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 Immortals New York
INY 56 Legends Return
Jan 25 2013 – The Day has finally arrived.
This card is stacked with some of the finest talent past and present, to grace the Immortals Cage.
The two greatest heavyweights in Immortals history make their comebacks, but can young Soham Roy, who dethroned Kalashnikov hang a second loss on the Hall of Famer Derric Styles.
In a fight that will define a career Corey Smith and Shane Wellman Jnr clash for a second time but this time for a place in the Immortals Hall of Fame.
Ladies and Gentleman, MMA fans from around the world, its time… Derric Styles is…. BACK!
World Heavyweight Title
Soham Roy vs Derric Styles
The champ, Roy 8-1 is a world class wrestler with fabulous takedowns, as he demonstrated in his fight against Kalashnikov, and the key to success will be more of the same here. He cannot and will not stand and trade with a monster striker like Styles. He knows Styles carries the brutal KO power he faced with Kalashnikov, so don’t expect anything different from Soham here. If he doesn’t get the takedowns, he will get bust up very quickly, so the question will be, can he do what so many wrestlers before him failed to do?
Styles is 12-1 11KOs with a rounded striking attack, however it is the terrifying power in his hands that has brought him immortality. He has faced and demolished wrestlers before, but maybe not of the caliber of the champion who surprised everyone when he took Kalashnikov down at will.
Has Styles still got what it takes. Reports from the Melton camp are that he is looking great, but the Monroe camp are also claiming the champion is getting better by the day.
Styles has the experience, the record and power to get the title back and starts a firm favorite here.
265lb Division
Kalashnikov vs Devin Styles
Kalashnikov returns after a humbling defeat to Soham Roy where his takedown defense was exposed and the title was literally wrestled from his grasp. Kalashnikov is back in his comfort zone here as he faces a striker who he has already overwhelmed. Kalashnikov is 10-3 10KOs and will see dispatching Styles as a mere formality, so has Devin improved since their last meeting?
Styles has stopped Simmons, Lebedev and Kurtz since his defeat to Kalashnikov, good opponents, but not fighters at their peak yet, so it’s hard to tell.
Styles is a great boxer and Kalashnikov a rounded striker himself so this will be a brutal war while it lasts, though I expect Kalashnikov to prevail.
The Fight for Immortality
155lb Division
Smith vs Wellman Jnr
The two most active and fearless competitors in Immortals history, with a total of 27 appearances between them, they have on their resume the following: Van Kirkland, Huxley, McGuire, Pintor, Muang, Cerezo and Cade to name but a few.
Smith, a boxer, has complete faith in the power in his hands, has a solid chin, and world class takedown defense which has allowed him to hang with top draw grapplers and wait for the inevitable haymaker to land. He has already overpowered Wellman Jnr in a 1st round KO only 6 months ago, so he comes into this rematch oozing confidence.
Wellman Jnr is 10-9, but he repelled the challenge of young Landers the last time he was in the cage, and holds wins over Joe Saunders, Felix Sandoval and Lupe Pintor. He is also the 1st man to ever hang a loss on Hall of Famer Vladdy Van Kirkland.
Smith had too much power in his hands for Wellman Jnr to handle in their first fight. Wellman Jnr secured the takedown early, but he couldn’t keep Smith down, and from there, murder she wrote, as Smith let those hands go! Wellman’s camp say he is looking good in training, but he must secure an early takedown and go for broke. It would be sacrilege to allow another referee’s stand up, when your opponent is as dangerous as Corey Smith.
Has Wellman Jnr developed the skills to get the job done, or will Corey again prove to be too heavy handed for the fearless journeyman?
The casino favors the latter, and makes Corey Smith the firm favorite to become the third entrant into the Immortals Hall of Fame.
185lb Division
Rook vs Roaig
Two high class operators clash here with both guys coming off losses, this fight is critical to both. Rook 6-2 won 5 straight with wins over Whales, Taylor and Meyers, all good operators, before being outclassed by the impressive Ventura. Rook is awesome in the clinch, with the ability to land both knees and elbows, he imposes his will on the most talented of fighters. However did Ventura expose a weakness in Rook’s chin?
Roaig 6-3 is a former T-Roid 185 champ, though he relinquished that crown in the 5th round of a fight he was dominating. Roaig is a world class striker, great hands, heavy kicks, KO power and an effective clinch, though I think his camp will have Roaig fight on the outside, and pick Rook off.
Rook’s chin will be severely tested, but if he can keep Roaig in his clinch then will Roaig’s chin and heart fail him if he goes into deep water?
This is a quality affair, and the Casino cannot separate them.
Undercard
265lb Division
Simmons vs Worthington
Two boxers with 2 fight win streaks go head to head for a place with the elite in the division and potentially a main card fight for a title shot. Simmons 4-3 has struggled against fellow strikers, having been beaten by Snipes, Frazier and Devin Styles, but he makes light work of grapplers, as Simmons has a top ground game himself.
Simmons is a puncher and I think he’s going to try and steamroller Worthington who is certainly facing the best striker of his career. Worthington has to get through the first round, and he needs to have studied how Simmons has been beaten previously, because this is winnable. Reports are Jackson went looking for a quick KO against Simmons and got blasted, so the Jacobsson camp will need to be at their tactical best to get Worthington the win here.
Simmons starts the favorite but this will only fire up the Jacobsson camp even more!
185lb Division
Brandao vs Harmsworthy
Brandao is 4-4 a striker, and he may be better than he looks. He has lost his last 2, but that was against Meyers, who smashes guys with average takedown defense and before that McMurphy, who was too much far too soon for young Brandao.
Harmsworthy has faced Meyers, Fallon and Melton Snr since coming to the INY and now stands at 1-2 INY, but 8-5 overall. He has 7 subs wins thanks to his BJJ Brown belt and must secure the takedown in this one.
If Brandao can get some shots off and test Harmsworthy’s chin he can stop his foe, but there lies the question. Can he stuff a takedown? The answer will decide the outcome of this match up between a striker and a BJJ specialist.
170lb Division
Razi vs Andrade
Razi 5-3 with 4 subs faces Andrade 5-1 who has a BJJ Brown belt. Andrade has a questionable chin and paper thin skin, but Razi hasn’t shown the standard of striking or power to expose these weaknesses, so I expect Andrade to take this.
265+lbs Division
Chazinski vs Radden
Chazinski has KO power but a brittle chin, having lost 4 straight by 1st round KO. He has developed a good ground game, so will he offer something different this time?
Radden 5-5 is a do or die bomber having only been to the 2nd round twice.
This one could go either way, Radden has the better chin, so if it stays standing then Radden, but if Chazinski can stay conscious long enough to secure a takedown then it could be a different outcome.
265lb Division
Laurier vs Jackson
Laurier 3-1 is well rounded with terrific submissions, and from an excellent camp. He is facing the beasts whipping boy, Jackson has been thrown under every bus going, and though game, is unlikely to test Laurier for long, as Jackson usually goes all out and walks into a cannon.
265+lbs Divison
Rowe vs Strangeness
Rowe 4-6 3subs is likely to engage Strangeness in a ground war, while it lasts. While the jury is out on Strangeness, despite his awesome training camp and uber gym, he is likely to be too skilled for Rowe on the ground. If Rowe has worked on his striking then I believe there are weaknesses that could certainly be exposed, however not this time.
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