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INY 63 The Supercard
Ladies, gentlemen, MMA fans throughout the world, I’m Richie Ciapelli of MMA USofA, and I’m ………LIVE inside the Liberty Dome in New York City. It’s the night MMA fans have been waiting for, the night the biggest 150k id org in the world showcases its current and future superstars.
It’s incredible who is here tonight, Brad and Angie, Cruise, Beckham, Butler, to name just a few and Mike Tyson has just walked past me! From the world of MMA managers from the greatest fight camps around the world have flown in for SUPERCARD. Melton arrived by private jet earlier this afternoon, and he is deep in conversation with INY executive Gonzaitev. Heisman is here, and as you would expect, the controversial surpemo has brought Thor Okam with him accompanied by Chantelle Baise Bieno, which will only fuel speculation of a high profile grudge match later this year between Okam and Taco.
Already here is Bruno Falcone, with his usual entourage of ah em ‘friends’ and he has been in conversation with INY CEO Steel for some time now. Reports are these two have buried the hatchet, and Falcone and his friends will be sat cageside with Steel tonight.
Sami Assasi and Janne Finland flew into the big Apple together from Finland and can be seen at the bar, though I cant make out what these guys are saying, and Luan Dovik has just walked past me. Luan arrived by private jet from Rio yesterday and is here to see his 145lb protégé Gaius Arabi debut in the INY in what should be an incredible fight with the former champ Nick Shields.
This is one of the biggest nights in the Immortals calendar MMA fans with some the biggest names in the world ensuring I am reporting from a sold out Liberty Dome in New York City. Headlining the card are 3 bitter rematches with 2 titles at stake, and the other a rubber that had its origins in the 4K in Amsterdam.
OK MMA fans opening the show, is a top class 135lb fight between two of the best and brightest prospects in the division, so lets move on and run through the combatants on this incredible fight card.
135lb Division
McLaren vs Kikovic
McLaren 3-2 is coming off a brave challenge for the world title against Escobar, the only man to have beaten him. Kikovic 3-0-1 is a granite chinned Muay Thai fighter with great kicks and good hands, and survived submission fighter Parasca last time out. Kikovic is facing a specialist wrestler here in McLaren, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep this fight standing and pummel McLaren at range. It’s a toss up, two decent fighters with contrasting skills, the casino can’t decide.
155lb Division
Dayz vs Sandoval
Pocket rocket Dayz is 11-7 (1-1 INY) and after a frustrating loss to Lupe Pintor, he bounced back with a brutal KO of Matice Jnr. Dayz will have his takedown defence tested against Sandoval 6-1, who is one of the Immortals few BJJ Black Belts. Sandoval is on a 4 fight win streak, but this is his stiffest test to date against such a well rounded and experienced striker. Dayz starts the favorite, he will survive the takedowns and put Sandoval away inside 2 rounds.
155lb Division
Pintor vs Van Kirkland
Two more world class fighters from Immortals’ stacked 155lb division, and this time it’s the streaking Lupe Pintor 9-4 facing HOF and 2 time World Champ Van Kirkland 13-4. Pintor is rounded, very durable and has a solid and offensive ground game. VK is coming off 2 title fight defeats, has buzz saw MT skills and is considered a super accurate striker despite being feather fisted. VK is likely to win by unanimous points decision as he usually takes no chances and works on the outside. Pintor has to get in close, secure the takedown and go for broke with submissions, but VK starts a heavy favorite.
155lb Division
Diaz vs Smith
Two solid 155lbers, both coming off losses, both with title aspirations, both from experienced camps, and both took this fight without hesitation. Diaz 17-4 is a submission fighter with 13 sub wins and the former Vegas Fight World 135lb champ. His debut in the Immortals was a hard fought decision loss to the streaking Lupe Pintor, and now he faces the grand old man of the Immortals, the one and only Corey Smith. Corey detests the mat, Shane Wellman Jnr robbed him of HOF Immortality last time out so Corey will be looking to land is heavy hands on Diaz before his foe even thinks about takedowns. This is an interesting fight, Corey is coming off a sub loss and a shock one, so he will be desperate to end this fight quickly because the longer it goes, the more chance Diaz will have here. Corey Smith is still a smooth operator, he is the bigger man, the more natural lightweight, so he starts the favorite, but at this level, you just never know…
265lb Division
Kalashnikov vs Smaug
HUGE clash at 265 here with the former World Champ Kalashnikov locking horns with the U21 World Tourney finalist Cinder Smaug. Kalashinkov is a world class striker, his base is Muay Thai, but his boxing is coming on leaps these days, and despite losing his last 2 fights, Kalashnikov is still the real deal. The God of War is 10-4 10Kos and one of the most exciting strikers in MMA, so who better than Smaug 5-3 4Kos to face the Janne Finland trained fighter. Smaug is also a striker, he has K1 Tokyo level striking, an U21 Tourney finalist, and also hails from a world class camp. The Swan Song camp are relatively new to the INY but they have arrived at 150k id + elite level with high exepectations.
The winner? Who the hell knows, it’s a stand up fans dream, and could go either way.
