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 In recent weeks SPNY has had a major shake up with the top 2 pound for pound ranked fighters in Atomi and Waitzel dethroned. Tonight the shake up theme continues as the main event here in the Liberty Dome will mark the farewell to SPNY’s Super Heavyweight division when Po Panda looks to sign out with a win over Pops Cama. The one to watch on the undercard in my opinion will be when leading Lightweight contender Paulo Moreno takes on Doctor Rockzo. As always if a bet is your thing head on over to Steel Penn NY Bookmakers where you will find odds for every fight.
Main Event: Super Heavyweight
Po Panda 21-6 (8-4 SPNY) vs Pops Cama 10-4 (9-2 SPNY)
Many SPNY fans will be sad to see Panda move on, while he has never been the most technical of fighters and is certainly one of the most predictable his all out offensive attitude looking to take an opponent down and strike his way to a knockout victory with no regard to his own well being has see him collect one of the biggest fan followings in any division. If he gets a takedown at all Cama will be in real trouble, but the fight could go horribly wrong for Panda if he is kept on his feet.
Whether this will be Cama’s last fight in SPNY is yet to be seen as he is small enough to easily make weight as a Heavyweight. Cama is a very good boxer who excels in the clinch; if Panda fails a takedown attempt and Cama can counter into a clinch it may be lights out for Panda. Cama has finished 9 of his 10 wins with a knockout and will be looking to do the same tonight.
This fight won’t last the distance; both these fighters will go all out for the knockout win. Apparently Cama is considered the longest odds outsider to win a fight on tonight’s card, I disagree; I think he can tie Panda up in a clinch early and do some real damage. Cama by KO.
2: Light Heavyweight
Joey Rodinerio Bravo 20-14-1 (1-2 SPNY) vs Bobby Tupperill 22-20 (2-0 SPNY)
This should be an intriguing match up as two of the least rounded submission grapplers in SPNY go head to head. Bravo has finished 17 of his 20 wins with submissions with the others all coming by decision. Bravo is probably least likely to fight for the top position given he has no real ground & pound game and will happily work for submissions from his back.
Tupperill has the rare distinction that all 22 of his career wins have been submission vicorties, the last one giving him more submission wins than any other fighter based in New York. Slightly less predictable on the ground than Bravo in that he will throw the occasional strike to soften his opponent up for a submission attempt but will happily work from top or bottom to find a submission.
This is an interesting match, both fighters generally allow opponents to take them down in order to find a submission opportunity so it won’t even be an easy fight to pick who will be on top. I’m inclined to say Tupperill by submission, but again I’m going against the favourite.
3: Light Heavyweight
Austin Anderson 9-5 (3-2 SPNY) vs Richie McCaw 15-11 (4-1 SPNY)
Anderson is somewhat of an enigma to me; he has extremely good boxing technique and a magnificent history in wrestling but somehow has failed to use this combination to become a dominant force in MMA. Part of this is probably due to his lack of natural knockout power, but I also wonder how much of it is due to poor tactics. I believe he has the activity to earn a decision win tonight if McCaw can’t finish it, but I don’t see him having the ability to finish a fighter with the experience of McCaw. McCaw is a very good grappler with some of the best ground & pound in SPNY; should he get the top position tonight he will be able to inflict a lot of damage but probably lacks the skills on his feet to win this fight.
The tactical question for Anderson: try to keep the fight standing and assert his boxing advantage, or take McCaw down to try to avoid ending up on his back? Anderson may have the better skill set, but I feel that McCaw can back himself and his tactics better to win. McCaw by knockout.
4: Lightweight
Doctor Rockzo 18-16 (8-7 SPNY) vs Paulo Moreno 12-1 (9-0 SPNY)
Rockzo the submission grappler meets Moreno the Muay Thai clinch specialist. This fight has a win for Moreno written all over it; throughout his career he has been almost impossible to take down and once he forces his way into a clinch his knees and elbows are about as accurate as any I’ve ever seen. My one criticism of Moreno is that he lands so many strikes but lacks true knockout power. If Rockzo can take the fight to ground he may well be able to submit Moreno, but won’t stand a chance if the fight stays on its feet.
