he stands slightly back instead and throws some low kicks and looping punches. Plumm responds by throwing out some straight jabs, but neither fighter is really doing any damage to their opponent. Fontaine clearly grows tired of the wait, and moves in to hit a body blow. It connects, but Plumm is quick to tie him up in a clinch. That lasts quite a while, until the referee gets in there and breaks them up, telling them to fight. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Fontaine scores with a stiff jab, and bobs and weaves to avoid all three of the rapid-fire punches that come back from Plumm. Nicely done. Plumm, realising that he is losing this round, comes forward with a sense of urgency, throwing right hands to put Fontaine on the back foot. Fontaine handles it well though, refusing to let Plumm get an angle, and using some nice counter punches to the body to further cement the fact that this round is going to him on points. Time expires with Plumm throwing increasingly desperate punches. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Fontaine.

Round 2
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Plumm, providing the first moment of real action. Fontaine hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Plumm side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Fontaine is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. The 2nd round ends. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Fontaine.

Round 3
Plumm clinches. They go down in an awkward moment, not sure what was going on then. Plumm is in the guard of Fontaine. He moves into a side mount, and Fontaine didn't do much to stop it. Plumm brings down a hard shot, but it deflects of the forearms of Fontaine. Plumm looks for a kimura, but Fontaine shifts his weight and sweeps Plumm. Fontaine now has a half mount. Plumm tries a sweep of his own, but Fontaine blocks it, and then gets into a full mount. Fontaine takes one arm, fights off a big effort by Plumm to block it, and cinches in a armbar. Plumm tries to get free, but is stuck, and is forced to tap out. Official time of the armbar submission is 0:48 of the third round. (**)

An odd fight in the way that it went down, to the way that it finished. They made an awkward pair, and even though it finished the way that I thought it would, it didn't end up any way that made sense. Plumm was in position to win a couple of times, but just didn't have the skill to do it right. Good result for Fontaine.

Heavyweight Division

#2 Robun Yamazaki (18-6) v. Tony McCall (20-5-2)

Round 1
McCall isn't hanging around, right from the start Yamazaki is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Yamazaki circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but McCall weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from McCall, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Yamazaki is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. McCall really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Yamazaki was wide open for a moment there. McCall hits a high kick, catching Yamazaki on the shoulder. Jab from Yamazaki finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. McCall fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Yamazaki scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of McCall, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. The round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to McCall by 10-9.

Round 2
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Yamazaki, providing the first moment of real action. McCall hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Yamazaki side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. McCall is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for McCall.

Round 3
Yamazaki leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, McCall deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. McCall uses a knee to the ribs before backing Yamazaki up against the cage. Right hand from Yamazaki connects though, that was well timed. McCall breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Yamazaki was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from McCall sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Yamazaki fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. McCall hits a low kick to the knee; Yamazaki defended it pretty well. Yamazaki drops his head to come in low. McCall sees it coming and moves forward to cut him off, but loses his footing and slips onto all fours. Yamazaki improvises, changing his planned lunge into a knee strike to the side of the head! And a second! He goes to throw a third, but the referee dives in and stops the match. McCall falls backward into the cage. Those knee strikes, perfectly legal of course, really hit hard, and he is showing the effects, glassy-eyed and off-balance. The referee quickly calls the doctor in to look at McCall. The doctor can clearly be heard saying that he thinks McCall has a concussion. The official time is 4:28. (**)

Dissapointing finish for McCall, as he had the fight in hand before falling down. As for Yamazaki, it wasn't a great debut, but his win is a win. It will keep him near the top of the rankings and over time may give him a chance to fight for the title.

