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Sorry guys no review this week as Showtime was increadably busy. I was busy as well but not nearly as much as Showtime time so you still get a preview. Please enjoy.
We are moving on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky. That’s right folks we are done with the micro arenas and in to the sub 1k seating venues. We still feel that we will break to the three thousand seat venues before Honour 12. Not only will this be our first event out of the micro arena but it is also the first event that will feature not one but two title fights. This was supposed to be Vidal against Eastwood for the Light Heavyweight Title but due to some unfortunate issues Vidal had to be stripped of the title and now Probert will take on Balaban for the vacated Light Heavyweight Championship. We will also have the Welterweight Championship being decided by Ci Chulainn and Radostan "The Horror" Tugbajev which should be an amazing war. Not only are we getting all of that on this action packed card but we will also be picking at least one fighter from the Middleweight division to fight for the vacated title later on in the year.
Preliminary Bout Number 1- Featherweight Fight (145lbs)
#9 Marcell Ozuna (0-0) {0-0} versus #8 Donald Cross (2-2) {1-0}
Normally you would think first fight of the night won’t matter too much, well that is not the case here. The featherweight division is not very deep and because of that we have a fighter with zero fights sporting a number nine ranking taking on the number eight fighter. A win for either of these guys gets them one fight away from being a top five guy in the division. Ozuna will try and win this fight on the ground as the brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will most likely look to take it straight to the mat. If he gets the fight to the ground he will swarm with submission attempts and probably submit Cross. Cross does have an alright ground game and luckily he might be the better wrestler in the bout. Even with that being said he should not take any chance on the ground and he should use his striking to break Ozuna. I am going with the ground guy here and taking Ozuna to win by submission in the second round as I think Cross will allow the fight to go there eventually.
Preliminary Bout Number 2- Bantamweight Fight (135lbs)
Mike "Bossio " The Boss (0-0) {0-0} versus #10 Franz Sanches (0-1) {0-1}
The Boss is making his pro debut against Franz Sanches who is currently o and one. The Boss has a good base in boxing but I think his wrestling will be the most important factor in the fight. He will have to keep this fight standing if he wants a chance, and honestly if he can keep it standing it should be an easy win. The reason it will be such an easy win is for the simple fact that Sanches has little to no striking ability at all. He is however a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and we know he is very aggressive with his submission attempts. He will be looking for a quick takedown and they will come often but he will need to pace himself better as all the failed takedowns most likely led to his debuting loss. I got The Boss winning this with a first round knockout but if the fight hits the mat Sanches will look to finish and he might.
Preliminary Bout Number 3- Lightweight Fight (155lbs)
Rory Raptor (0-0) {0-0} versus Jamie "Dynamite" Dupres (1-1) {0-0}
Both of these fighters are making their Honour debut and Raptor is making his pro debut. The eighteen year old Raptor has a Muay Thai base and he has been working on his ground game. I wouldn’t say his stand up is polished but for being eighteen years old he is on the right track. Dupres will be looking to keep this fight standing just like Raptor but on his side is experience. Both of Jamie’s fights took place under kickboxing rules so we know he knows how to strike. I think Dupres is a little better-rounded in the striking department and that’s why I am picking him to win by TKO in the first round.
Preliminary Bout Number 4- Middleweight Fight (185lbs)
#10 Fernando "Baduino" Possebao (1-0) {0-0} versus Ton Rolder (2-1) {0-0}
Possebao is one and o after winning his pro debut by decision in a three round bout. He will now be making his Honour debut and he will be looking to keep his winning streak alive. To do that most of this fight will need to take place down on the mat. He will have a better shot of winning this from the ground since he is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Rolder is also making his Honour debut but he has had a few more fights in the past. He is currently two and one and he is coming off his first loss of his career. Rolder can hold his own on the ground but he is the far better striker in the fight and that’s why he should look to keep it standing for as long as possible. I think this fight will go to the ground several times throughout the bout and I got Possebao taking this one home by decision.
Preliminary Bout Number 5- Welterweight Fight (170lbs)
#7 Pud Pad Noyworawoot (4-0) {0-0} versus #4 Thomas "Tommie" Hawk (3-2-1) {1-0-0}
Noyworawoot is making his debut and personally I have wanted to see him in action since he signed. Pud is four and o after winning a tournament to start his career off with a bang. He will be looking to wrestle his way to a fifth straight win but he should pace himself as this could easily go all three rounds. Hawk also started off with a bit of a spark winning two fight in a row. He did take a fall after that dropping two fights in a row and then drawing in his last fight before coming to Honour. In his Honour debut he got back to winning by picking up a knockout victory in only forty five seconds and he looked incredible doing it. He will have an advantage on the feet and he can almost match Noyworawoot on the ground so I have to pick him to win, and I got the decision win for Hawk as I think it goes to the judges.