Moreno by decision.
5: Welterweight
Glenn Benton 20-12 (1-1 SPNY) vs Nawal Chekhemani 17-14 (10-8 SPNY)
Benton began life as a boxer and has worked very hard to develop into a sound sprawl and brawl technician, tonight he faces submission grappler Chekhemani. Benton will be primed to look for a 15th career knockout tonight buoyed by the knowledge that Chekhemani is not known for his striking defence. Chekhemani on the other hand will be looking for his 10th career submission win knowing that his black belt should give him a huge advantage on the ground compared to Benton’s purple.
Benton by KO is written all over this one.
6: Bantamweight
Jonathan Brookins 10-5 (1-0 SPNY) vs Andrey Tutov 8-5 (2-0 SPNY)
Brookins is an amazing grappler whose dominance on the ground has not translated into finishing fights. Solid boxing on his feet matched with near perfect takedown technique make Brookins a legitimate threat to win any fight but he has been submitted twice and lost several decisions. Before he can truly be a contender he needs to learn to either knock opponents out or to work on his submission techniques. Tutov will be hoping to keep this fight standing to box his way to victory, 4 consecutive wins coming into this mean he is full of confidence and does look more likely than Brookins to find a stoppage.
Brookins on the ground should be too good for Tutov, but I think it will be a very close decision.
7: Middleweight
Nick Folingus 11-9 (2-2 SPNY) vs Teppo Mansikka 24-14 (0-1 SPNY)
Folingus is yet another submission grappler on tonight’s card, whilst he does have some kick boxing ability as well he lacks the all round game to dominate fights he can’t finish and is just 2-5 in fights over the distance. His opponent tonight is veteran Finnish boxer Mansikka who in his prime was world renowned for his 5 round wars in Amsterdam’s now defunct Sauna Fights. I’m not convinced Mansikka has the ability to match Folingus on the ground, so this may well come down to whether or not Folingus is able to find a takedown.
I’d put my money on Folingus to win by submission.
8: Middleweight
Evangelista Nunes 14-12-1 (7-9-1 SPNY) vs Klas Ondahl 16-13-2 (0-1 SPNY)
Nunes is a veteran who fought on SPNY’s first ever card who is best known for his kick boxing skills. Nunes has struggled at times throughout his career with 9 knockouts amongst his 12 career losses. Having only won 1 of his last 6 fights it appears his best may be past him. Ondahl is a grappler who lacks defensive abilities on his feet, if he takes Nunes down he will have a very good chance to finish this by either KO or submission, but his lack of defensive abilities may leave him exposed on his feet early.
Nunes by KO.
9: Featherweight
Mingo Deems 2-2 (2-2 SPNY) vs Jerson Pelaez (Professional Debut)
Deems has improved a lot since I first saw him, and while I don’t know if he will be an all time great if he continues to develop we may well see him have a long and successful career. Boxing is his main strength but he has the ability to grind it out in whatever position he finds himself in. Pelaez is a jujitsu brown belt who is looking to make an impact on MMA, given that he has no back ground in striking or wrestling he may be exposed and outmatched in some positions, but at the level he is currently fighting he is unlikely to met anyone with better submission skills than him.
Pelaez is an unknown quantity, if he takes Deems down I would assume he has the ability to submit him easily, but I don’t know if he will be capable of withstanding a few powerful punches from Deems. I’m going to say Deems by KO backing his experience to get him home.
10: Featherweight
Dean Hall 3-3 (2-2 SPNY) vs Jack Walian 2-0 (SPNY Debut)
Hall is a very good wrestler but is not yet a true mixed martial artist; Walian also is primarily a wrestler but has a purple belt in BJJ and is slowly learning some striking abilities. Hall will have a good chance of dominating if he gets the top position but Walian has 2 submission wins in his MMA career as well as 2 wins at the TWGC junior division so being on the bottom won’t worry him too much. From what I saw of training camps Hall is in very poor condition coming into this fight and Walian looks sharp.
Walian by submission.
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