2014-02-08
Price: Free
Edition: #
Previous Issues
Submit Article
Tycoon Times - MMA Magazine
Tycoon Times - The World's Premier Weekly Mixed Martial Arts Newspaper
Corner

SPNY 152: Atomi vs Cross Preview by R. George

Event Preview: SPNY 152: Atomi - Cross
Steel Penn - ICON
2014-02-01, New York, Liberty Dome
Author:


Good evening and welcome to the Liberty Dome here in New York City for tonight’s MMA rules card featuring the battle for the SPNY Welterweight title between the champion and leading pound for pound fighter Tomi Atomi and the challenger Conan Cross.  Tonight will also feature a clash between the in-form Troy McLure against Pops Cama, the only two remaining contracted Super Heavyweights in SPNY.  If you love to see the big boys fight this might be your last chance for quite some time.  As always Steel Penn NY Bookmakers have odds on all 10 fights if you fancy a flutter.

 


Main Event: Welterweight Title


 


Tomi Atomi (c) 25-6-1 (10-1-1 SPNY) vs Conan Cross 14-6-1 (2-0 SPNY)


 


This fight in my opinion could be one of the most exciting held by SPNY in recent months.  Atomi is looking to rebuild another long winning streak having lost and regained his title from Julio Madrigal, and re-establish himself as the pound for pound king in SPNY.  Cross is still fairly new to SPNY and is a far more talented fighter than a 14-6-1 record suggests, naturally a Featherweight he chooses to fight at Welterweight as it is a more prestigious division.


 


We all know Atomi is better on the ground than he is on his feet so expect him to try to grapple all 5 rounds, if he can he will work for a submission finish but in 21 fights to date nobody has been able to submit Cross.  Atomi’s ability to control the position on the ground should be enhanced by his size advantage; Atomi walks around 18lbs heavier than Cross, and Cross will have a difficult time bucking off the bigger man.  Atomi will have to remain very careful given that Cross has a very good wrestling pedigree himself and a submission win from his back, but grappling will be the key to Atomi defending his title.


 


Cross is a wonderfully talented fighter whose inability to finish fights consistently has cost him a chance to be much more highly regarded than he currently is.  In terms of skill in the stand up aspects of this fight he is easily ahead of Atomi, the issue he will face is overcoming a 7 inch reach disadvantage to utilise that talent.  Cross will probably also shade the skills in the clinch tonight, but in my opinion that will only be a chance for him to score points when I really feel he needs to finish this fight to win it.


 


Given that Atomi is a small Welterweight it is a surprise to me to be declaring the key to this fight is his huge size advantage; Atomi by decision after 5 tough rounds.


 


2: Light Heavyweight


 


Oscar Salcedo 26-18 (8-6 SPNY) vs Joey Rodinerio Bravo 23-14-1 (4-2 SPNY)


 


I thought when Salcedo dropped to Light Heavyweight we would see him dominate after so long fighting as an undersized Heavyweight, the results show that he has actually found fighting in the lighter division harder than he found the bigger boys.  Amazingly his recent win over Anderson at SPNY 146 was his first fight to go the distance in his last 21 outings, and it is his dedication to fight with an all or nothing attitude that has endeared him to the fans.  Salcedo is a big puncher going up against a slightly predictable submission grappler tonight, if he can stuff the early takedown attempts watch for him to load up and focus on putting away Bravo with a single shot than trying to draw out the fight and risk ending up on his back.


 


The veteran Bravo will know how important an early takedown is in this fight because this fight will be a mismatch if it stays standing.  If Bravo can control the area tonight he will have a very good chance of a 21st career submission win, but in the past he has struggled to stand toe to toe with heavy strikers and may well be looking down the barrel of a 12th career KO loss.


 


A 4th straight win would see Bravo in a good position to demand a title shot against the winner of the upcoming Krutcher vs Ballantine fight, but I think Salcedo will make a mess of those plans with a KO win tonight.


 


3: Super Heavyweight


 


Pops Cama 11-5 (9-3 SPNY) vs Troy McLure 16-5 (13-3 SPNY)


 


The Super Heavyweight division was set to close months ago but in-form crowd favourite McLure wanted to see out his contract so Pops Cama is back for this one.  These are two of the most predictable and devastating strikers in SPNY with neither fighter throwing a lot of strikes, but both finishing fights very quickly if they land something flush.  Only 2 of Cama’s 16 career fights have lasted the distance, while only 4 of McLure’s 21 fights have ever heard the bell to signal the end of a first round.  Expect fireworks and a big knockout.


 


Either fighter could finish this quickly, but I like McLure’s 8 inch reach advantage to see him land the first flush punch; McLure by KO.


