2013-10-26
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SPNY 122 Preview by R.George

Event Preview: SPNY 122: Sudo - Knox
Steel Penn - ICON
2013-10-19, New York, Liberty Dome
Author:The Dictator

Hello and welcome to the Liberty Dome in New York for SPNY 122.  Tonight features the Super Heavyweight Title fight between Jumo Sudo and Johnny Knox; this fight is a rematch from the days when both fighters were at the now defunct ONI fight club in Tokyo which was won by Knox with a spectacular head kick knockout in the first round.  I’m also very excited for the Heavyweight match up between Czesio Niemen and Mitch Rapp.

 

Main Event: Super Heavyweight Title

Jumo Sudo (c) 21-11 (3-1 SPNY) vs Johnny Knox 27-15 (SPNY Debut)

 

The story behind this match up goes back almost 3 years to when these two fighters met for ONI in Tokyo.  That night Knox came away with a knockout from a head kick and post fight announced his retirement.  Sudo from there continued to fight until ONI closed before finding his way to SPNY.  Since joining SPNY he has won, lost, and regained the Title, and has announced tonight will be his final fight calling out the one man he wanted a rematch against in Knox to be his opponent.

 

Sudo, whilst perfectly well rounded, almost always goes all out for a knockout win often at the expense of leaving himself open for counters.  Extreme power both standing and in his ground and pound makes him very difficult to withstand with only 2 of his 32 career fights lasting the distance.  Expect him to go all out tonight to make his farewell memorable with a big stoppage.

 

It will be interesting to see how almost 3 years of inactivity will leave Knox, whilst still coaching and sparring with his old training camp throughout his retirement, there is a big step between sparring and fighting that will require him to adapt quickly.  It is also going to be interesting to see if he is still at his peak physically.  A lot like Sudo he has had a lot of short fights ending in knockout one way or the other, but probably does not have Sudo’s skills on the ground.

 

Neither fighter has anything to hold back tonight as both will be retired by morning so expect fireworks early; this may be scheduled as a 5 rounder but I’d be shocked if it last 1.  Knox will know he has beaten Sudo before, but his inactivity will count against him, Sudo is probably an even better fighter now than he was then.  I like Sudo to retire on a high with a revenge KO in the 1st.

 

2: Light Heavyweight

Johnie Ballantine 35-20 (1-0 SPNY) vs Jarred Rose 14-6 (2-1 SPNY)

 

Veteran heavy boxer Ballantine has regained some of the form that made him so formidable in his early career having won 3 of his last 4 fights.  He also has a new manager and as far as I know is yet to finalise details with a new training camp.  Tonight he is matched up against a grappler and will be very confident of recording his 31st career KO win as long as he can keep the fight standing.

 

Rose is one of the more exciting grapplers in SPNY, and knows that he will have to take this fight to the ground to be able to beat Ballantine.  While primarily a submission expert he will have to bear in mind that Ballantine has never been submitted in 55 professional fights, and may be better off looking for a TKO stoppage from mount rather than his usual submission fighting style.

 

If Rose can get an early takedown he may well dominate the fight, but I favour the veteran Ballantine to stuff the early takedown attempts and finish the fight by KO.

 

3: Welterweight

Glenn Benton 20-11 (1-0 SPNY) vs Julio Madrigal 16-7-1 (4-1 SPNY)

 

Still fairly new to SPNY, Benton is a sprawl and brawl fighter who has a very good work rate and the ability to claim a knockout with his boxing skills.  Fighting against Madrigal who is primarily a grappler he will fancy his chances as long as he can keep his feet.  Benton will also come into this fight full of confidence on a 3 fight winning streak and will know another win here will move him up the rankings enough to be considered a contender for the Welterweight title.

 

Madrigal has the reputation as one of SPNY’s top grapplers, a former Cuban Olympic wrestler and a black belt in BJJ makes him one of the most feared opponents on the ground in any division.  Given how well he dominates on the ground, perhaps his weakness is getting a takedown to start with; this will make the stand up portion of this fight rather interesting as Benton is very good with his takedown defence.

 

Madrigal cannot win this fight if he doesn’t take it to the ground; whether or not he has the chin to weather 5 or 6 big shots looking for a takedown is going to decide the outcome of this fight.  My prediction is that Benton keeps it standing and wins by KO.

 

4: Heavyweight

Czesio Niemen 20-16 (2-1 SPNY) vs Mitch Rapp 19-15 (3-4 SPNY)

 

Two fighters with similar career records meet in this Heavyweight thriller.  Niemen is a wonderful boxer who was a legend in his native Russia before moving to SPNY.  Like several of the other fighters on tonight’s card he has a reputation for being an all or nothing fighter willing to risk being knocked out to be able to position himself to throw the knockout punch.  Very few of his career fights have seen a second round let alone gone to the judges.

