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 HFC 26 Johnson vs Money Official Review
Honour Fighting Championships
On November 26, 2016
At The Underground - London
Attendance: 1000 (Sold Out)
Event Rating: 113.12
Author: Master Po
Preface:
Honour Fighting Championships, the most hyped pure 300k + ID restricted org, put together yet another captivating experience for a sold out crowd at The Underground in London. Time and time again HFC outdoes itself, pushing their ceiling higher and higher. Every time we think they can't possibly do better, they rise to the occasion and pull out all the stops. The atmosphere in the venue was mesmerizing. You could feel the intensity building up with each and every fight, leading up to the climactic main event, which won the Fight of the Night award leaving fans satisfied, yet understandibly, hungry for more.
John Brown vs John Jones - 265+ lbs
John Brown came into the opening bout looking to start off his MMA career on the winning track. However, the more experienced John Jones had different plans. Jones came into the arena with the eye of the tiger and when the bell rang he pounced into action with wreckless abandon. Right away Jones shot in for a takedown. Browns tried to sprawl but Jones persisted and landed in half guard. He went straight to grounding and pounding, initially missing, then finding his mojo and softening up Brown with blow after blow. Brown wanted to get back to his feet, but either his inexperience, or Jones' skill, would not let that transpire. Jones landed series after series of strikes through what little defense Brown could muster, inevitably leading to a successful Kimura for Jones the obviously superior BJJ artist.
Prediction: Jones TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Jones Submission (Kimura) 0:57 of round 1.
Willem Van Der Weegh vs Daniel Hayden - 265 lbs
I expressed my concerns for Van Der Weegh's well being in my preview of this event and after the fact I am still worried about the fellow. If I could use only one word to describe this fight I suppose brutal would suffice. Both fighters appeared rested, primed, and ready upon entering the cage. That would come to a quick end. The bell rang and Van Der Weegh threw a hook that was a little too wide, and Hayden avoided it with ease. Hayden came back with a 1-2 that sent Van Der Weegh to the mat in lah lah land. For a moment it appeared that Hayden would follow him to the mat, but he stayed up and waved Van Der Weegh to his feet. Hayden then landed a superb combination that had Van Der Weegh out on his feet. The referee had to tackle Hayden to protect the unconscious Van Der Weegh from suffering irreparable damage.
Prediction: Hayden KO (Punches) round 1.
Result: Hayden KO (Punches) 0:12 of round 1.
Phil Ure vs Jack Smith - 265 lbs
This fight matched up two guys with very limited striking ability and purple belts in BJJ. At the onset Smith shot in for a takedown and was stuffed. Then things got somewhat awkward with both fighters waiting to counter off the other. Smith succeeded with his next takedown attempt taking this fight to a place both fighters should have felt at home. Smith seemed content to sit and control, but eventually advanced position to mount. He threw some sloppy strikes, though, and Ure reversed position on him not long after a warning from the referee to improve his position. Ure dropped back for a leg lock that had little chance of landing and somehow maintained dominant positioning. Then he threw out a hail mary trying for a guillotine that had even less of a chance of working. Smith being more experienced in the cage used just a split second lapse of concentration on Ure's part to lock up a triangle. Ure tried to fight it off, but eventually fell unconscious.
Prediction: Smith Submission (Armbar) round 1.
Result: Smith Submission (Triangle) 2:55 of round 1.
Submission of the Night Award
Chris Conley vs Demian Maia - 170 lbs
Conley came out in this bout and straight slapped Maia. I don't know if that had some sort of underlying meaning in it, but it sure seemed like it to me. Maia clinched up with Conley where Conley actually landed some decent shots before breaking the clinch for whatever reason. From there Maia spammed takedown attempts geting stuffed time and time again. Conley landing some good shots in between each and every attempt to take the fight to the ground by Maia. Maia eventually managed a takedown about 3 minutes into the first round. He then tried a kimura but it had a snowball chance. Considering Maia's track record the ground was not the best place for Conley to be but he managed to survive and even reverse position at the close of the first round, winning it easily on all cards I would imagine. In the second round Conley got a double leg takedown on Maia who immediately escaped back to standing. The two went back and forth with striking missing as much as landing before Conley threw out a left jab and right to the body that collapsed Maia. Conley moved into mount followed by a barrage of strikes that left the referee with no choice but to stop the contest.
Prediction: Maia Submission (Triangle) round 1.
Result: Conley TKO (Strikes) 2:22 of round 2.
KO of the Night Award
Sergey Chernishev vs Renato Ibanez - 155 lbs
Ibanez came out shooting for a takedown. Chernishev sprawled and tried a counter takedown of his own that failed. Ibanez clinched and Chernishev immediately broke it. Back and forth takedown attempt by Ibanez and counter takedown by Chernishev both failing before Chernishev shot in from the right range and landed in Ibanez's guard. Ibanez tried what he could from his back failing with a couple submission attempts. Then things got even uglier, with both fighters laying and praying. The crowd grew visibly and audibly restless as boos resounded throughout the arena. Chernishev eventually managed to start working some effective ground and pound hurting Ibanez and doing enough to take the first round. The second round wasn't any more entertaining, but Ibanez came out with a takedown and managed to control Chernishev enough to keep the fight on the ground while spamming sub attempts, and ultimately take that round. In the third round Chernishev stuffed Ibanez three times in a row then landed his own takedown. In what was most likely the least exciting match of the night, Ibanez again spammed submissions to no avail and allowed Chernishev to land just enough ground strikes to take this one home.
Prediction: Chernishev TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Chernishev Decision (Unanimous).
