INY 44 - Cunha vs Stewart

Editorial by Marcus Crassus

Immortals New York 150k+ - The Gods Need a Hero

INY 44 Cunha Vs Stewart

23 November 2012

Hayashi’s Lounge

Main Event

170lb Division: Cunha vs Stewart

Two time World Champion makes his first appearance since suffering his first KO loss at the hands of Erik Bennett. Cunha may not be receiving the close attention from Team Boogie that he has in the past but the ground and pound specialist is still a fearsome proposition. Facing him is Don Stewart a man he has beaten 2 years ago, but a man that loves avenging losses. Stewart has wonderful boxing, KO power as Davies can testify last time, and a ground game that should nullify Cunha’s strength on the ground this time around. I’m backing Stewart to inflict a second straight KO loss on the former champ.

Sources at the Immortals HQ have confirmed that a Stewart win will set up and final eliminator and rematch with Kharmalov.

265lb Division: Styles vs Lebedev

Its nearly two years since these two contenders last met, with Styles winning by decision, and nearly a year since Lebedev set foot in the Immortals cage. Muay Thai wrecking machine Lebedev hasn’t faired well against the Styles family and struggles against world class boxers.

Styles knows a win here will set him up for a shot at Kallashnikov’s world title, and a rematch against the only man to have ever stopped him.

Styles will prove too strong and I’m backing him to finish this one early the second time around.

205lb Division: Bueno vs Fayyad

BJJ sensation Taco Bueno was the first man to step up and face Anthony Ventura, taking the final round before losing a decision. Since then he has demolished Brett Hart in 16 seconds, ending Hart’s aspirations of fighting in the Under 21’s tourney. Bueno has a great ground game and KO power, but in Fayyad he is facing a MT kicking machine with a devastating elbows in the clinch. Fayyad a former champ has been the distance with the number one contender Oliva and decisioned the highly regarded Cyril Kalenth last time out. A win for Bueno would catapult him into title contention but Fayyad is granite tough, skilled and wily enough to keep this standing often enough to win a decision.

155lb Division: Muang vs Cade

A rematch here, with Cade expected to once again expected to prove too strong on the ground for perennial contender Muang.

185lb Division: Roofer vs Turd

Clash of novice strikers here with both fighters relatively untested to date, as cautious managers notoriously averse to risk collide in a Muay Thai extravaganza.

Roofer will elect to stay on the outside and throw kicks at range but I expect Turd to clinch and slam home knees all night long. Its an intriguing match up with Roofer starting favorite in the Casino because he sports a 6-0 record and a win over another Jacobsson fighter.

170lb Division: Lee vs Davies

Cung Lee, too good for the journeymen but not good enough to take down one of the contenders. He got stopped by Jon Monroe last time out, no disgrace there, but in Davies he faces a fighter from a top camp, who has only been beaten by the best in Monroe and Stewart. His striking should be too much for Cung Lee, and he is expected to beat Lee and have another crack at the upper echelons of the division. Lee will be competitive and may spring a shock upset decision win, but Davies starts favorite.

205lb Division: Wunderkind vs Phoenix

MT striker Wunderkind lasted 13 seconds last time out in the biggest fight of his career to date, albeit against grizzly top contender Winnfield. He is looking bounce back here against Phoenix from the Wellman Jnr camp. Wunderkinds camp hold the Wellman camp in low regard, and Wellman’s fighters have been more ‘men in tights’ than Titans of late, leaving the Dixie’s trailor park reality star’s fight camp in disarray. Phoenix is a world class boxer, and beat glass chinned journeyman Celentano last time out, and he will surely look to test the questionable chin of Wunderkind early. This one will be a tear up, and I’m backing Phoenix because his chin is granite to out slug the fragile Wunderkind, but Phoenix best watch those head kicks.

205lb Division: Selmy vs Wilkens

Clash of the ground specialists here, and though Selmy has been a pro for longer Wilkens is 3-0 and already defeated more experienced men. Wilkens looks a prodigious talent and though Selmy looks a handful in the wrestling department, I suspect Wilkens with his BJJ Brown belt will edge this one by decision.

155lbs Sandoval vs Cold

Young Sandoval is a wonderful wrestler and BJJ brown belt and he hasn’t been afraid to tackle older fighters in his short career, and in Cold he faces a fighter looking to end a 3 fight losing streak. Cold has suffered at the hands of strikers of late, and now faces a wrestler, but the question is whether Cold actually has the ground game to challenge Sandoval. I’m guessing not, and expect Sandoval to come through this and move up the rankings.

185lb Division: Coldcutts vs Mink

Two journeymen open proceedings with submission artist Coldcutts going to the floor with another ground specialist Mink. It’s a even fight, with both vulnerable to submissions and it should be an entertaining opener seeing these two crowd pleasers going at it.

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