185lb Division
Ronan vs Meyers
Ronan 12-5 a former Golden Gloves champ had lost 3 straight before he met Randy Turner. He then shocked MMA fans by taking down Turner and securing an easy submission win, when the INY fans had been looking for a stand up war. Disappointing yes, good management sure. Meyes 8-4 is a grappler with one of the few BJJ Black Belts in the INY, and he has won his last 2, having impressively grounded and pounded Milton Knight last time out. Meyers is a former INY 185lb champion and he will go hunting for the takedown from the get go, and Ronan certainly will not look for a ground fight with Meyers. Before the Knight win I would have said Ronan handles Meyers, but now I can’t be so sure. Ronan starts the favorite, but if Meyers takes him down, then a shock could on the cards..
145lb Division
Arabi vs Shields
Combined record of 16-1 the former OG 155lb champ versus the former 145lb INY champ, the debut for Arabi, and the long awaited comeback fight for Shields. Worthy of being for the world title? Hell, yes, Mac Jackson will be cage side to watch this these two BJJ superstars! The winner of this one is the king of the wolves leading the chasing pack, so which of these beasts has the scariest fangs?
Arabi 8-1 8subs and fights out of Rio with the emerging Luan Dovik camp. He sets up his BJJ with powerful takedowns, and invariably Arabi finishes proceedings shortly after the takedown. His records is impressive, he has dominated opponents with his grappling and BJJ, but taking down young strikers with questionable ground defence doesn’t necessarily mean he is ready to take on the former champ. Shields is 8-0 and though it’s his comeback fight, his records is packed with wins over BJJ Brown belts and specialist grapplers. Shields looked incredible until legal disputes sidelined him for almost a year, so the time off may have eroded his skills.
Arabi looks in great shape, nicely rounded, with a confident camp, but they will be under no illusion here, this IS the toughest fight of his career on the BIGGEST stage of his career. Its another pick em fight, though I think long time INY fans will keep the faith and possible put money on the former INY champ.
265lb+ Division
WORLD TITLE FIGHT
Brown vs Fontes II
The rubber match, after each of these Muay Thai warriors have exchanged head kick Kos they go at it for a third time with no one in MMA believing that this fight will go 3 minutes, let alone a round. Brown is 9-1 7Kos following a stunning 1st round KO of the highly regarded Chikatilo he faces Fontes for a 3rd time just brimming with confidence. Fontes 9-2 8Kos beat Lebedev for a 2nd time to set up this rematch, and he will be confident of finishing what he started in the last meeting when he dropped Brown put failed to finish the job. It does look like Brown has developed his boxing since they last met, and his win over Chika was very impressive, so I’m backing Brown to win this rubber, however it could be a roller coaster of a fight and Brown may have to survive a knockdown.
Sure to be a war MMA fans!
185lb Division
Lyons vs Fybra
Two the finest 185lb fighters on the planet meet for a 3rd time to settle matters that had their origins in the 4K Amsterdam. Two former champions, and with Tyler Richards cage side to watch these two, as is Roaig, Lyons and Fybra know the victor will be challenging for the title in the near future. Lyons 10-2 has world class wrestling and some serious BJJ offense, as the current 185lb champ can testify, but he lost his title to the strking prowess of Fybra a year ago. Since then Lyons has rematched Hektor Troy a stiker who had so nearly taken his title but for a miracle last second submission in their first meeting, though in the rematch he showed signs that he can now check kicks. Fybra `14-5 7Kos is an incredible striker, fabulous kicks with a fast improving boxing game, he knows what Lyons brings, so he needs to keep the fight standing and kick the life out of Lyons. It’s a compelling clash, has Lyons improved his sriking enough to stay in the fight long enough to secure a takedown, and has Fybra got the skills to keep it standing and get Lyons out of there?
MAIN EVENT
5 ROUNDS FOR THE
WORLD LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
YOUNGBLOOD VS WINNFIELD II – REDEMPTION
Winnfield looks in terrific shape coming into this fight, and will be keen to remove any doubt about the 1st fight when he was awarded a contentious decision win to take Youngblood’s title. Even Winnfield himself and the McSweeny camp were surprised to be handed the belt. It’s not that Winnfield isn’t a great fighter, because he is. Winnfield is 11-3 9Kos, 3-1 in the INY. His boxing is world class, fast hands, a high volume puncher, great chin and dangerous KO power, he is the real deal. The problem is many pundits see Youngblood as a future pound for pound global superstar, and believed no fighter of 150k id and above on the planet could live with him in the cage. Youngblood 15-3 12 Kos is also a world class boxer, trains out of a great champ that is used to success, and has operated at the top level of the sport for many years.
The question this time is whether Youngblood does what many thought he should have done the first time, and that is sacrifice accuracy to hurt Winnfield who does cut, and wear down his opponent over the 5 rounds. This of course will allow Winnfield to land more shots himself, and in turn test Youngbloods chin.
Can Winnfield prove he is the real deal, the numero uno, the rightful champ?
Will the Melton camp step out of their comfort zone and TAKE the title back? Too many times lately they have fought for a points win and got it wrong, just ask Vladdy Van Kirkland!!
This is it Immortals fans, the home of the best 150k id fighters on the planet, the only belt that entitles you to call yourself the WORLD CHAMPION, its on, its time, its….SUPERCARD!!!
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