CES MMA 41 recap

               

                            Matt The Mangler Bessette pushes his win streak to six straight and makes his first defense of the CES Featherweight Title he won in August, with a Third Round TKO (0:32) of Kevin Croom at CES MMA 41 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI. Bessette improves his record to 21-7 and the TKO marks his sixth consecutive early stoppage (4 Subs, 2 TKO). Following the victory, T

hirty-two year old, Bessette asked UFC President, Dana White to give him a shot to compete in the Octagon, during his post-fight interview.

                Fighting out of Columbia, MS. Kevin The Hard Hitting Hillbilly Croom drops to 17-8. Croom started tough, winning the opening round with constant forward pressure and top control. In the Second Round the pair exchanged leather, but Croom wound up bloodied and breathing heavy, spitting his mouthpiece for the second time in the fight. By round’s end he looked exhausted. Croom began the Third with a spinning-backfist that Bessette countered with a right hand that floored Croom. The Mangler unloaded, a flying knee and then kicks and punches until Referee, Kevin MacDonald finally stepped in to call the bout by TKO (3^rd 0:32). 

                          

10-2 Pat Walsh and 6-4 Kevin Haley competed in a new weight class, Cruiserweight Division 225lbs limit. There is a sixty pound difference between Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight and many have called for a cruiserweight division to be established for fighters in that lower HW range.

                Stoughton MA native, Walsh earned his second career win by Submission in the Second Round when he cinched a Guillotine-Choke as Haley shot in for a Double-Leg Takedown. The opening round saw Walsh land his own takedown and control his opponent with a shoulder lock. Walsh used the hold to pass into Side-Mount where he continued to work the Kimura until the end of the round. Haley tried to turn the tables on Walsh, attempting to take the UFC veteran down at the top of Round Two, but left his neck exposed, the tap came 0:23 in the 2^nd round.

               

Dinis Sweetbread Paiva improves his record to 9-6 with a Unanimous Decision over Albuqurque’s Jordan Espinosa in the Bantamweight Division. Paiva, from near-by East Providence, was a heavy crowd favorite, finding his striking range in the opening round. He twice sat Espinosa down and waived him back to his feet. In the Second Round, Espinosa landed a Head-Kick that sent Paiva to the canvas. Paiva scrambled back to his feet, and stalked Jordan as he countered on his bicycle. In the final round Paiva landed a Back-Fist that floored Espinosa again. Sweetbread kept the forward pressure for the remainder of the bout. In the only fight of the Main Card that went to decision, all three judge’s scored it 29-28 for Paiva.

               

Kody Nordby improves his record to 8-4, collecting his seventh win by Submission. Nordby faced La Grange, IL native, David Garcia in the Bantamweight Division. In the Second Round Nordby landed a three-strike-combo and finished with a Takedown. Once on the ground Kody jumped Garcia’s Guard and set up a Ten-Finger Guillotine-Choke. The Tap came at 4:20 in the middle frame, following the bout 5’4” Nordby announced he was moving down to the Flyweight Division (125Lbs).

Also fighting on the Main Card:

                                                                                Keith Bad Newz Bell improved his record to 8-9-1 with an Opening Round KO of Tyler King. Virginia’s Bell took the fight on two weeks’ notice, replacing an injured Juliano Coutinho and earning the upset in the Heavyweight Division.

                                                                                Undefeated, Carlos Candelario collects his fifth win and fourth by stoppage, a Second Round Rear-Naked-Choke sub of Miami’s Miquel Restrepo in a Flyweight bout.

                                                                                Heavyweight, Greg Ribz Rebello earns his twenty-first TKO/KO win and improves to 21-7, making quick work of Danyelle Williams in the opening frame.

Undercard fights:                                                                            

                                                                                Milford, Ma native Kris Moutinho landed a Head-kick on Ohio’s Jason Rine, just ten seconds into the contest. The KO was the first for Moutinho, the Bantamweight remains undefeated at 3-0.

                                                                                Connor Barry and Travis The Sauce Foster battled back and forth in a Lightweight scrap, in the end Barry came away with the Split Decision victory, earning his third win (3-0).

                                                                                Bantamweight, Richie Santiago improves to 3-0, winning by Sub due to an injury to Raymond Yanez 0:34 into the second round.

                                                                                Hector Sanchez charged straight into a Mike Rodriquez front kick. Rodriquez improves to 6-2 and gains some bragging rights earning the fastest KO in CES MMA history 0:07 (First Round) of their Light Heavyweight contest.

