Saturday, June 5, 2010

Liveblog: ROC Amateurs Part 5

Gold Team sends one of their own into the crucible, with Thiago Carfi stepping up to face TSMMA's Abel Ekonomakos. Being a Brazilian with a love for jiu-jitsu, of course Carfi makes it clear his intention to get things down to the mat. But he does his work when he's flurrying on the feet, and strangely, Ekonomakos finishes him with a triangle at 2:31 of the first round. Mark Garcia of Team Zocchi and Ed Gordon of Serra/Longo are up next, and I believe about 85% of the audience is rooting for Gordon. For most of all three rounds Gordon is on top, threatening with a couple chokes but mostly just making Garcia feel his weight, and for most of all three rounds Gordon's supporters are practically pressed up against the cage howling for their boy. Garcia has his moments in Round 3 when he gains top position; however, it isn't enough and Gordon takes the unanimous decision. Next: Greg Quarantello of BJJ Shore Academy against Robert Plotkin of Kempo Martial Arts. Okay, well surprisingly, Plotkin seems to know more than just kempo, as he avoids trouble on the ground deftly and delivers punishment. This is how all three rounds go, and Plotkin takes the unanimous decision in impressive fashion. Karate never die! Time for the main event, with Mike Fischetti going up against Eddie Lenoci. Lenoci comes out on fire, chasing Fischetti and swinging wildly. Fischetti is unfazed by it, though, and begins his game of "punch the face and sprawl". But the end comes when Fischetti switches is up, sinking a guillotine for the tap at 2:11 of Round 1. As usual, Fischetti looks like a beast. And that's all folks...

Liveblog: ROC Amateurs Part 4

Tong Dragon fields another warrior in the form of Scott Krampetz for the next bout. His opponent: Trever Baney of Serra/Longo. Taller and lankier by about 5 feet, Krampetz uses his God-given traits well, nearly locking on a triangle on the ground and punching from way outside of Baney's range when they're standing. Krampetz pretty much controls Baney for Round 2, and though Baney rallies in the final frame, only one judge thinks it's enough. Krampetz takes the split decision. Carmine Zocchi-trained Steve Mullany and 5 Star's John Pecyna are up. This one is all Pecyna, as he gets Mullany down and slides into a North/South choke for the tap at 1:46 of the first round. Nutley MMA's Tom Grisham and Steve Tyrrell square off next. Grisham starts off strong by getting the takedown and working the ground and pound, but one mistake and Tyrrell has him caught in a triangle. Tyrrell taps at 2:50 of Round 1. Get ready for Team Endgame's Hector Mercado vs. Serra/Longo's Aaron Freedman. I don't know anything about either of these guys, but a pre-fight Freedman looks like Wanderlei Silva after someone has pissed in his cornflakes. Round 1 sees Mercado tag Freedman on the chin and Freedman sink to his knees, but the war rages on - Mercado with the takedowns and Freedman with the guillotine attempts. Round 2 has Mercado on top throughout, but the last round is hotly contested with Freedman switching gears and shooting for the takedown himself. Still, Mercado manages another slam and comes close with a Sakuraba-esque kimura. Mercado takes the unanimous decision.

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Liveblog: ROC Amateurs Part 3

Keith Knudson of 5 Star and Daniel Claudio of Infamous MMA step into the cage and this one lasts 22 seconds, both men willing to stand and play Rock 'Em-Sock 'Em Robots. It ends with Claudio face-down on the floor and Knudson celebrating a TKO win. Bill Borawski of Tong Dragon and Robert Chiarello of Varner's Combat Academy are up. Round 1 is back and forth, with Borawski taking the lead with positional control on the ground and a close armbar attempt. They continue in this fashion for all three rounds - Borawski taking Round 2 and Chiarello taking Round 3 - and the unanimous decision goes to Borawski. It's time for Will Quiroz and Dan Girace of Q Tribe and Serra/Longo to engage in combat. Whoo-wee, it's another slugfest, and the face-punching party comes to an end at 2:13 of Round 1 when Girace KOs Quiroz with a hellacious fist to the dome. Next is Anthony Genovese of Varner Combat Academy and Victor Mabin of 5 Star, and this one plays out as a spirited battle between featherweights. Round 1 is too close too call, but Genovese has Mabin in trouble with a rear naked choke at one point in Round 2. Mabin pays him back with some body-kicks in Round 3 - and again finds himself fending off the rear naked choke. Regardless, Mabin takes the unanimous decision.

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Liveblog: ROC Amateurs Part 2

First up is Jay Somers of 5 Star MMA against Jeremy Lehive of Pellegrino MMA. Hey, did you know 5 Star MMA is really the Pitts Penn team? I did not. Apparently they had to change their name due to some copyright dispute with the University of Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh's varsity dogfighting team. Anyway, Round 1 sees these guys trading furiously until Somers wobbles Lehive with some knuckle-love. Lehive recovers on the ground, though, and threatens with an armbar. The Pellegrino MMAer continues with the positional dominance in the second, and when Somers drops him with a punch in the third it's clear Lehive's best chance for victory is in the realm of grappling - which is realized when he slaps on the triangle for the tap out at 2:48 in. Next: Julio Germain of Atlantic Veterans MMA vs. Billy Hofacker of Serra/Longo. Hofacker's got the venerable Serra brothers in his corner, ready to go their own brand of "Crazy Lasagna Jiu-Jitsu" if things get out of control, so we'll see how it goes. Germain looks strong in the striking and wrestling department, but Hofacker manages to sweep him and torment him from back-mount in both Round 1 and 2. But Germain has his sprawl and brawl down pat by the third, swinging, sprawling and backing away until the crowd is booing Hofacker for excessive butt-floppery. It goes to the judges and they declare it a majority draw. Team Endgame's Sal Vecchia takes to the cage to face TSMMA's Gregg Bellardinelli. Woof. There's a whole lot of Italian in the cage now. I think Snookie might be guest reffing, too. Vecchia takes the opening frame with superior wrestling, keeping his foe firmly on the canvas, and he repeats the feat in Round 2 and nearly finishes with a guillotine at the bell. Bellardinelli is behind for sure come Round 3, but he can't stop the takedown, and Vecchia does his thing and takes the unanimous decision.

Liveblog: ROC Amateurs Part 1

MMA Journalist is here in lovely Edison, New Jersey, for the Ring of Combat amateur MMA show, where the stars of tomorrow kill each other today. There are 15 fights on tap, and in the main event TSMMA's Mike Fischetti is taking on Team Serra/Longo's Eddie Lenoci for the light-heavyweight belt. You know, years ago if you said someone was Team Tiger Schulman you could usually assume they'd be great at throwing strikes and maybe decent on the ground, and if you said someone was from Serra/Longo you'd think they were either fantastic on the ground and okay on the feet or fantastic on the feet and okay on the ground. Nowadays, however, these guys are ridiculously dangerous no matter where the fight goes. What's my point? I don't know. Maybe that things have evolved so much thanks to these amateur leagues. Or something. Shut up.

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