Anthony Joshua vs Freddie Adam - 265 lbs
In round one Joshua popped a crisp jab that cut Adam. For reasons unknown Joshua landed a takedown on the clearly superior BJJ player. Joshua stood back up then sprawled on Adam who was stuffed three times trying to take the fight to the ground. Oddly enough Joshua took it to the mat again and smartly stood back up. He opened up the cut on Adam a bit more with a nice tight head shot. Adam finally circumvented Joshua's takedown D with a double leg takedown where he actually had success from the dominant position, managing to land a nice elbow that gashed Joshua with a couple other strikes and failed sub attempts to end off the first round. In the second round the sense of urgency from Adam could be seen by all. Joshua landed some hard shots. An overhand left, an overhand right, then a counter punch that drew cheers from the crowd. Adam gassed himself out trying takedown attempt after takedown attempt, all the while getting peppered by the superior striking ability of Joshua. Closing in on the 1 minute mark of the second round Joshua landed a right hand and a left hook that set Adam flat on his ass. Joshua, in a most spectacular fashion, dove in with a flying punch that connected clean and put Adam to sleep.
Prediction: Joshua TKO (Strikes) round 1.
Result: Joshua KO (Punches) 0:56 of round 2.
Twist Calypso vs Takomi Saka - 170 lbs
This last fight on the main card of the event was a complete surprise to me. Considering Calypso's track record being the former champ, being currently ranked #7 in the entire Honour organization, and winning 5 of 6 fights by KO, I never dreamt this would go the distance. Calypso came out in the first looking to grind in the clinch. Saka didn't want any part of the clinch, not being able to land effectively. It would turn out that would be Calypso's best round, where he found room to do considerable damage in the latter part. Calypso went right back to trying to clinch in the second, but Saka was able to break free much easier, and actually landed effective shots while inside the clinch. Saka staggered Calypso after breaking a clinch early in the second round, that seemed to be a turning point where Saka would take over the reigns for the next two rounds. In the third Calypso would continue to try and clinch allowing Saka to counter. Saka landed meaningful strikes at range that judges kept tabs on. Even in the clinch Saka defended well enough, and landed a few shots of his own to take over on points.
Prediction: Calypso TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Saka Decision (Unanimous).
Co-Main Event
Random Fighter Three vs Peter Faup - 265 lbs Title
By now everybody in The Underground was sauced up, ripping, and roaring. Faup came out looking to clinch, and seemed a lot quicker than he did when we last saw him back at HFC 22. It started out slow, then Faup got a clinch around 45 seconds into the fight. Fighter Three took it to the mat shortly thereafter, working some hardcore ground and pound on Faup. All Faup could do was cover up and squirm around trying to keep what little positioning he could. It was a bad day for Faup trying to sweep unsuccessfully in between getting hammered and elbowed. Three minutes in Faup gave it one last hoorah, with a loose triangle that Fighter Three easily shrugged off. That's when Fighter Three saw his opening, and landed some digs and hard shots from guard. Finally loading up on a huge left hand, then three devastating shots that called the referee into action. The crowd was enthusiastic to say the least.
Prediction: Fighter Three TKO (Strikes) round 1.
Result: Fighter Three TKO (Strikes) 3:37 of round 1.
Main Event:
Dwayne Johnson vs Reed Money - 170 lbs Title
It felt like an earthquake was rattling the venue when the two big dogs made their entrances. The crowd wanted a standup war, and these two showman were not about to disappoint. Johnson came out digging hard body shots. Money appeared to be playing defense while looking for a clinch. Then Johnson took it to the clinch. At first it looked like Johnson was more effective, but Money stayed in the fight landing in the clinch as well. That trend continued for the first round with Johnson steadily becoming more and more effective, landing more frequently with hard shots, that won him the first round easy. In the early exchanges in the second round Money landed a couple quality shots, but Johnson took it back to the clinch. Expanding on the success he had in the first round he took the same approach with better results. Johnson seemed to be landing harder shots as the fight wore on. Money landed some as well, but was visibly getting gassed trying to escape the clinch, while under a focused attack on the body by Johnson. It was back and forth. A straight up brawl. Each fighter landing strikes and eating them. Finally, with the crowd about to literally tear the roof off the mutha, Johnson scored with a shoulder strike that rocked Money. Johnson went straight to a killer insinct landing bomb after bomb. Honestly I can't tell you if Money ever recovered from being rocked because Johnson never stopped throwing long enough for him to take a breath. Eventually Johnson created just the space he needed to unleash a massive uppercut that sent Money's eyes rolling, off kilter, and catawampus. And if that wasn't enough, he landed several more shots before the referee came in to call it. Excellent fight!
Prediction: Money TKO (Strikes) round 1.
Result: Johnson TKO (Strikes) after 4:27 of round 2.
Fight of the Night Award
Conclusion:
Another truly amazing event by Honour Fighting Championships! You could literally feel the energy coursing through the arena! Everything was in sync and harmonious. Everybody did their job. The staff at HFC, the managers, the cage girls, the announcers, the referees, the bartenders, the crowd, and last but definitely not least, the fighters. It was like a 100 mph wooden roller coaster. An absolute necksnapping thrill ride! All leading up to a downhilll loopty loo of a main event! MMA fans I'd say it was captivating! Now that it's behind us and we have to wait for the next one I wanted to say a few things on behalf of the organization. Honour is looking for fighters in all weight classes to become part of the hype! If you are interested in a contract we invite you to reach out to Henryk Kuzbik (110803). Any other questions, comments, or concerns should be expressed to Enzo Ribeiro (105373). If you've read this far I extend my utmost gratitude. Much appreciated my fellow Tycoonicans.
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