                                                                                In the Flyweight Division, David The Honey Baxter improved to 4-1, earning his second career win by sub. He apprehended Daniel The Hamburgler Cormier in a Second Round Triangle-Choke.

                                                                                In the evening’s first fight, Framingham’s Maria Rivera landed an Overhand-Right that floored Sarah Click, Rivera followed Click to the ground for more strikes before Referee, Dan Miragliotta pulled her off. Rivera wins her debut by First Round TKO.  

All Fighters make weight CES MMA 41

All fighters for CES MMA 41, on Friday Jan. 27^th, 2017 made weight at the official weigh ins. CES MMA 41 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI will air live on AXS-TV at 9:00 PM ET, with the preliminary card to begin at 7:00 PM.

In the event’s Main Event 20-7 Matt The Mangler Bessette puts his Featherweight Title on the line when he faces Columbia, Missouri’s Kevin Croom. Thirty-two year old, Bessette weighed in at 145lbs. The Mangler extended his current win streak to five straight at CES MMA 37 and collected his eighth win by Submission, catching Joe Pingitore in a Second Round (4:38) Heel-Hook to win the CES FW Title. In addition to the August win, Bessette also halted three more opponents’ nights early in 2016: He stopped Ran Weathers with a First Round (4:50) Guillotine-Choke 6/10/16, In April at Bellator 153, Bessette was awarded his fifth win by TKO/KO over Keith Richardson, due to Doctor Stoppage in the Second Round (3:14), and at CES MMA 33 Taureen Bogguess got caught in a Bessette Triangle-Choke in the opening Round (2:41).

Kevin The Hard Hitting Hillbilly Croom weighed in at 146lbs. Croom has thirteen finishes in his sixteen wins (8 by Sub). Living up to his nickname, The Hard Hitting Hillbilly has stopped three of his last four wins by First Round TKO/KO. The Twenty-nine year old went 1-1 in 2016, Tatsuya Ando choked Croom unconscious in the Second Round (3:13) in November at Shooto 11/12. In April Croom stopped, the last opponent to beat Bessette and the only person to KO the Champ, Lenny Wheeler in just 0:26 (First Round) at Triumph FC 1.

In the Heavyweight Division Greg Ribz Rebello weighed in at 240lbs and opponent Danyelle Williams at 231lbs. A Third Round TKO loss to Ashley Gooch in August broke up a four fight win streak (3 by TKO/KO) for Rebello. Twelve of Rebello’s thirteen stoppage wins are by TKO/KO. The Cranston RI fighter’s last eight have been with CES, twelve in his career so far 8-4 with 5 TKO/KO, 1 Sub.

Danyelle Southern Boy Williams fights out of Owatonna, MN and hasn’t competed since 2014 when he went 3-1, 3 TKO and a Decision loss to Travis Wiuff. The Thirty-five year old, stopped Joe Sullivan 0:34 into the Second Round (11/15/14) and two months earlier did the same to Brian Heden in the Third 0:54 (9/6/14). Six of Williams eight wins are by stoppage (5 TKO/KO).

 Other Fighters making weight and competing:

PAT WALSH

Stoughton, Mass.

8-2, 3 KOs

225

KEVIN HALEY

Rollinsford, N.H.

6-3, 2 KOs

215

DINIS PAIVA 

East Providence, R.I.

8-6, 5 KOs

136 ¼ 

JORDAN ESPINOSA

Findlay, Ohio

8-4, 1 KO

136

KODY NORDBY

Woonsocket, R.I.

7-4

135 ½ 

DAVID GARCIA

La Grange, Ill.

4-6, 2 KOs

135

TYLER KING

North Attleboro, Mass.

12-4, 3 KOs

236

KEITH BELL

Newport News, Va.

6-8, 4 KOs

265

CARLOS CANDELARIO

New Britain, Conn.

4-0, 1 KO

130

MIGUEL RESTREPO

Miami, Fla.

4-2, 2 KOs

131

KRIS MOUTINHO

Milford, Mass.

2-0

133

JASON RINE

Fredericktown, Ohio

0-1

135

CONNOR BARRY

Stoughton, Mass.

2-0

160

TRAVIS FOSTER

Newark, N.J.

0-2

160

RICHIE SANTIAGO

Milford, Mass.

2-0

133

RAYMOND YANEZ

Columbus, Ohio

4-8

138

MIKE RODRIGUEZ

Quincy, Mass.

5-2, 3 KOs

199

HECTOR SANCHEZ

Woonsocket, R.I.

3-13, 3 KOs

199

DAN CORMIER

Pawtucket, R.I.

4-6, 1 KO

124

DAVID BAXTER

Bellingham, Mass.

