ROC 22 Fun Facts

Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat 22 is this Friday at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, and the Garden State promotion will feature three championship contests atop a card full of tough East Coast fighters. But just who are the men competing at ROC 22? MMA Journalist has delved beyond the records and cold statistics and compiled the following list of fun fighter facts:

• Constantino Phillippou, from Team Serra/Longo, served 11 years in the French Foreign Legion. His nickname was "Constantino Phillippou".
• Rob Guarino, of the Rhino Fight Team, once shot a man in Reno - just to watch him die.
• Igor Gracie used to work for his uncle, Dr. Frankenstein Gracie, during summers. He eventually left that laboratory assistant position to pursue jiu-jitsu.
• Jim Boudourakis, of Redboy BJJ, had his last name legally shortened. It was originally "Boudourakis-Boudourakis-Rah-Rah-Rah, Boudourakis-Boudourakis-Rah-Rah-Rah". His parents met on the professional cheerleading circuit.
• Joe Abouata, of Alex Wilkie's Martial Arts Academy, defeated Carlton Haselrig at the last BCX. Haselrig's pelt now hangs above his mantelpiece.
• Team Tiger Schulmann's Nick Pace is actually comprised of the parts of various other lesser Team Tiger Schulmann fighters.
• Chris Liguori has a twin brother named Emmit Liguori, who favors spending time in libraries reading the classics and talking philosophy. Chris still beats him up regularly.

Preliminary ROC 22 Card Released

A preliminary card for Ring of Combat 22 on November 21st has been released, and while the event is five weeks away - which is plenty of time for fighters to drop out - the assembled roster as it stands now is certainly an impressive one. Perennial top New Jersey fighter Chris Liguori makes his return, as does TUF veteran Dante Rivera (against TUF washout Paul Bradley), EliteXC veteran John Doyle, and jiu-jitsu black belt Igor Gracie. Some other fighters to watch:

• Tim Troxell - one of the best 145 pounders in the Garden State, he'll be facing ROC "Beasts of the Northeast" tournament finalist Dave Sachs.
• Tom Gallicchio - a top-ranked welterweight, Gallicchio will be taking on a tough but overmatched Rich Ashkar.
• Jimmie Rivera and Nick Pace - the next generation of Team Tiger Schulmann's MMA warriors, both fighters are transitioning to pro from extensive amateur careers.
• Leandro Hernandez - a tough BAMA FightNight vet in need of a win, Hernandez will be taking on UCL vet Andrew Leone.
• Dom Stanco - a welterweight with heavy, heavy hands, Stanco should be fighting for a belt soon.
• Greg Soto - a welterweight CITC champ, Soto is another fighter on the fast track to big things.
• Joe Abouata - the first guy to beat Carlton Haselrig, Abouata is a BCX champ and a top heavyweight in New Jersey.