Editorials
GLADIATOR CHALLENGE: SAVAGE
Friday night fights couldn't have come
soon enough for me! I haven't been able to attend
an MMA show in quite some time and I was really looking
forward to this show. Tedd has always put on great
shows with great match ups and I was not disappointed
in this show! First off it was in a place that brings
a kind of nostalgic attmosphere to the show, the old
Fox sport theater in San Bernardino, now the ASU or
American Sports University Sports Club was host to
this episode: Savage. Now its kind of hard to discribe
but if you can picture an old west theater where the
dancing girls were on stage and a bunch of rednecks
yelling, hoopin and hollerin, well thats kinda what
I would imagine it would be like back then, then you
get the idea of what is was a little bit well jump
to 2008 you throw a cage at the front of the stage
some guys that are ready to brawl, open the bar and
listen to the crowd go crazy as the first fighter
of the night is introduced it brings you back to reality
and what we are really here for. Fights, fights and
more fights!
Victor Rodarte won
over Albert Hill
The fight started out with absolutely
no "feeling out" process what so ever as
Victor pushed Albert against the cage and as they
spun Albert got the take down. While Victor was able
to reverse the position and got to his feet where
is was delivering some hard uppercuts and when the
knees came into the midsection of Albert it dropped
him to the mat (later I had heard there was an illegal
knee thrown but I really didnt see it.) and Victor
was able to secure a rear naked choke in about a minute
and a half of round 1.
Chris Kirtley won over
Paul Webb
This fight started out both fighters
coming across the cage, I blinked and one was left
standing! The end. Seriously that was it. I'd say
it was under 10 seconds, with a right cross Chris
ended this bout quickly and not so painlessly.
Tyson Threadgill won
over A J Zunner
The beginning of this fight started
off with some serious punches being thrown by some
big guys! Tyson had pushed AJ against the fence after
some combos but left himself open for a guillotine,
then something strange happened, AJ was talking to
the ref as Tyson had him against the cage and as soon
as they separated AJ fell to the mat holding his ribs.
Fighter safety first as always and the fight was called
in Tyson's favor. The docs came in made sure AJ was
ok and what had happened was due to AJ's exaustion
and he was unable to continue so the doc's called
it in the first round.
Steve Waltson won over
Darvis Triche
This match started out with a flurry
of punches being delivered by both and when the time
was right Steve shot in got a double leg and put Darvis
on his back. After securing side control and an attempted
head and arm choke, Steve snuck in the win with an
Americana to end the fight in the first round.
Did you guys notice a theme here yet?
Not a fight went out of the first round until this
next match up with Daniel Adams and
Christopher Sullivan. As it happened
this fight was, in alot of peoples opinion the fight
of the night! Round 1 was just a non-stop pounding
and Daniel got the first takedown but was unable to
keep it down there and the fight was back on the feet!
To me it was Daniel ahead at the end of the round
only because he did get the takedown and he landed
a few more shots.
Round 2 was really a repeat of 1 other
than it was a flip with Christopher working a tight
guillotine with his back against the cage, Christopher
changed levels got a double leg but was immediatly
reversed and it was Daniel that was on the attack
and he threw a couple front push kicks and landed
a few more hard punches. This being a two round match
I had it a draw and when the judges came back I'll
be if they didn't agree! Can you say rematch and possibly
a third round? The world may never know!
Tim Moon won over J
P Baca
This was JP's first MMA match up and
you could see that Tim had some experience over the
young upstart but that really didn't stop JP from
putting on a show and a never say quit attitude. That
was put to the test as after some great stand up by
both Tim got a takedown but it was on the second takedown
that put JP in trouble and defending a rear naked
choke. JP kept his cool escaped and rolled his opponent
off to get his guard. The end of round 1 found JP
on his back and Tim ground and pounding til the bell.
