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 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the GAMMA 364 Preview! My name is Ryan Michaels, and I'm your host, here to break down the three matches on the card that EVERYBODY is talking about! The event will be coming to you live on December 14th from LA Memorial Colossuseum presented by GAMMA and Affordable Quality!
There are 10 FANTASTIC matches on the card, but we're going to get started in the Middleweight division!
Arthur Curry vs. Raz Matazz
185 LBS: Non title.
3 Rounds
Two true veterans of this sport will step into the cage and put a combined 100+ fights worth of experience on the line! Arthur Curry makes his 47th professional appearance and looks to work his way into possible title contention with a win, while Raz Matazz looks to avoid a losing streak and maintain his spot in the division.
Curry and Matazz are ranked 50th and 53rd in the Middleweight division, respectively, and a win over the other will catapult one of these men higher up the ladder than they've been before. Curry will undoubtedly look to do so from the outside With accurate boxing and decent leg kicks, Curry will try to chop down Matazz and earn his 27th KO. He'll also bring his outstanding chin to the table, as he's never been knocked out in his nearly 50 fights. Matazz is also sniffing his 27th KO, but has been put out himself in the past. Raz tends to favor the clinch more, using vicious knees and elbows to cut open and destroy his opponents. If he can get inside on Curry, that could be all he needs to take Arthurs chin home as a trophy.
Curry is looking for a title shot, but on paper Raz has an edge in every facet of the sport. I expect Matazz to play spoiler, and get himself back on track with a unanimous decision victory.
CO-MAIN EVENT: Usain Watts vs. Ejnar Thorsen
185 LBS Title Fight.
5 Rounds
Usain Watts has won four in a row, and in his last bout was named the GAMMA Middleweight Champion after a 5th round KO of Josep Ruzic. Thorsen, on the other hand, has won 3 straight and is coming off a Fight of the Night against Raz Matazz. Usain Watts is deadly on the feet and can throw punches and kicks from any angle and has the high landing rate to prove it. Thorsen on the other hand is an adequate striker in his own right, but may look to take this fight to the clinch game where Watts has shown slight vulnerability in the past.
Neither fighter has ever been submitted, so the likelihood of any real mat work is slim, but Watts has been known to shoot in for takedowns to keep himself ahead on the score cards. If this bout leaves the feet, it'll more than likely be because Watts made the decision.
While it would be crazy to discount Thorsen, the smart money is on Watts to pick up win #38 for his career by grinding out another hard fought decision or maybe picking up a TKO in the later rounds. It won't get any easier, either, as men like Arthur Curry and Puff Dragon wait in the wings for their own title shots!
MAIN EVENT: Simon Williams vs. Simo Sarlakka
265+ LBS: Non title.
5 Rounds
In our main event we'll see a true super-fight as larger than life Heavyweights take to the cage! In one corner, the GAMMA Openweight Champion Simon Williams! With a record of 30 – 7 – 1 and an extremely impressive 27 knockouts to his credit, he is the #28 ranked pound for pound fighter in the world and he is ready to defend his turf against an invading opponent. In the other corner, the CEC Heavyweight Champion all the way from Helsinki, Finland... Simo Silakka! His own record standing at 21 – 12 with 16 knockouts on his resume, he is ranked #124 on the worlds pound for pound list.
This fight is guaranteed to deliver as two of the most prolific headhunters in the division go toe to toe looking to add another victim to their resume. Simon Williams is a very good boxer, but tends to throw a lot of single shots that are high on power and opts away from throwing many combinations. What makes him interesting is his ability to mix in kicks and an effective clinch game as the fight dictates, never sacrificing efficiency. Simo, on the other hand, clearly favors the deadly kicks in his arsenal and lands about 20 per fight. He's also fearsomely accurate with leg kicks, landing roughly 80% per fight and generally upwards of 15 in a bout. That's dangerous for Simon Williams who has struggled to check kicks regularly over his career.
On paper, it might look like Simo Sarlakka has the game that could give Simon Williams fits. However, the fact remains that historically Simon has been harder to put down and more successful in these sorts of slug fests. Simo has been knocked out 11 times in his career, and there's no doubt that Simon has the power to do so again. The winner of this bout may in fact be the man that chooses to take it to the ground and force the other to fight out of their comfort zone, but based on their history they'll both be staying on the feet and looking for another big highlight to add to their reel and bragging rights for their respective companies. Either way, the true winners will be the fans.
There you have it, everyone! It's going to be an INSANE night of fights, and it can only be seen live on pay per view! Join us, and then join us back here for the preview of GAMMA 365! I'm your host, Ryan Michaels, and we'll see you next time!
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