Welterweight Division

#7 Lukas Mellberg (11-1-2) v. #8 Simon Vine (9-3-2)

Round 1
Nice fast-paced start from Mellberg, who gets right in Vine's face from the beginning of the round, throwing some crisp jabs and then a vicious uppercut. The two jabs got parried, the uppercut missed as Vine side-stepped. Vine fires back with a left hand, then a right to the body. Mellberg steps in, but only into a waist-high kick from Vine. Mellberg is quick though, and manages to catch it around the knee. Using it as leverage, Mellberg sweeps Vine's standing leg and takes them to the ground. Vine quickly pulls guard. Mellberg tries to pass guard, but Vine doesn't allow it. Vine throws a couple of punches, but they're parried away. He breaks his guard to bring a leg across and try to kick Mellberg in the face, but it's a mistake as Mellberg pushes the leg aside and gets side control. Mellberg pushes them closer to the cage, near his own corner so that they can give him instructions. Following what they say, Mellberg throws some heavy blows to the unprotected stomach of Vine, then tries to isolate the closest arm. Vine frantically tries to stop that happening, but does indeed give it up. He does manage to roll to the side, giving himself some good leverage and preventing Mellberg from extending the arm. Mellberg continues trying to apply an armbar, but Vine is not allowing it. Eventually Mellberg turns and tries to get a crucifix position instead. Vine fights that off too. The round ends with Mellberg still doggedly trying to get an armbar submission, and Vine tenaciously stopping it. End of round 1. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mellberg.

Round 2
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Mellberg lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Vine sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Mellberg on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Vine manages to get the better position, pushing Mellberg up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Vine. Mellberg hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Vine tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Mellberg was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Vine down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Vine covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Mellberg hits a big elbow to the ribs, Vine definitely felt that. Mellberg drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Vine brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Mellberg will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Vine defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Mellberg unable to generate any attacks, and Vine unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Mellberg will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Mellberg.

Round 3
Vine is the first to score a meaningful blow, tagging Mellberg with a jab to the cheek. Mellberg uses a nice straight left to return fire. Vine comes in to work the body, but Mellberg saw it coming and uses a quick takedown to put Vine onto the floor, falling into guard. Mellberg tries to pass guard, but Vine doesn't allow it. Vine throws a couple of punches, but they're parried away. He breaks his guard to bring a leg across and try to kick Mellberg in the face, but it's a mistake as Mellberg pushes the leg aside and gets side control. Mellberg pushes them closer to the cage, near his own corner so that they can give him instructions. Following what they say, Mellberg throws some heavy blows to the unprotected stomach of Vine, then tries to isolate the closest arm. Vine frantically tries to stop that happening, but does indeed give it up. He does manage to roll to the side, giving himself some good leverage and preventing Mellberg from extending the arm. Mellberg continues trying to apply an armbar, but Vine is not allowing it. Eventually Mellberg turns and tries to get a crucifix position instead. Vine fights that off too. The round ends with Mellberg still doggedly trying to get an armbar submission, and Vine tenaciously stopping it. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Mellberg. All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Lukas Mellberg. (**)

A good fight for Mellberg, his takedowns and ability to keep from getting hurt. Vine's defense kept him in the fight, but he just didn't get enough offense to get any love from the judges. Mellberg's win here will move him up. He is a tough fighter with only one loss on his record. How far away is Regueiro?

Middleweight Division

Greg Atteveld (17-12) v. #3 Jim Carpenter (20-5-1)

Round 1
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Atteveld puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Carpenter defended well. Straight right from Carpenter in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Atteveld probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Carpenter gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Atteveld. End of round 1. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Atteveld.

Round 2
Carpenter hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Atteveld to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Carpenter hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Atteveld tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Carpenter having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Atteveld. Carpenter with a jab. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Big kick from Carpenter! That was out of nowhere, and hit Atteveld on the jaw. I don't think anyone saw that coming, least of all Atteveld, and he has been laid out cold with one massively powerful kick. The official time is 3:49. (***)

Welcome back Mr. Carpenter. A win like that over a vet like Atteveld is going to go a long way. It isn't too often that a fighter of his skill is knocked out cold. I would say that Carpenter is back with a whack!