Round two was another repeat of round
one and the exchanges in the begining JP landed some
hard left and right leg kicks. Tim double legs him
and gets mounted JP rolls it over but is caught in
a triangle Tim uses a teepee triangle but JP escapes
and in a scramble Tim is able to get JP's back hooks
in deep and starts to pound on JP until the ref stops
the fight 10 seconds from the end of round 2. Tim
walks away the victor.
James Moontasri won
over Jade Delong
The first round of this fight was just
a crazy mix it up of kicks punches and throws. Jade
got James to the mat, was looking for the mount but
was denied as James fought to his feet but not to
be a quiter Jade secures a double leg on James and
slams him hard to the mat. James not wanted to be
where he was stood up and even gave up his back to
Jade for a bit. Jade got a hook in but it just wasnt
enough to keep James down. The end of the first round,
Jade is in James' guard and doing a bit of GnP but
really had nothing on them.
Round two kicked off, literally and
split Jades forehead open and ended the match under
a minute.
Mike Sandez won over
Beau Serat
I know Mike Sandez as the guy that beat
one of my classmates, Art Ruiz, in a tough three round
battle and I had expected Mike to put on a good show.
When the fight started Beau was getting the better
of the stand up and Mike wisly took it to the ground
where he slipped quickly through Beau's guard and
attaining the mount and threw some heavy leather on
Beau forcing him to turn and give his back for Mike
to work a rear naked choke about 2 and a half minutes
in the first round.
Steve Eakins and Robert
Zunner didnt last long at all due to a accidental
eye gouge. Up close it was very obvious that Zunner
was caught across his right eye. A no contest was
announced to a crowd of booing on lookers.
Brian Hayes and Isaac
Newman-Gomez
This was a classic bout of striker (Gomez)
vs. wrester (Hayes) and it was obvious on the onset
that Hayes wanted this on the ground no matter what
and Isaac wanted this to stay up no matter what. Well
Hayes gets his wish and gets the double leg but he
paid for it as his cornerman Craig Buchanan yelled
to knee up the middle! Isaac had his work cut out
for him as he was on his butt against the cage with
Hayes just holding him there. Hayes never tried to
advance and I was really suprised it wasn't stood
up sooner. Isaac had to work his way up the cage and
get it back where he wanted it. He eventually did
and Hayes did the same thing and shot in got a single
leg after he was tired of getting hit. Isaac ended
up on his back at the end of round one.
Round two Isaac was able to sprawl on
the tired Hayes and swing to the side and deliver
some hard hammer fists and then to the back and deliver
more heavy hits but Isaac left a bit of an opening
and Hayes was able to work it back to his feet and
get Isaac against the cage and Hayes got it back to
the mat with a single leg but again he never threw
a punch and then something you RARELY see with a 6'8"
260 lbs. man he was working on a rubber guard on his
left side. Hayes started to pass Isaac's guard and
that was when the quit came from Hayes. He was just
to tired to continue. As Hayes was laying there I
heard him say he couldn't breath and once again the
docs came in to do an assessment on him. After a bit
of rest and TLC from the docs Hayes was helped outta
the cage. (Just a personal note to you Hayes, dump
the disrespectful drunk blonde before its to late!)
Ok so with that off my chest and on
the net the main event was announced and to a thunderous
roar of approval the Light Heavy Weight Gladiator
Challenge Championship Belt was about to be given
to either James Cordrey or Abner
Aponte. Both fighters came out looking to
brawl but James gets a double leg and lands in side
control where he started to work for a kimura. Somewhere
along the way James got his nose popped but James
started to work that kimura but Aponte wasn't given
that up and was able to reverse the position but just
like that he was stuck in a tight triangle. Aponte
got a bit to high, James rolled over with the triangle
still on tight and landed on top. From there James
just rained down on Aponte until the ref stepped in
and stopped the match. James Cordrey is the Light
Heavy Weight Gladiator Challenge Champ.
That was the end of the night and I
can tell you I am really looking forward to the next
event. Stay tuned cause with any luck yours truly,
Grappletv, will be there to bring it to you!