3-1, 1 KO

126

SARAH CLICK

Bourne, Mass.

1-1

117

MARIA RIVERA

Framingham, Mass.

Pro debut

116

 
        Tickets are available at www.cesboxing.com www.twinriver.com www.ticketmaster.com
Doors open at 6:00 PM ET, Preliminary card at 7:00 and AXS-TV Main Card at 9:00 PM

Bellator 170 Ortiz VS Sonnen

               

                Forget that Chael Sonnen hasn’t competed since a 2013 First Round TKO loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 167 and that he has lost three of his last four bouts to TKO. And pay no attention to Tito Ortiz going 3-7 in his last 10 fights. Both fighters are competing for Bellator now, with a new company brings new hope and possibilities.

Sonnen and Ortiz are resilient, both have had their shares of bad times throughout their respective MMA careers. Sonnen was suspended 6/28/14 for two years by NSAC for failing the second random drug test of his career for performance enhancers. Making matters worse, Chael was later terminated as a UFC analyst.

Likewise Ortiz has had his share of personal issues including domestic abuse accusations with former girlfriend and Porn Actress, Jenna Jameson and a 2014 DUI charge. The two have plenty of other skeletons in the closet as well, but somehow find a way to bounce back.

Chael Sonnen is now Thirty-nine years old and host of a successful podcast “You’re Welcome”. He enters the Bellator cage on January 21^st for his forty-third Pro MMA bout 28-14-1. The NCAA Division I All-American (University of Oregon) has won seven fights by KO/TKO and five more by Submission. Chael has competed for both the WEC and UFC Middleweight Titles and the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, despite being close he never wore a Zuffa belt. He has donned Gold for smaller promotions: Danger Zone, Gladiator Challenge and Hitman Fighting Productions in the LHW division.

Tito Ortiz is competing in his fourth fight with Bellator (2-1) and has stated he will retire following. In his last, Liam McGeary submitted Ortiz in the First Round (4:41) by Inverted-Triangle to retain McGreary’s Bellator LHW Championship at Bellator 142 (9/19/15).

Unlike Sonnen, Tito had a successful run as UFC Champion, he beat Wanderlei Silva at UFC 25 (4/14/00) in Tokyo for the vacant Title. Ortiz defended his belt five times before losing it to Randy Couture at UFC 44 (9/26/03) by Unanimous Decision. Ortiz began his Pro MMA career at UFC 13 (5/30/97) while opponent, Chael Sonnen began his twenty days earlier at Battle of Fort Vancouver (5/10/97).

Both fighters are polarizing characters, experiencing as much hate as love from MMA fans, but there is no denying the pair’s individual accomplishments in the sport. This fight is long overdue, but as the saying goes, better late than never.

Bellator 170 Jan 21^st, 2017 from the Forum in Los Angeles,

Airs Live on Spike TV check local listings.

Jose "Shorty" Torres Believes Weight Cutting not Injury Caused Nobre's Fight Cancellation

               

                                   Although Jose Shorty Torres is just 3-0, the Twenty-four year old believes he has what it takes to compete in the UFC. The Titan FC Flyweight Champion also went 8-0 as an amateur (3 Subs, 1 TKO) and has been training with UFC fighters: Brandon Moreno, Tim Elliot and former UFC Bantamweight Champ, TJ Dillashaw. Perhaps it was Jose’s work with Dillashaw that has him feeling ready for UFC talent. Shorty helped Dillashaw prepare for his December 30^th fight with John Lineker at UFC 207 by mimicking Lineker’s movement during Sparing sessions.

More surprising is Torres’ belief that his January 21^st opponent, Pedro Nobre pulled out of their December bout due to weight cutting issues and not a torn ACL as reported.

               

18-2 Pedro Nobre claimed he tore his ACL, forcing him to pull out of his original fight with Torres, just weeks before the bout. Nobre later claimed the tear was a small tear and he would be available for a January fight. On Pure Evil MMA podcast, Torres told host Evil Eddie he believed it was a weight cutting issue, “He has weight cutting problems, he cuts a lot of weight, he does it in a very bad way.” He elaborated on the subject to Frank Trigg on Toe to Toe, “It was a lose lose to him in a sense, he doesn’t make weight and he shows up, he fights for no belt. If he beats me there’s no belt. If he doesn’t make weight now I’m getting Twenty percent of his commissions.” The fight is back on with Shorty’s Title on the line at Titan FC 43, in Coral Gables, FLA. January 21, 2017.