Main Card Bout Number 1- Middleweight Fight (185lbs)
#1 Psycho Boy (1-0) {1-0} versus #2 Esko "Etikka" Tikkanen (1-2) {1-0}
These two hold the number one and number two spots on the middleweight division rankings and the title is vacant so why is this not a title fight? The answer is simple both of these fighters attained their rankings before some of the bigger named fighters in the division got signed. I can guarantee the winner of this fight will be offered a title opportunity against another middleweight. With that being said the question becomes who is going to win the fight? Both fighters are one and o inside the cage at Honour and we know they are close in age. Boy is the far better ground fighter according to scouting reports but Psycho put on a show in the stand up in his last fight as well. Tikkanen has proven that he cannot win a fight when he spends a significant amount of time on the ground. Since Boy has the better ground game and Esko cant do battle on the mat I am calling Boy to win this fight by TKO via ground and pound in the second round.
Main Card Bout Number 2- Middleweight Fight (185lbs)
#5 "The Firestarter" Spontaneous Combustion (3-5) {0-0} versus #7 Dario "The Killer" Silva (4-5) {0-0}
Either one of these guys could get their career going in the right direction with a win in this one. There is another spot open for the middleweight title bout and I am sure a win from either of these two in Honour a push towards filling that spot. Kota could also take claim of that spot but he has to get through Don Schmidt first, so this could be a number one contenders fight, or at least a title eliminator. Combustion is bringing in a three and five record and a two fight losing streak with him to HFC. Before the two fight losing streak he was on a two fight win streak and I am sure he would love to get on another run. Silva has also had a string of bad luck losing five of his last six. The key is the organization he was a part of, and now in a restricted org he could do some serious damage. When I use to write for Honor I was a big fan of Dario and I see bright things in his future here in Honour. I am going to pick Silva to win by decision in this one.
Main Card Bout Number 3- Lightweight Fight (155lbs)
#2 Miguel "Sari-Sari" Santiago (3-3) {0-0} versus #5 Erkki Heimolainen (1-0) {0-0}
Santiago and Heimolainen are both ranked in the top five here in Honour and neither one of them have had a fight in HFC. Santiago is three and three and currently riding a two fight win streak. He will be looking for takedowns so he can use his Jiu Jitsu to keep his winning streak alive. Heimolainen is one and o and he will be looking to not only becoming two and o but getting a title shot in the near future with a win. Erkki can handle himself on the ground and he is the far better striker so I see all the advantage going to Erkki. I am going to pick Heimolainen to win by submission in the later part of round three.
Co-Main Event Main Card Bout Number 4- Welterweight Title Fight (170lbs)
#1 Ci Chulainn (5-2) {0-0} versus #3 Radostan "The Horror" Tugbajev (2-0) {1-0}
This was supposed to be number one Chulainn versus number two Tugbajev but with the singing of Romulo Barral it pushe Tugbajev to number three. Now I am pretty sure the winner of this will end up facing Barral if he can win his debut fight in Honour. Chulainn will be coming into this fight following a loss in Ascension Amsterdam for their title. Now Ci has moved to Honour and he is looking for his first title. Tugbajev is two and o and one and o in Honour. Tugbajev has shown he can handle himself in the standup or on the ground with a knock out win and a submission win. He should be looking at the ground game to give himself the best chances to win but I think this fight stays standing and Chulainn gets the TKO win in the first round.
Co Main Event Main Card Bout Number 5- Light Heavyweight Title Fight (205lbs)
#6 Bosko Balaban (1-0) {1-0} versus #1 Bob "Probie" Probert (6-1) {0-0}
This was supposed to be Vidal making the first ever title defense in Honour but he has disappeared and thus for has been stripped of his title. Top contender Clint Eastwood passed on the fight after being in a long camp training just for Vidal. Balaban and Probert stepped up to take the title fight with each other on short notice. Balaban is coming off a win were he showed off his kicking skills dropping Hayden with a head kick that stopped the fight. He seems ready to take on a puncher and his kicks could keep Probert at bay. Probert is a fierce striker currently holding a six and one record. His only loss came against a grappler and submission specialist. Bob is not going to want this fight to go to the ground and I think Balaban will oblige. That means we should have one amazing strike fest when these two warriors finally hook it up in the last fight of the evening. Since Probert has the fight experience and the big fight experience as a former title contender I have to pick him. I think Probert will work his way to the inside and land a few big punches and get the knockout win in the third round.
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