Heavyweight Division

#3 Lefter Oktay (9-1) v. Tank Manu'a (12-4-1)

Round 1
Quick start to the round from Manu'a, he comes storming in with a flurry of jabs. Oktay defends it well, parrying them away. Nice straight right from Oktay connects. Manu'a gets in close and hits a pair of nice body shots, then they clinch up. Manu'a pushes Oktay back against the cage and goes for a trip, but Oktay blocks it. Oktay suddenly pushes forward off the cage and uses the momentum to take Manu'a down to the ground, into guard. Oktay throws out a right hand, parried away by Manu'a. The guard is quite tight, for the moment at least Oktay looks content to stay there and throw some punches. Manu'a isn't offering any sort of attacking threat yet, instead concentrating on keeping the strikes from landing. A big punch is driven into the ribs, Manu'a thought it was going for the face. Another punch lands in the same place, and a red mark starts to develop. Manu'a reaches up and pulls Oktay down into a clinch, and tries to work an armbar from the bottom. Oktay defends it easily, and gets in a sharp jab to the face too. He stands up slightly, leaning forward into the guard, and starts throwing some right hands. One gets through, the others are parried. Manu'a looked like he might be considering trying to apply a triangle then, as Oktay was very exposed, but he didn't get a chance due to the ferocity of the punches. Oktay gets back down to kneeling in the guard. Another right hand lands to the ribs. Manu'a fires off two punches from his back, but Oktay defends them easily by simply leaning backward out of reach. Oktay stands again, the guard remaining tight around him, and throws another couple of bombs. This time Manu'a does try to apply the triangle, and an armbar at the same time, but Oktay breaks free. Time is ticking down, looks like Manu'a will survive this ground and pound attack. The round ends without further note. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Oktay.

Round 2
Oktay and Manu'a circle to start. Manu'a throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Oktay sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Manu'a comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Oktay to slip a nice jab in, catching Manu'a just underneath the right eye. Oktay comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Manu'a misses with a right cross, then backs off. Oktay stalks him, forcing Manu'a back up against the cage. Oktay doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Manu'a throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Oktay pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Manu'a covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Oktay in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Oktay throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Manu'a comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Oktay parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Oktay's favour. End of round 2. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Oktay.

Round 3
They touch gloves to start the round. Manu'a starts the better of the two, putting together a string of right hand jabs and searching left hands that force Oktay to back up all the to the cage. Manu'a follows him in and gets in close enough to throw some body shots. Oktay clinches. A couple of right hands hit Manu'a's shoulder, but otherwise there's not a lot happening. They break. Manu'a misses with a right hand, and gets caught with a big kick to the legs! Manu'a goes down, his knees literally taken out from under him. Oktay goes to follow up, and almost gets side control, but Manu'a recovers quickly enough to turn and pull guard. Oktay throws out a right hand, parried away by Manu'a. The guard is quite tight, for the moment at least Oktay looks content to stay there and throw some punches. Manu'a isn't offering any sort of attacking threat yet, instead concentrating on keeping the strikes from landing. A big punch is driven into the ribs, Manu'a thought it was going for the face. Another punch lands in the same place, and a red mark starts to develop. Manu'a reaches up and pulls Oktay down into a clinch, and tries to work an armbar from the bottom. Oktay defends it easily, and gets in a sharp jab to the face too. He stands up slightly, leaning forward into the guard, and starts throwing some right hands. One gets through, the others are parried. Manu'a looked like he might be considering trying to apply a triangle then, as Oktay was very exposed, but he didn't get a chance due to the ferocity of the punches. Oktay gets back down to kneeling in the guard. Another right hand lands to the ribs. Manu'a fires off two punches from his back, but Oktay defends them easily by simply leaning backward out of reach. Oktay stands again, the guard remaining tight around him, and throws another couple of bombs. This time Manu'a does try to apply the triangle, and an armbar at the same time, but Oktay breaks free. Time is ticking down, looks like Manu'a will survive this ground and pound attack. The round ends without further note. The 3rd round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Oktay. The official scores are: 30-27 from all three judges for Lefter Oktay. (**)

A tough fight for Oktay, for most of the fight he was in control, but there was a couple of moments that it appeared that he could be the one on the short end of the fight. Manu'a size did keep Oktay from being overly aggressive but it wasn't enough to get him the win.

