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 KOTB 5: Guerra
A week after crowning its first welterweight champion, the King of the Beach promotion is proud to move up one division and give you its first ever middleweight champion. KOTB is looking to sell out it’s third straight Friday at Rio’s The Underground and has stuffed the main card with three intriguing Ireland vs. Brazil matchups. As usual, Brazilian fans can expect a fast-paced, exciting night of fights with tons of grappling-heavy exchanges to wet their BJJ appetites.
Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares (2-0, 1-0) v Jonathan "The Hurricane" Hannafin (0-0, 0-0)
Opening the main card is the first of two key welterweight fights when Rio’s Rousimar Palhares looks to follow-up his first round submission victory at KOTB 2 with another impressive performance. He’ll be taking on an Irish grappler in Jonathan Hannafin who’ll be making his professional debut. Keep an eye out for Hannafin’s growing standup game, as well as the scale, as Palhares had real trouble there in his first KOTB fight. It didn’t end up costing him last time, but I’m sure he’ll want to avoid making things harder on himself.
Lucas "Samurai" Campos (1-0, 1-0) v Fergal Murphy (1-1, 0-0)
In a similar matchup, we have another Brazilian looking for his second KOTB victory against an Irishman making his KOTB debut. Aracaju’s Lucas Campos used impressive, heavy combinations to dispose of his last foe and will be looking to use his wrestling to keep things on the feet against Irish purple belt Fergal Murphy. Murphy should be looking to make this a grinding fight in the clinch and on the floor. Look for the winner of this fight to take on the victor of Palhares vs. Hannafin in a high stakes affair.
Thiago "The Axe" Machado (1-0, 1-0) v Cliff "Blazing" Carriggian (0-0, 0-0)
It’s Brazil vs. Ireland III for the KOTB 5 main card, with another debuting Irish fighter taking on a streaking hometown Brazilian. Sao Paulo’s Thiago Machado looked very impressive in his last KOTB appearance in an edge-of-your-seat grappling affair with a fellow purple belt. His opponent was so frustrated that he never returned to KOTB, or MMA for that matter. Let’s hope for better from Cliff Carrigian who has growing all-around skills developing around his proficient boxing game. It’s pretty a pretty straightforward striking vs. grappling matchup, but should provide fireworks wherever it goes.
"Merciless" Mick McManus (0-0, 0-0) v Blob Sapp (2-0, 0-0)
Our co-main event sees two heavy hitters making their KOTB debuts, with an emphasis on ‘heavy’. At 6’4” and 300 pounds, American Blob Sapp has moved from Las Vegas in pursuit of fame and looser drug commissions. He’ll be taking on a 6’4” 288 pound Scottish fighter making his professional debut in Mick McManus. This one will come down to confidence, physicals and game plans, as both fighters have a really similar ‘sprawl and brawl’ skillset.
"The Avalanche" Thatcher Halverson (2-0, 1-0) v Bago "Badaboom" Biga (3-0, 1-0)
KOTB’s first ever middleweight champion will emerge from the ring on Saturday night, as Denver’s Thatcher Halverson takes on Romanian Bago Biga. Both fighters are still teenagers and have won all of their respective fights by first round submission, so it will be interesting to see if one of them changes up their game plan for this one. On paper, things are looking really close with 19-year-old Biga perhaps having a slightly better boxing game, while 17-year-old Halverson should have the wrestling and height advantage. Looks like another nail-biter of a title fight for KOTB fans.
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