 


4: Welterweight


 


Phan Tran Le 16-7 (6-3 SPNY) vs Yusuke Urameshi 13-7 (3-0 SPNY)


 


Le was hoping a win over the in form Urameshi tonight would put him straight back in line for a second shot at the winner of tonight’s main event.  I suspect new arrival Alan Bundy has earned the right to challenge tonight’s winner but whoever wins this fight will embed himself into the No. 2 contender spot.  This is a match up between a Muay Thai kick boxer in Le who fights almost exclusively in the clinch, and a more American styled kick boxer in Urameshi who prefers to strike and kick from distance.  A 4 inch reach advantage suggests Urameshi will have the better of this especially with his power advantage, but if Le can tie him up in the clinch he may well be able to control and frustrate Urameshi.


 


Urameshi is in good form but I see Le bouncing back and controlling this for a decision win.


 


5: Heavyweight


 


Madz Ladz 8-4 (6-4 SPNY­) vs Melvin Cronkite 14-5 (5-2 SPNY)


 


In what is an unusual match up between a ground & pound wrestler, Madz, and a submission grappler, Cronkite, I don’t recall ever seeing either fighter throw more than one or two punches in a single fight.  In what I see as a bad sign for Ladz, Cronkite for me has the better takedowns and is more effective at advancing his position suggesting he will control this fight, the most powerful ground & pound in the world won’t be much good from his back.


 


Cronkite to win, but I have my doubts he will be able to finish it.


 


6: Light Heavyweight


 


Haloti Gnata 18-8 (15-8 SPNY) vs Antero Rokka 11-6 (2-1 SPNY)


 


This one promises to be a stand up battle with Gnata’s boxing matched against Rokka’s kick boxing.  Both fighters are equipped with decent power and solid chins so accuracy and fitness may play a significant role in the outcome.  To me the work rate of Rokka combined with his slightly better clinchwork should be enough.


 


Rokka by decision.


 


7: Welterweight


 


Surangel Oiterong 12-5 (11-2 SPNY) vs Adam Rabago 11-5 (4-3 SPNY)


 


Oiterong returned to SPNY with a solid decision over Karorjnov at SPNY 145 and would like to build on that against Rabago tonight.  Tonight Oiterong will have a difficult time with his boxing abilities being based more in his ability to land more punches than his opponent and grind towards a win while Rabago has a lot more power and a more dominant clinch game.  The one thing that I think will help Oiterong is his 7 inch reach advantage, but if Rabago can manage to get inside and clinch this up we could be in for a very short night.


 


I expect Oiterong to claim a decision here but Rabago has slightly more than a punchers chance.


 


8: Middleweight


 


Bon Joy 21-9-1 (2-2-1 SPNY) vs Oisin O’Conghaile 16-10 (SPNY Debut)


 


Joy is a genuine Muay Thai boxer with a solid record who it must be said has been a little disappointing since arriving at SPNY.  O’Conghaile is more of a Tae Kwon Do fighter who is extremely predictable throwing more head kicks per fight than any other fighter I recall watching; what’s disconcerting for those who come up against him is that in his 26 fight career he has recorded no fewer than 10 knockouts from a single head kick landing.  Joy needs to do something here to prove he is worth the wraps he came under because he is drifting towards the bottom of the division.  I’m willing to go out on a limb and say O’Conghaile is a better fighter than the 4 fight losing streak he currently holds suggests, but whether or not he can steady his form tonight is a big question mark.


 


I know exactly what he is going to do, and I expect him to do it again, O’Conghaile by KO.


 


9: Welterweight


 


Ogami Itto 16-11 (1-3 SPNY) vs Toby Jay Wadenah 20-9-3 (2-2-1 SPNY)


 


Itto is 1-6 from his last 7 starts and I don’t see any great improvement happening, Wadenah has been inconsistent and his inability to finish fights makes him unpopular with the fans.  Tonight I see this as a confidence battle, who has the will power and mental strength to shake off their recent trouble and enter the fight to win; to me that is Wadenah so expect this to last the distance.


 


Wadenah by decision.


 


10: Featherweight


 


Anthony Demarco 1-0 (1-0 SPNY) vs William Harrison 2-3 (1-3 SPNY)


 


Demarco may have won his first fight but he failed to dominate with his win based more on his opponent’s shortcomings than his own strengths.  Tonight he will need to improve a lot to beat the slightly more experienced Harrison.  Harrison has been far too reliant on the Muay Thai clinch that he has looked exposed defensively when striking at range, and has been truly horrendous if taken down.  Demarco should have the ability to take Harrison down if he can’t tie this one up where Harrison will struggle badly, but Demarco has to be more active and look to do damage rather than lay and pray this week.


 


Demarco should win this by decision, but my prediction is based on a lot of faith that he will fight better than he did on debut.


 

Article views: 196
» Donate to this author

Editorial Staff
Tycoon Times Discussion
Tycoon Times - MMA Magazine MMA Tycoon
MMA Chat Room
MMA Forum