2013-06-01
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Alien Invasion 8 preview

Event Preview: Alien Invasion 8
What used to be Feral Combat
2013-05-25, St Petersburg, Hard Knocks - St Petersburg
Author:Will Dickinson

Hello all,

Big new this week is we finally have a writer!

those of you who've been with us a while may have noticed that when we first started out I was doing previews for many events- but as we moved up to weekly events I started looking for someone to help out with writing and the previews kind of become the first thing to suffer when real life gets busy. Iv been having talks about this with Ernie behind the scenes for a week or two and this week seemed the best time for both of us for him to start. Thus far he seems to be doing a really good job, so lets all welcome him, and with that said over to Ernie...

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 Writing to you on behalf of Feral Combat is Ernie White, and I am very excited to be previewing an amazing card for you, as Alien Invasion 8 is this Saturday. It’s a double header, with both the middleweight and heavyweight titles on the line. That being said, let’s take a closer look into the action. 





The main card kicks off with a heavyweight tilt, as recent title challenger Sune Mangs (5-5 MMA, 2-3 FC) re-matches longtime veteran Fred Burton (26-31-1 MMA, 2-4 FC). The two men put on an entertaining fight for the fans when they first fought for Feral Combat, and it was Burton who walked away with a second round “Knockout Of The Night” victory. Mangs may have swayed the judges in the first round with his relentless aggression, but it was Burton’s crisp counters that wore his opponent down and earned him the win. I expect for this fight to look like much of the same, but Mangs would be well suited to approach this fight in a completely different manner if he wants to take home the win this time.



Prediction: Burton by (T)KO, round 2.





Middleweights Ultimate Damage (5-5 MMA, 2-0 FC) and Tommy Thompson (5-3 MMA, 4-2 FC) have been putting together momentum in the lower ranks of the division, but one of these men could take a step closer into title contention with a good showing. Fans should be excited about this one, because in 18 combined fights, these men only have two fights that have gone the distance. Both men have a finish or be finished mentality, and that always leads to a great fight. Damage has used his well-rounded skills to win four straight, scoring two submissions, a knockout, and a lopsided decision win. Meanwhile, Thompson is riding high on the heels of two impressive first round KOs. Expect Thompson to look to get his hands on his opponent early while using wrestling in reverse to keep the fight where he is most comfortable. Damage will try to mix up strikes with takedowns in order to use his superior ground game to win the fight.



Prediction: Damage by submission, round 3.







Up next, we have a very pivotal middleweight bout between Craig Shilo (5-1 MMA, 5-0 FC) and Gideon Abieezer (13-6 MMA, 2-2 FC). After losing his professional debut by third round TKO, Shilo signed with Feral Combat. Since then he has been on a tear, with none of his opponents escaping the second round. However, the powerful striker meets his toughest test to date against a BJJ black belt in Abieezer. Spending most of his career at welterweight, Abieezer decided to move up to middleweight when he debuted for Feral Combat. He is now coming off of his first ever knockout victory, but he would be ill advised to try to do the same against Shilo. Although he is a talented boxer in his own right, Shilo is just too good of a striker to stray away from his primary skill set. He must get this to the ground if he wants to win. Shilo has never been taken down, and he’ll want it to stay that way Saturday night. He needs to keep Abieezer at bay with his jab while trying to set up a knockout blow.



Prediction: Shilo by (T)KO, round 2.







Our co-main event is a thriller, as the two best heavyweights in Feral Combat square off for the title. Gary Goodridge (13-4 MMA, 3-1 FC) defends his title for the third time against Zell Griever ((6-0 MMA, 4-0 FC). Goodridge had a reputation as a submission artist when he debuted in Feral Combat, but after dropping a title fight in his first bout, he has been a knockout machine, TKOing his next three opponents, winning the title and successfully defending it twice in the process. However, the best plan of attack in this bout would be to return to his grappling roots, as Griever has a sizeable edge in the striking department. The massive heavyweight has only been out of the first round once, and it did not bode well for his opponent. Griever boasts wrestling chops just as high level as his boxing, but he prefers to use it in reverse so that he can knock people out on the feet. Neither man will likely be blown out of the water in any area of the fight, but Goodridge has a clear edge on the ground, and Griever is the more capable striker. Whoever can implement their will on their opponent will take this fight home.



Prediction: Griever by (T)KO, round 4.







Finally, our main event, and it features the pound for pound best fighter Feral Combat has to offer, knockout artist Thomas Fu (15-4 MMA, 5-0 FC) meets the toughest test of his title reign against undefeated young challenger, Hironobu Uematsu (4-0 MMA, 4-0 FC). This fight could see the rise of a new champion, as Uematsu has looked nothing short of incredible in his young career so far. Knocking out all four of his opponents within the distance, this devastating striker is also an exceptional wrestler and boasts a purple belt in jiu-jitsu. This ground game could be the deciding factor against the champ, who only has a white belt in jiu-jitsu. Although the champ is coming up against a more technical and well-rounded opponent, one thing we know he has is ridiculous power, ending all 15 of his professional victories by way of stoppage due to strikes. Fu incorporates a lot more kicks into his striking attack than his adversary, and that could be his key to winning this fight. If he can manage to chop the legs of Uematsu early, he can take away his power and slow him down.



Prediction: Uematsu via (T)KO, round 3.



Also on the card:



(155 lbs.) Winke Tygesen vs. Hassan Willidirim



(185 lbs.) Renato Gracie vs. Titus Titan



(155 lbs.) Jack Clayton vs. Cory Trevor



(155 lbs.) Timmeh Larson vs. Mark Mayhem



(185 lbs.) Miguel Oliveira vs. Oleksandr Yechev

 

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