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Welterweight Title

Champion Julio Regueiro (11-0-3) v. Challenger #10 Gabriel Gallego (13-1)

Round 1
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Gallego works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Regueiro backed up against the cage. Gallego gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Regueiro, who uses his legs well to defend. Gallego pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Regueiro gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Gallego follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Gallego hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Regueiro tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Regueiro leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Gallego.

Round 2
Flat start to the round, thirty seconds of circling without any actual contact. The fans begin to get a bit restless. Regueiro is the first to try something, stringing together a couple of jabs and a low kick, but Gallego blocked the first two and avoided the latter. A lunge from Regueiro is meant to set up a punch, but it's clumsy and just leaves him off balance. Gallego is quick to react, and gets a great shot to the side of the face in before Regueiro can cover up. That landed above the left eye and has left an ugly red mark. No cut, but that will start to swell and could give Regueiro some problems later on. Regueiro moves in for a right hook, but takes a hard kick to the knee, then is forced to retreat so as not to get caught with the two right hands that follow. Gallego is staying on it though, and glances three shots off the gloves of Regueiro before they wind up in a clinch. That punch above the eye, or maybe the mistake that led to it, seems to have completely thrown Regueiro off, since that moment he has been comprehensively out-struck and is now in danger of losing this round. They struggle in the clinch, neither fighter managing a great deal more than minor blows. Regueiro goes for a trip, but Gallego cleverly spins out of it and the two fighters are back to circling. Not a great round for purists, it has all been a bit disjointed, but that one shot from Gallego may prove decisive. As the round comes to an end, they wind up back in another clinch, with nothing coming of it. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Gallego by 10-9.

Round 3
Slow start, both fighters are throwing tentative punches without threatening anything more powerful. Gallego puts together the first exciting moment, stringing together four punches in quick succession, but Regueiro defended well. Straight right from Regueiro in response, but it caught nothing but gloves. They start circling. The referee tells them to fight, the lack of action so far is worrying. They get in close and exchange body shots, Gallego probably getting the slightly better punches in, and then fall into a clinch. That goes nowhere, and the referee separates them. Regueiro gets a nice kick in just before the time expires, but it's unlikely that is going to stop the judges giving that round to Gallego. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Gallego.

Round 4
Gallego and Regueiro circle to start. Regueiro throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Gallego sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Regueiro comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Gallego to slip a nice jab in, catching Regueiro just underneath the right eye. Gallego comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Regueiro misses with a right cross, then backs off. Gallego stalks him, forcing Regueiro back up against the cage. Gallego doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Regueiro throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Gallego pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Regueiro covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Gallego in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Gallego throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Regueiro comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Gallego parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Gallego's favour. The round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Gallego.

Round 5
Jab from Gallego, then another, and a third. Regueiro weaved out of the way of all three, although the second glanced off the shoulder slightly. Gallego moves back to avoid the counter uppercut. Regueiro comes from the left with a high punch, then goes for the body. Gallego blocks, ducks a straight right, then unleashes an enormous kick. Regueiro ducks at the last possible moment, avoiding it by a split-second! That was an evil-looking kick, if that had hit it was good night for Regueiro, that had 'knock out' written all over it. Regueiro will be on the look out for a repeat of that, there is no way he can afford to take a head kick with that much power without taking a defeat. Gallego hits a wicked right hand, out of nowhere, and Regueiro goes down! Gallego dives on top and starts unloading right hands, but Regueiro scrambles and gets back to his feet. Gallego quickly follows up, looking to capitalise, but gets tagged with a left cross to the jaw. Regueiro, still looking a bit wobbly, throws a wild missile-like head kick...and it hits! Gallego was so focused on pressing the advantage that he wasn't watching for the kick, and that's enough to knock him out cold. Regueiro wins with a kick out of left field. Regueiro wins via knock out at 9:59 of the fifth round. Julio Regueiro retains the GAMMA Welterweight title. (****)

THAT WAS AMAZING! What an end to a fight. Regueiro was beaten, beaten for 4 and three-quarter rounds. The title belonged to Gallego, he was going to be the first to hold a title in both Alpha-1 and GAMMA in the same calender year. Regueiro had nothing, no offense, no movement, no striking for the entire fight. He was almost knocked down, then out, only to answer with an incredible kill-shot to take the fight with one second remaining in the fight. It just doesn't get any closer than that!

