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 Spencer Kilco reporting for £4£: The best for MMA News, Views and Reviews
Saturday night EFC will be asking twenty men to shut up and lace up (no boots will be worn in the cage) when they return to the Liberty Dome for a huge 265 lbs title rematch. Barney Gumble (20-5) has called for a rematch after dropping the belt to Clinton "Baked Fish" Offley (16-3) only a week ago!
265 lbs Championship Fight: Clinton Offley vs Barney Gumble
The two fought last month with Offley pulling the upset with a submission win in less than a minute of the first round. He’s not put a foot wrong since dropping his former manager and now working with Max Bennet. A four fight win streak plus winning the championship the last time out must be sky rocketing his confidence. The Nassauvian fight now based in New York is a solid wrestler and a brown belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu but it’s hard to imagine him having the skill right now to be dominant champion. Offley is defiantly the underdog but he’s already over throne Gumble if he can just do it again everyone will have to agree he earned the belt.
The previous champ, Gumble, only had two defences before losing it Offley. He’s going to be annoyed about the blemish on his record but surly thinks he can win it back. Every one loves an underdog yet the EFC fans love is still with Barney Gumble. An exceptional fighter on his feet scoring 19 KO wins including beating Offley at Highland Games 49 in January of this year. And being able to hold his own with decent wrestling it is hard to think he lost the belt in their original match up. The bookies will be on the side of Gumble yet the fans will be torn between the two. This was all the makings of being EFC main event of the year!
135 lbs co-main event: Kirk Lancaster vs Jensen Haye
The New Zealander Lancaster (6-4) is coming of a decision loss when he goes up against British all-rounder Haye (6-1). Lancaster is going to want to get back to winning but has an uphill struggle in this fight. Look for this to become a wrestling match as Lancaster won’t be able to compete with Haye’s standup. Haye was all the tools of an extremely strong fighter. With a six fight win streak Haye is going to use this opportunity to show the world how good he is and if he’s contender quality. On paper its Haye’s fight to win.
135 lbs: Jet Hemi vs Dale La Grande
Being champion still fresh in his memory La Grande (11-2) needs to get some wins in to be consider a contender again. Coming off a decision win Le Grande is going want to turn that into a streak using his powerful muay thai and wrestling to disarm his opponent. Hemi (10-9) however may be hard to disarm. With unbelievable boxing ability if this fight stays standing it’s hard to think it won’t end in a KO for Hemi. Le Grande needs to clinch and keep Hemi in close to avoid being out boxed.
145 lbs: Kicky McLegs vs Paul Teixeira
McLegs (5-0) has had a great early career and now with a new manager that has changed gym and brought him into the EFC it sees the Korean is more focused than ever. With absolutely no punch power McLegs is going to have to wall and stall Teixeira (5-1). A great all round fighter Teixeira could out box or out wrestle McLegs. Coming off his first lose the Brazilian is going to want to put the rookie in his place getting back to winning. A battle of focus and who wants it more?
265+ lbs: Rickety Cricket vs Bio Hazard
Cricket (6-0) and Hazard (2-1) are both incredible wrestlers that are competent everywhere else with all eight of their combined wind by KO. If I was a betting man I wouldn’t put my money anywhere near this one. On paper these two are perfectly matched, which could make for fight of the night. Hazard is still a rookie wanting to build on his record while Cricket doesn’t intend to stop his fantastic streak anytime soon. I would put money on this one being fight of the night!
135 lbs: Sum Ting Wong vs Jasun Wharton
Wong (6-2) relies on his wrestling to overpower his opponents but Wharton (6-3) can easily match him in that department. Wharton is a decent all-rounder that is coming off a submission win and has all the tools to turn into a streak. The china man is going to try not let that happen, coming off a loss to Dale La Grande he needs a good rebound win. Wong is only going to achieve that by getting Wharton up against the cage and keeping him there otherwise Wong may not be able to answer Wharton’s arsenal of skills.
135 lbs: Nigel Benn Jnr vs Joseph Taylor
Australian Taylor (6-2) is a decent fighter who finds his wins on met via submissions. Coming off a win he has to be determined to have a great run in EFC. Expect the The Dark Destroyer stands in his way. The English man Benn (4-0) is fantastic in the clinch and on the ground which seems to be where Taylor would prefer to go. Benn has all the skills to out fight Taylor however struggles to finish fights, all four wins by decision. But you know the 21 year old is going to put on the fight of his life to continue that impressive undefeated streak.
265 lbs: Rick Rude vs Capital Punishment
Two men who need a win if they wish to continue being taken seriously Rude (4-3) and Punishment (5-5) are both coming off losses. Neither want to continue to loss, however what does make this fight interesting is that they are both boxers. Although the German "Ravishing" Rick Rude is probably the better boxer. If punishment can’t match his boxing it’s hard to think he can beat Rude.
170 lbs: Oleg Bartowski vs Luigi Bates
Bartowski (10-5) has made a fast drop to bottom of the card. Two fights ago he was fighting Tony Bullard for the EFC welterweight belt. But now with a two loss streak he needs a win to ever be considered a contender again. His opponent Bates (3-0) has a promising career ahead of him. Yet he hasn’t really proven himself as all wins have been by way of decision. Bates is a good all-rounder so could impose himself to prove he can stand and trade with contenders.
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