 

Rapp is probably the more skilful fighter tonight being well grounded in both boxing and Muay Thai, interestingly all 18 of Rapp’s most recent wins have been by way of knockout.  In his last fight he survived the first round against SPNY champion Shane Waitzel before being knocked out in the second.  While he was a very long odds underdog in that fight we will have to wait to see if that loss affects his confidence coming into tonight’s fight.  Rapp’s ability in the clinch may give him an advantage over Niemen.

 

Rapp might be the more technically skilled fighter, but in my mind the form and experience of Niemen gives him the edge.  Niemen by KO.

 

5: Lightweight

Tarquin Fortune 4-2-1 (1-1-1 SPNY) vs Shamus McFey 11-7-1 (2-0-1 SPNY)

 

Tonight’s Lightweight match up is a rematch of the majority draw decision between these two at SPNY 114 where Fortune outperformed expectations but not only drawing the fight but also being ahead on one of the judges scorecards.  Fortune is a primarily a boxer and used his high work rate to continuously trouble and outscore McFey in their last meeting.  If he is to win tonight’s rematch he needs to keep his high work rate but avoid taking the fight to the ground again as that gave McFey an opening in the last fight.

 

McFey is said to be devastated about the result of the last fight between these two. Coming in with 5 wins from his last 6 starts against the inexperienced Fortune, the fight was meant to be a formality for McFey as he stepped one fight closer to a title challenge.  Ruing his sense of timing with a huge knockdown from a head kick on the bell at the end of the 2nd round robbed him of a chance to press for a finish, bitterly disappointed that his significant strikes and superior grappling did not win him more points on the judges’ scorecards.  If McFey is to rectify the result of the last fight he needs to be more aggressive, backing his experience and skills to win as a counter fighter left him exposed and outscored in the first fight.

 

Fortune will be riding high after that draw gave him the confidence he can match it with a bigger name opponent.  Fortune to win by decision.

 

6: Light Heavyweight

Tomasz Adamek 18-23 (4-8 SPNY) vs Nate MacRally 20-21-1 (4-3-1 SPNY)

 

Submission specialist Adamek has found life very hard in his last 4 fights as his inability to get to the ground has seen him knocked out on his feet 3 times and on his back another.  While he has had a long career with SPNY questions are now being asked about the veteran with respect to his ability to compete at this level.  MacRally also is not in the form he would like, his climb up the Light Heavyweight ladder with 3 straight wins reversed after back to back losses.  While MacRally does like to work his ground and pound from mount, expect him to keep this standing to better enforce his will over Adamek.

 

MacRally by KO.

 

7: Heavyweight

Rafal Kozak 14-6-1 (0-1-1 SPNY) vs Rex Richards 19-24-1 (0-2 SPNY)

 

Barring a draw one of these Heavyweights will leave tonight with their first SPNY win.  Kozak built a handy record before joining SPNY, but has found the step up in class too much in his two fights to date.  Well rounded with no clear specialty he looks most comfortable either boxing or working ground and pound or for submission from the top position on the ground.  His opponent tonight is journeyman Richards, who is a very good grappler but may struggle to land a takedown against Kozak.

 

Tonight I expect Kozak to claim a win by KO.

 

8: Super Heavyweight

Bob Fapp 1-0 (SPNY Debut) vs Sun Gohan 0-1 (0-1 SPNY)

 

Fapp has been signed to a 1 fight deal because an appropriate opponent could not be found for the final of Gohan’s 2 fight contract.  Zimbabwe born wrestler Fapp won his professional debut with a 1st round submission, and will be looking to fight this entirely on the ground if he has the chance.  Gohan is a sprawl and brawl fighter so will be hoping to keep it on its feet.

 

Make the most of your last chance to see these two here, but I think Fapp will get the fight to ground and win by submission.

 

9: Featherweight

Devon Dixon 1-0 (SPNY Debut) vs Vlad Kulakov 2-1 (1-1 SPNY)

 

Debutant Dixon managed a TKO win in his professional debut despite having little grounding in martial arts.  The quality of his opponent may have more to do with his seemingly easy win than the skills he actually possesses.  Tonight will be the last time we see Kulakov as he has chosen not to sign his contract extension in the search of bigger ponds to fish.  He will be looking to sign off with a win to impress his potential new employers, while I feel he is probably the more skilful fighter on the feet, he has looked vulnerable on the ground, and in his first fight Dixon showed good takedown instincts.

 

Watch for Dixon to get the takedown and dominate Kulakov, Dixon by KO.

 

10: Featherweight

Moe Biscapoe (Professional Debut) vs Nicky Pesci (Professional Debut)

 

Two debutants, both grapplers, both 18.  Biscapoe is a good jujitsu guy and has decent wrestling, Pesci is more a pure wrestler.  This fight is going to be determined by who can hold the top position, and I suspect that Pesci will have the better control.  Biscapoe will have to make the most of whatever opportunities arise, but I don’t see him having the ability to finish Pesci.



Pesci by decision.

 

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