Co-Main Event

GAMMA Lightweight Title

Champion Giovani Silva (24-9) v. Challenger #8 Callum Henson (6-0-2)

Round 1
Henson isn't hanging around, right from the start Silva is forced onto the back foot by four hard shots, although none of them get through the gloves. Silva circles, steps in, then unloads a combination of punches, but Henson weaves out of the way and scores with a beauty of a right hand, glancing above the right eye. That was some lovely counter punching from Henson, the timing had to be perfect and it was. Silva is looking a bit frustrated, and uncorks a ragged-looking uppercut that missed by several inches. Henson really should have taken advantage of that mistake, Silva was wide open for a moment there. Henson hits a high kick, catching Silva on the shoulder. Jab from Silva finds the mark, but it didn't have much power behind it as he was leaning backward too much. Henson fires off a couple of straight punches in response, but only finds gloves. They clinch, and the fight enters a lull. Silva scores with a knee from the clinch, it landed around the hip area of Henson, who responds with a couple of shots to the ribs. The time runs out with them still clinched though. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Henson.

Round 2
The fighters touch gloves, then circle. Henson throws a low kick, but it was without any conviction, it seemed designed more to keep Silva from coming inside. Henson works an angle, then comes in with a one-two combination, Silva responds with a crisp uppercut that wasn't far off from connecting. Henson backs off slightly, maybe a bit relieved not to have taken that one on the chin. Neither fighter appears to be looking for any sort of takedown or grapple, this is all about the striking. Silva circles and throws a series of high jabs, but Henson blocked them with ease, using the gloves. Henson fakes a high kick, then storms in with a wild looking right hand and a series of body shots. Silva covers up and rides out the storm, clinching to stop any further blows. It was a nice attack from Henson though, best action of the round. They stay clinched for a while, exchanging occasional punches to the ribs, then are separated by the referee. It looks like this round is going to the judges though, as there's only a few seconds remaining. Henson throws a leg kick that connects, albeit without too much force, and the round is done. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Henson.

Round 3
They circle to start, both throwing a few tentative jabs. An uppercut misses its mark from Henson, providing the first moment of real action. Silva hits a nice combination of body shots to set up a big right hook, but Henson side-stepped to safety. A few punches get thrown, but there's a lack of real action to talk about. Silva is being slightly the more aggressive, but neither fighter is really going for it. They come together again and exchange punches, but no big shots get through, and they end up clinched for a while. The referee separates them, but the time is ticking away and this round looks like it's going to the judges. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Silva.

Round 4
Silva starts strong, hitting a nice low kick and following in with a shot to the body. Henson backs off, but just gets pushed up against the cage. Silva presses the advantage and works a nice hook to the body. Henson responds with an attempted sweep, and when that doesn't work, a punch that lands behind the ear. Silva gets in a low kick as he backs off, and the fight returns towards the center. They come together, both throwing punches. Henson gets a nice clean shot in, and Silva stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Henson is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Henson wins via 4th round TKO with the official time being 2:16. Callum Henson wins the GAMMA Lightweight title. (**)

Some things just can't be planned, like the hungry young fighter and the overconfident champion. Callum Henson has just snagged the most prestigious title in GAMMA, and he hasn't even had his 10th pro MMA fight yet. Silva didn't look like the devastating puncher, or grappler that we have seen in the past, instead he looked old and slow next to the young kid. Silva has been shocked here in Denver, and the world will be talking all about it tomorrow. Congrats to the kid.

Fans left the show unhappy with the overall quality of the show. That really upsets me. I thought that this show was put together rather well, and that there was drama to be had throughout. We gain pop in 49 regions but lose in 17. Now, overall the show was probably better than some others that we had run, as we are rapidly becoming very popular all around the world. Sill, I hate seeing hits quite like that.