2014-07-07
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Fortitude FC presents FFC 7: Wolf vs Flagg

Event Review: FFC 7: Wolf vs Flagg
FORTITUDE FC (200K+)
2014-06-21, Rio de Janeiro, Hard Knocks - Rio
Attendance:3,000, Event Rating:153
Author:

Fortitude FC presents FFC 7: Wolf vs Flagg

(Main Event)

(Heavyweight Division) Valentin Ralek (7-0) versus Xavier Barbossa (6-1)

This was a fight that primarily took place in the clinch. Valentin Ralek is a fighter that historically loves to stand and trade punches with opponents and has made a name for himself as a power puncher. Since he signed with Fortitude FC, we have seen Ralek take on back-to-back power punchers that utilize technical boxing to stop opponents. In both cases, the evolution of Valentin Ralek from brawler to well rounded striker has been on display.

Round 1 – Valentin Ralek immediately forced Barbossa to clinch with him and went to work with his elbows. Barbossa, being a man that doesn't have much expertise inside the clinch, was relegated to trying fruitlessly to wiggle free from the spider's web. Meanwhile, Ralek was tagging him with shot after shot. By the end of the round, Barbossa's face was a horrid, bloody mess thanks in no small part to the aforementioned elbows of Ralek. Barbossa needs to stay AWAY from Ralek in this second round and land some punches. Maybe get a bandaid.

Round 2 – Immediately Valentin Ralek started trying to clinch, almost desperately, with Barbossa. Xavier Barbossa was already breathing with his mouth open by the time Ralek got the clinch around the one minute mark. Immediately, Valentin Ralek started to pepper Barbossa with his patented elbow attack. That cut opened up further and the ringside doctor stopped the fight. Valentin Ralek def. Xavier Barbossa via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 1:56 of round 2.

Now, this was the first time that Barbossa had been thwarted on his feet. He has still never been dropped and has never lost consciousness but this new wrinkle in the game of Ralek makes him a nightmare match-up for strikers to face.

(Co-Main Event)

(Middleweight Division, Championship bout) Grey Wolf (12-4) versus Randall Flagg (5-3)

In a bout very similar to the main event heavyweight tilt, we saw the slugger Grey Wolf doing what he does best... charging forward with his head down, swinging heavy leather. Except in this instance, he was fighting an opponent that has great striking defense and even greater clinch control. Wolf simply couldn't get a clean shot in for the duration of this fight and he exhausted himself trying.

Round 1 – Grey Wolf came out the only way that he knows how to fight: Aggressive, looking for the finish, winging punches with each step. Flagg wanted none of it... he made sure to keep Wolf pressed up against the cage, landing shots when he felt that he had Wolf in a secure position.

Round 2 – More of the same from Flagg. The Dark Man is doing his best Randy Couture impression, keeping Wolf pressed against the cage eating strikes. Back at a range the two start throwing strikes. Wolf started swinging wildly, throwing caution to the wind, hoping to score a power KO. Flagg was the one landing crisp shots though; one of which rocked Wolf. This did nothing to deter Grey Wolf as he kept chasing Flagg on rubbery legs.

Round 3 – Back in the clinch, Grey Wolf goes for an uncharacteristic takedown attempt to get away from the control of Flagg. Randall Flagg stuffs it and the two started trading shots again. Grey Wolf was just throwing wild combinations and single shots, overhand rights, and uppercuts. Anything he could throw to just hit the sumbitch. Flagg pushed Wolf against the cage an dropped him with a monster uppercut. This time, Flagg didn't let Wolf off the hook: he picked up the pressure and kept hitting Wolf until the referee stepped in. Randall Flagg def. Grey Wolf via TKO (Strikes) at 4:08 of round 3 to become the new middleweight champion of the world!

As frustrating as this is for a pure boxer to have to face an opponent that won't stand and trade punches, Randall Flagg aka “The Dark Man” did very well showing that he has more tools in his belt than just standing and trade power shots. And we all know that Grey Wolf is the last guy you want standing in front of you throwing haymakers.

(Main Card, Top Fight)

(Light-heavyweight Division, Championship bout) Gerald Garcia (2-2) versus Juan Mott (6-1)

This fight was between two well rounded fighters. In Gerald Garcia you have a guy with outstanding stand-up skills that specializes in his wrestling. Everything comes second to his wrestling. However, he was out worked by the clinch fighting skills of Juan Mott.

Round 1 – Garcia did a nice job avoiding the ranged strikes of Juan Mott early on, despite receiving a small cut early on. Mott managed to push Garcia against the cage and the two warriors went blow-for-blow from that position until the buzzer sounded. Still, Garcia seemed to land a bigger volume of shots.

Round 2 – Mott seems to be the aggressor here; he pushed forward with strikes and managed to counter some as well. The cut of Garcia got tagged a couple of times which made the blood really start to flow. Mott seemed to pick up the pace in the clinch here in the second.

Round 3 – Mott gets the clinch early and a beautiful battle for position enveloped the entirety of the round with the two trading knees and punches here.

Round 4 – That cut on the face of Garcia is becoming troublesome. The two are trading shots and Garcia responds to his worsening cut by going for a takedown which lands him into the guard of Mott. Mott is looking for submissions from the bottom but no dice; Garcia finishes out the round on top.

Round 5 – Both fighters were doing a great job of avoiding strikes early in this round. Mott countered a missed shot and clinched with Garcia. Mott was chipping away in the clinch while Garcia mostly wanted to do a little wall-n-stall there. By the end of it, both dudes were exhausted and looking to stall out the remainder of the fight. Juan Mott def. Gerald Garcia via Unanimous Decision (50-46, 50-46, 50-46) to become the new light-heavyweight champion of the world!

The two fought relatively even throughout the fight. Garcia never really had the chance to utilize his excellent ground game. He tried for five takedowns and only scored with one of them. On the ground, Mott was more than capable of shutting Garcia's game down despite only holding a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu.

On the feet, Juan Mott took over this fight. You have to give a ton of credit to Gerald Garcia, though, because that dude has an unquestionable chin on him. Mott hits hard but he couldn't put Garcia down with his best shots.

(Undercard)

(Light-heavyweight Division) Ryoto Machida def. Kyle Babcock via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

(Heavyweight Division) Daemon Targaryen def. Bork Laser via KO (Punch) at 0:17 of round 1.

(Light-heavyweight Division) Steve Orvel def. Henrique Tavares via Submission (Kimura) at 1:20 of round 1.

(Welterweight Division) Zesbis Silva def. Vrando Vraganza via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:56 of round 3.

(Light-heavyweight Division) Banjo Sanjo def. Steven Davies via Submission (Kneebar) at 0:30 of round 1.

(Super-heavyweight Division) Monkey Business def. Rodolfo Vieira via Submission (Kimura) at 3:50 of round 2.

(Middleweight Division) Luca Rinaldi def. God Nope via Submission (Americana) at 2:55 of round 1.

 

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