Saturday, January 24, 2009

Liveblog: Proving Ground Part 6

Chris Wing of Wing MMA doesn't need long to defeat Jason Somers of Pitts Penn, getting the tap out via guillotine in a minute. Wing is definitely one to watch. Mike Bannon of Tristate Fighters and Justin Tischler of Wilkie's Warriors are now scrapping. Tristate Fighters seems to be a Pennsylvania-based team, and Bannon has a sizeable cheering section. Good for him. I wouldn't drive to or from Pennsylvania for anyone. It's just too far. Where was I? Oh yeah, Bannon wins with a guillotine. Last bout and it's Alex Mhatsakanov of Jersey FC against Eddie Lenoci of Serra/Longo. The two stand and trade and Lenoci comes away with the win by KO. And I'm spent.

Liveblog: Proving Grounds Part 5

Team Hoodlum's Estaban Garcia and Serra/Longo's Ryan Castillo are now going at it. Both these guys are showing a lot of skill on the ground. Not so much on the feet, though. It doesn't matter. Castillo nails the triangle in Round 2. At this point I'd like to add that the concession stand is selling fresh popcorn, dodgy looking hotdogs and warm Gatorade. Woot. The heavyweights are up, with Mike Blodgett of Jersey FC and Nick Allowe of TNT Wrestling going at it like there's food at stake. Blodgett proves to be hungrier (see what I did there?) and he KOs Allowe with a punch to the body at the bell. More heavyweights now, with Chris Bretton of Team Wreckless putting Chris Winiarski out with a guillotine in 22 seconds. Wait a second. Team Wreckless? Does his team lack wrecks? Do they avoid sunken ships, car accidents and junkyards?

Liveblog: Proving Grounds Part 4

Jamie Torres of D'Arce BJJ is smooth like butter, and he needs only a minute and one second to armbar Adam Penberthy of Tristate Fighter. Keep and eye on Torres as a future spokesman for Land o' Lakes. Next is Mark Setaro of Jersey FC against Steve Sierra. Setaro keeps shooting in with his head down, and in the second round Sierra catches him in a guillotine. World Gym is repping hard tonight, as Rex Ocorr keeps feeding Andrew Espling of Pitts Penn fists until Espling is out cold. Very impressive performance.

Liveblog: Proving Grounds Part 3

Ryan Vaccaro of Jersey Fight Club and Jason Reid of New Jersey Combat are now mixing it up. I predict the fighter from New Jersey will win this one. Hey, I was right. Vaccaro via guillotine at 2:11 of Round 1. Matt Beriloff of Serra/Longo and Matt Augustein of Amerikick are going at it, with Augustein learning from his teammate and not forgetting his cup. Unfortunately, Augustein keeps forgetting the rules, and after elbowing and punching his opponent to the head while on the ground, he's disqualified. Ah, kids these days. It's David Slater of Wilkie's Warriors and Kyle Malone of World Gym's turn to rumble, and they're rumbling harder than when the Fonz and Richie Cunningham took on those leather-clad degenerates in that bar (you know the episode - the Fonz broke a stool just by tapping on it. Remember? No? Screw you.) Anyway, Malone gets the decision.

Liveblog: Proving Grounds Part 2

The opening bout will be a match-up between Jay Perez of Amerikick and Thiago Carfi of Gold Team Fighters. However, there seems to be a delay because Perez has forgotten to wear his cup. How do you forget your cup? That seems like the first thing I'd put on. Anyway, Carfi snags the armbar at 1:11 of Round 1. Next up is Lewis Rumsey of Team Vicious and and Chris Howard of Advanced Martial Arts. Just how vicious is Team Vicious? Well, Rumsey just bit his cornerman if that's any indication. The fight goes the distance, with Rumsey getting the unanimous decision.

Liveblog: Proving Grounds Part 1

MMA Journalist is cageside again, this time for promoter Lou Neglia's amateur MMA show "Proving Grounds" at Essex County College in Newark. There are 15 bouts on tap from such notable gyms as Serra/Longo, Jersey Fight Club, Wilkie's Warriors and Pitts Penn. Nick Serra is wandering around, Ray Longo is here, and New York State Athletic Commissioner Melvina Lathan is in attendance. She seems very optimistic about MMA in New York, and the simple fact that she's here in the trenches speaks volumes on her interest in the sport. Hopefully the referees will instruct the fighters not to kill or maim while she's watching.

Extreme Challenge "War at the Shore" Postscript

Good show. Tara LaRosa's still got it. Zach Makovsky is very ready for the WEC. Sidemar Honorio... wow.