               

Torres won the Interim FW Title in August with a Second Round (3:52) KO/TKO of Abdiel Velazquez at Titan FC 40. Chicago’s Torres at 3-0 now has a single win by each: KO/TKO, Submission and Decision. After Tim Elliot won The Ultimate Fighter Season 24, he vacated his Titan FC Flyweight Title, promoting Torres’ Title from interim to world. Jose made his Pro debut last March at Titan FC 37 (3/4/16), submitting Travis Taylor in the First Round (2:09) and in April he won a Unanimous Decision over Reynaldo Walter Duarte at Titan FC 38.

               

At 5’5” Pedro The Rock Nobre will enjoy a one inch height advantage over opponent, Shorty Torres Saturday night. Nobre has stopped fourteen of his eighteen wins early (10 KO/TKO, 4 Subs). He bounced back from his UD loss to former FW Champ, Tim Elliot in March with a Split Decision win over Sid Bice at Titan FC 38 (4/30/16). This is Thirty year old Nobre’s fifth consecutive fight with the promotion.

Titan FC 43 airs live on UFC FightPass 1/21/17 at 7:00 PM ET

To check out Pure Evil MMA Podcast: pureevilmma.podbean.com/e/pure-evil-mma-jimmie-rivera-shorty-torres-join-evil/?token=bb35bd456443afa77f927f4619978f35#.WIBUE69Kq8E.twitter …

To Check out Toe to Toe: https://t.co/bzZM2huSgB

LFA 2 Breakdown

               

                                                               Legacy Fighting Alliance will pack Mystic Lake Casino Hotel for LFA 2 in Prior Lake, MN. January 20^th.  Already presenting the second event of the year, LFA is the product of the recent merger of regional promotions, Legacy FC and Resurrection Fighting Alliance. Former RFA president, Ed Soares is the head of the new promotion and should continue to help young fighters display their skills to eager audiences.

               

Main Eventer, Mike Richman earned his nick-name, with three tours as an Infantryman in Iraq. Earning the rank of Sergeant before departing the service. "The Marine" started his MMA career in 2008, and quickly collected eight straight wins. Fighting out of Rosemount, MN, Richman is a veteran of twelve fights in Bellator, with six of his seven wins by TKO. He made his debut with the company at Bellator 64 (4/6/12) delivering a First Round KO to Upset the favorite, Chris Horodecki (1:23). Thirty-one year old, Richman hasn’t competed since a 5/5/15 Unanimous Decision loss to, now Bellator Bantamweight Champion, Eduardo Dantas. In 2014 The Marine earned back-to-back First Round stoppage wins over Nam Phan TKO 0:46 (11/15/14) and Ed West KO 2:44 (9/26/14). Sixteen of Richman’s 18 wins are by stoppage, 9 KO/TKO. He faces Miami Florida’s Lazar Stojadinovic.

               

11-5 Stojadinovic is riding a seven fight win streak, with four of his five finishes coming in the opening frame (3 Subs, 2TKO/KO). The Twenty-seven year old submitted Chino Duran by Rear-Naked-Choke in the Second Round (1:30) of their Titan FC 39 bout (6/10/16). The American Top Team product, in 2016, also TKO’d Drew Lipton in just 0:23 (1/29/16).

               

Chico King Camus has competed in the UFC eight times (3-4-1NC). Fighting out of Roufusport, the Thirty-one year old Camus has fought his last two with RFA. Both UD wins, at RFA 36 (3/4/16) he bested Matt Brown and RFA 40 (7/15/16) saw Camus outpoint Czar Sklavos. The 16-7 Milwaukee fighter will face Nebraska City’s own, Darrick Minner.

               

15-5 Minner lost his last bout to Jesse Arnett by a Second Round (1:56) Brabo-Choke at Hard Knocks 48 (1/29/16). The loss snapped a six fight win streak that included five, First Round Submision wins. In fact all twelve of Minner’s Sub wins have come in the opening round. Only a pair of the Twenty-six year old’s wins have made it to the Judges’ scorecards. He faces Camus who has only been submitted once in his Twenty-four Pro fight career.

               

In the Welterweight Division, Ben The Baker Neumann takes on Damien The Wolverine Hill. Neumann is 3-1 in his last four in RFA, 2 Subs and 1 TKO. Each of The Baker’s eleven wins have been stopped early (9 Subs). At 6’1” Neumann will enjoy a four inch height advantage, winning his last two: Second Round (4:01) Darce-Choke of Jordan Larson at RFA 45 (10/28/16) and at RFA 40 he caught Israel Lozano with an Arm-Bar in the Second Round (2:51).

