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 The atmosphere in Wombley Arena was electric as CEC put on another fantastic show, an event that saw us rise to that number 1 global ranking again. With two title fights and a superfight headliner, it was easy to see why fans were pumped up for CEC 388.
265+lbs - Taufiqul Haq vs Gaius Pompaius
The night started off with an open weight bout which saw a debut victory for Pompaius. It didn't take him long to have Haq in trouble, coming out aggressive and cutting him open very early. His accuracy with leg kicks kept him in control of the fight, he was missing a large amount of his head punches but the ones that did land saw the cut get worse. In the last second of round 2, an uppercut ended the night for Haq and Pompaius walked away with a debut win.
205lbs - Wade Wilson vs Harri Mulqvist
Harri Mulqvist put another one in the win column with his 18th submission win of his career while avenging a loss for his stablemate, Tommi Hartola. It could be said that Wilson was the master of his own demise in this fight, looking to get the fight to the ground where it would end badly for him. With the first round lost, Mulqvist found himself on his back in the second. A quick sweep and he now had to work to get back into the fight. A minute left in the round saw the opportunity present itself, Mulqvist went for th kimura and got it, job done!
265+lbs - Alexandre Ottoni vs Lance Wilson
This was the first fight of the evening to go the distance, after two rounds we were sitting at a round each so it all came down to the third. Both fighters were going for it but it was Ottoni that impressed the judges more and all three of them would give him that round. Ottoni makes that two wins from two in CEC, remaining undefeated in his career.
170lbs - Craig Hanks vs Rick James
This was a fantastic spectacle for the fans both at the event and watching at home, the kind of fight that does our sport proud. Two guys determined to go for the win in a standup war. Hanks took charge early on and earned himself the opening round but was soon pegged back in the second when James landed a stunning elbow from the clinch which cut Hanks and appeared to slow him considerably. It was all up for grabs in the last round and once again we saw it go to the clinch but it was on exiting the clinch that Hanks done the damage, knocking James to the floor with a nice combo. A clearly rocked James was just surviving at this stage and when Hanks moved in to clinch then out he once again dropped James on the exit and this was to be the end of the fight this time.
155lbs - Kamil Burczynski vs Gordon Lefleaur
Burczynski wasn't overly troubled in this fight if we are being completely honest, an early takedown showing exactly what his plan was for the evening. A few failed submission attempts and it was back to the feet after Lefleaur got a reversal but couldn't really find his range and the round had been lost. The next round went a similar way, early takedown by Burczynski, a failed submission but then some gruesome ground and pound that Lefleaur just couldn't take saw the fight end. Burczynski called for a title shot once the fight was over, is he ready for La Plegua again though is the question? Last time it didn't go too well for him.
170lbs - John Bonham vs Frankie Barnes
Barnes was determined that this fight was going to be won by him in the clinch and that was where he tried to take it and keep it. Once there though, Bonham was holding his own. A close first round was probably taken by Barnes but all that was swept away in the second when Bonham broke the clinch and rocked his opponent with a quick in and out with a nice hook doing the damage. A high kick was then planted and the follow up strikes to the floored Barnes saw Bonham walk away with the stoppage win.
205lbs - Police State vs Dee Stroya
Police State was the last fighter to beat the 205lbs king, Ansgar Axelsson and it looks as though he could be en route to getting another chance to try to do it again. Another back and forth fight saw Stroya start strong, cutting State and controlling the action in round one. State was to earn round two though, getting the fight to the ground being a big part of that but his work on the feet was also to be admired. The final round was to be short lived as both guys looked for the win but it was State that done the damage. A minute in and some great strikes left Stroya on the ground being saved by the referee, State had earned a huge scalp here and it would be hard to see anyone jumping in front of him for that Axelsson fight.
265+lbs Title Fight - Timur Rubin vs Ottis Toole
The first of our two title fights had been eagerly anticipated, fans and pundits alike had been predicting an out and out war. Rubin took it to the floor early and survived a submission scare but a lack of action would see it back to standing. Toole would then land a couple of takedowns of his own but a back and forth period of action would see Rubin the most likely winner of the round. Round two would see it explode into action, each man drew blood from the other. Toole pulled guard and tried to boss the action but again Rubin probably snuck it when a lovely combo put Toole on the deck. He repeated this feat right at the start of round three and tried to go in for the kill but Toole survived the rest of the round on his back, the fight however was slipping out of reach now. Into the fourth and Rubin had the smell of victory in his nostrils, another fantastic shot, this time a huge uppercut, saw Toole again on the floor. This time Rubin finished it and a brave display from Toole won't give him much comfort as he walks away without the belt he craved.
170lbs Title Fight - Co-Main Event - Juji Gatame vs Jakke Ruutu
This was to be fight number four between the two best fighters in the 170lbs division. Gatame was 2-1 over Ruutu going into it but the last time they met was when that defeat came. This time however there was an immediate tone set by Gatame and once he got his nose in front he never looked back. His aggression had him in charge and Ruutu was on the back foot for pretty much the whole fight, strikes may have been landing for Ruutu but Gatame was just giving it more in every area. Even though he was winning the fight standing, Gatame scored with takedowns also. In the end a lopsided judges decision of 50-45 from all three of them saw the title remain in his hands. An outstanding performance that set in stone why Juji Gatame is the man to beat in the welterweight division.
265lbs - Main Event - Rocky Tyson vs Simba Burns Jr
There was definitely a bit of niggle between these two fighters both before and after this fight. Burns Jr was just stopping off for the one fight in CEC and it was Tyson he was looking for. The Baddest man on the planet champion wanted to come in and do a number on our 265 king and was obviously inspired by recent losses for Tyson to Rinky Spider and Leonardo Ferreira, they had done it so why couldn't he. The hype surrounding both fighters and their popularity made it an easy decision to make this the main event, even over the title fights that were on the card. Let's be honest, this fight was close, so close that it would split the judges. Tyson took round one, all judges agreed on that one, fans would probably have agreed as well if pressed fo an answer. His striking from range and work rate had him in control. The second round looked fairly even until Burns Jr landed a head kick that floored Tyson and left blood pouring from his face, he came back though and landed enough strikes of his own to give the judges something to think about, two of them gave Tyson the round with one giving it to Burns Jr. As with the rest of the card, these fighters were going for it, the last round showed it again. Tyson was the busier fighter throughout, he threw more and landed more. Burns Jr will believe he landed the more significant strikes. In the end though, it comes down to the three bodies that judge the fight and despite it being a split decision, it was a win awarded to Rocky Tyson. After the fight, a clearly irritated Burns Jr made his feelings clear about the decision and his opponent. This may not be the end of it and these two could end up facing off again at some point. All that matters tonight is that Tyson has claimed victory.
So another event is in the books. Like I said at the start, it takes CEC back to the top of the global rankings for the moment, which is obviously a massive accomplishment and every fighter here should be proud that they have contributed towards this.
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