               

11-5 Damien Hill went 2-2 in 2014, but hasn’t competed since an October 18^th 2014, Submission loss to Kyle Prepolec at PFC 3. Prior to the loss, he beat Cody Garness by Rear-Naked-Choke (1^st 4:17) 9/13/14 and in July of 2014, won a UD over Codie Kahler. All five of Hill’s loses are by Sub, opponent, Neumann has Subs in Nine of his eleven wins. The Twenty-five year old Hill has stopped eight of his eleven wins, six by TKO/KO.

LFA 2 is January 20th airing live on AXS-TV, check local listings.

2016 Out With a Smash or Three

               

                         The final fight weekend of 2016 did not disappoint, World Series of Fighting, Rizin Fighting Federation and the Ultimate Fighting Championship all stacked their cards for the year-ender and the results thrilled fans around the globe. WSOF made their New York debut, treating fans in Madison Square Garden to four Championship bouts. Japanese promotion, Rizin FC packed Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan to a two-day, three round open-weight tournament. The UFC christened the new, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with two Championship fights, headlined by Ronda Rousey challenging Amanda Nunes for the Banamweight belt.

                Rizin feels a lot like Pride FC from over a decade ago and for good reason, former Pride president, Nobuyuki Sakakibara created the MMA promotion in 2015. It’s more than just that, their second annual open-weight tournament offered all the best aspects of the former promotion, Rizin 2 in September, kicked off the first round of the tournament, with round two on Dec 29^th and rounds three and four on New Year’s Eve.  Getting that familiar Pride FC vibe? Well… Forty-two year old, Mirko “Cro Cop” won it all, in dominating fashion.

                Filipovic Submitted Hyun Man Myung at Rizin 2 (9/25/16) with a First Round (2:20) Arm-Triangle Choke. He faced last year’s Tournament Champion, King Mo, Muhammed Lawal at Rizin 3 (12/29/16) earning a Second Round (1:41) TKO, to advance to the semi-final round where he faced, Four hundred pound, Sumo wrestler, Baruto Kaito. On just two days rest, Cro Cop TKO’d Kaito in the first 0:49 of the fight. Finals opponent, Amir Aliakbari went to a pair of two-round Decision wins, in both his Wednesday quarter-final fight versus Heath Herring and his semi-final bout over Valentin Moldavsky earlier that evening. It took a rested, Filipovic 2:03 to separate Aliakbari from consciousness and win the 2016 Rizin Open-Weight Grand Prix Finals. Mirko won the 2006 Pride Open-Weight Grand Prix ten years earlier.

                All four WSOF Champions retained their titles, Saturday afternoon at WSOF 34. On only three weeks-notice, Luiz Firmino traded punches with undefeated, Justin Gaethje.

Through three rounds, Firmino gave Gaethje all he could handle, out-pointing the Champ on the Judges’ scorecards, but for every combo Luiz landed, Justin delivered a devastating upper-cut or humbling hook. In the end Firmino’s face could fare no more abuse and a Doctor stoppage came before the fourth round. Gaethje held onto his Lightweight Championship by TKO.

               

Two-division WSOF Champion, David Branch defended his Middleweight Title with a Fifth Round Rear-Naked-Choke of Louis Taylor. Branch improves to 20-3, he defended his Light Heavyweight Title in October with a Unanimous Decision victory over Vinny Magalhaes at WSOF 33.

               

Marlon Moraes retained his Bantamweight Title when a leg injury to Josenaldo Silva haulted the bout. Moraes was getting the best of the early exchanges and nearly cinched up a Guillotine-Choke for the win, before the injury. Silva scrambled to his feet, threw a right hand and launched into a flying knee. When he came down Silva immediately grabbed his leg and Referee, Dan Miragliotta wisely stepped in granting Moraes the TKO victory.

               

In a five-round grappling display, Jon Fitch beats Jake Shields by UD. Shields attempted to submit the crafty Fitch for five rounds, but the Thirty-eight year old was able to stay safe and score points with punches inside Shields Guard for most of the bout.

               

Cody Garbrandt pulled off the upset and handed Dominick Cruz his first lost in over nine years. Garbrandt improves to 11-0 winning the UFC’s BW Title and marks just the second time in his career that he’s seen the Judges’ decision, winning by UD. No Love’s game plan was perfect and his performance, masterful.
               

In the Main Event of the UFC’s final card of 2016, Amanda Nunes refused to allow Ronda Rousey time to warm up. This one wasn’t a contest, Nunes wins by TKO 0:48 into the fight. The win improves Lioness to 14-4 with five wins in a row. Rowdy was dealt the second loss of her career and second by TKO/KO consecutive, she falls to 12-2