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HIGHLAND GAMES 51 PREVIEW
By Shtaaf Reimish
MMA Tycoon fans from around the world, Highland Games comes to you live this Friday from Hayashi's Lounge - The Island, its Highland Games 51! There is ten big fights on the docket for the evening including a Bantamweight title fight between current champ Serge Ibaka and the challenger, Renato Laranja! Shtaaf Reimish here to break down all the action for you and provide some betting advice for each fight, so let's get to the card!
Dikembe "Mount" Mutombo (3-1-0) vs Marius "Tec" Wieneke (3-2-0) Heavyweight
We kick off the night in the heavyweight division with a fight between two guys who have recently faced their first set-backs, its Dikembe "Mount" Mutombo vs Marius "Tec" Wieneke! Mutombo won his first three fights in Highland Games before dropping his last bout at Highland Games 45 versus Magnus Cross by TKO. The Congo native has displayed his solid striking abilities so far in his MMA career, but has yet to have seen the fruit from his much improved ground game. Wieneke lives and dies on the ground. The German teenager has yet to see a fight go longer than 2 minutes, all of them ending via submission. He also won his first three fights in Highland Games before dropping his last two, the later at Highland Games 44 versus Steven Dame. I expect Weineke to bring this fight to the mat as often as possible, and we'll see if Mutombo can match him there or end it before it reaches the ground. Mutombo by TKO.
Steven Dame (6-3-0) vs Shy Boy (2-3-0) Heavyweight
Another heavyweight bout to continue Highland Games 51 as Steven Dame and Shy Boy look to build off their respective recent victories. Dame has had an up and down run as a pro but hoped the road made head upwards after a Kimura Submission ended Marius Wieneke at Highland Games 44 which earned him Submission of the Night. The Brazilian has a solid game but his downfall thus far in his career has been standing, so we'll see dame can overcome these shortcomings again. Boy is a former pro boxer who is still looking to round out the rest of his MMA repertoire. The Western Sahara native last fought Theras Staal at Highland Games 44 where he lasted the fight and won via decision when the scorecards were read. Should be an interesting standup vs ground matchup. Boy by KO.
Valentin Shovkovskyj (5-3-1) vs Piotr "Wyspa" Wyspianski (5-2-0) Middleweight
We take a trip to eastern Europe with our next middleweight fight as Ukraine's Valentin Shovkovskyj takes on Poland's Piotr "Wyspa" Wyspianski for an entrance into the rankings. Shovkovskyj enters this fight after losing his last appearance by unanimous decision to Jack Sock at Highland Games 43. The 21-year-old has a brown belt in Brazilian Jui-Jitsu so look for him to take the fight to the mat as often as possible. Wyspianski also lost his last fight way back in December to current middleweight title holder Razor MuayThai via TKO. He will look to rebound back into the win column utilizing his strong wrestling and Muay Thai abilities. With two hungry fighters, this should be an awesome fight! Shovkovskyj by submission.
Dave "Laddington Bear" Ysengrin (2-0-0) vs Ali Mouba (4-3-0) Heavyweight
Back to the big boys as Dave "Laddington Bear" Ysengrin puts his undefeated record on the line versus wrestling sensation Ali Mouba in a heavyweight tilt! Ysengrin has been a hit thus far in his pro career, knocking out his first two opponents in Highland Games, both in the first round. The Englishman will look to utilize his Muay Thai and wrestling background in a match that screams an early knockout! Mouba is a wrestling phenomena that has reached a rough patch in his career recently. He began his pro MMA career with four straight wins, but has lost his last three bouts. The Senegal native is as hungry as ever to get back in the win column Friday with a victory! Should be an entertaining bout! Might regret it, but I've got Ysengrin keeping the streak alive with a TKO.
Hanjong "Fudada" McVetrol (4-4-0) vs Hughtavious Mingo (4-2-0) Light Heavyweight
The last fight of the prelims brings us to the light heavyweight division as Hanjong "Fudada" McVetrol and Hughtavious Mingo look to rebound from recent losses. McVetrol last fought at highland Games 43 where he lost by unanimous decision to Dieter Von Sprockets in a tough evening for the Antigua and Barbuda native. He'll look to bounce back using his amazing boxing prowess in the octagon this Friday. Mingo had a three fight win streak going before Eduard Massa Alcantara ended it with a TKO at Highland Games 44. The West Monroe native can box with the best of them, which combined with his wrestling abilities, may give him the edge versus McVetrol. Mingo via TKO.
#12 Richard Riddick (8-3-0) vs #4 Pedro "Pirate" Lazaro (7-2-0) Heavyweight
To begin the main card at Hayashi's Lounge - The Island, Highland Games presents a bout between two former #1 challengers in the heavyweight division, its Richard Riddick vs Pedro "Pirate" Lazaro! Riddick, the popular former AFL heavyweight champ, came to Highland Games full of hype and got a title crack in his second fight with the organization, which he lost via KO to current champ Barney Gamble. He followed that up with another KO loss, this time to Thor Heyerdahl at Highland Games 45 which saw his ranking drop dramatically. The Iceland native will look to right the ship here and get back to top contender status he formerly had. Lazaro was Gamble's second last victim where a late second round barrage from Gamble saw an end Lazaro's night. The Panama native lasted longer than anyone else has against Gamble, and will look for another shot at the champ with a win Friday. This fight has tons on the line, and should be everything it's hyped up to be. I've got Lazaro earning another shot at Gamble via TKO.
#2 Mamad "The Real King" Mouba (5-1-0) vs #5 JJ Lycka (7-2-0) Lightweight
The seventh fight of the night comes to us in the lightweight division as #2 Mamad "The Real King" Mouba and #5 JJ Lycka enter the octagon of Highland Games for the first time! Mouba, the current WCC lightweight title holder, makes his HG debut here at Highland Games 50, and will be looking for a title shot with a win here. The well-rounded Senegal native hasn't lost since a unanimous decision upset at the hands of Derrick Jon in the QFC back in November. Lycka, the former AFL lightweight champ, is an absolute beast when the fight hits the mat. The Brazilian's brown BJJ belt and wrestling background have ended more than one opponent's night before the final bell and he'll look to do the same against his hyped opponent Friday. I'll take Mouba via TKO.
#2 Grant Morrison (10-3-0) vs #5 Wirbel Schwein (7-3-0) Middleweight
Next up on the card is a huge middleweight bout between two guys that have caught fire recently and are hungry for a title shot, its Grant Morrison vs Wirbel Schwein! Morrison is a veteran of six Highland Games fights and has fought one title fight back in November, a second round TKO loss at the hands of Massimo Benvenuti. He also lost his next fight but has rebounded by winning his last three to put him right back near the top of the Middleweight picture. The 26-year-old Scotsman has a wide repertoire of skills that he utilizes to combat anything his opponent may throw at him. Schwein enters this fight on a five fight win streak including three in the Highland Games, the last of which came at Highland Games 46 where he KO'd Saladin Hussain with a huge head kick. The Belgium native has amazing Muay Thai skills that have won him most of his fights to date, but we'll have to see if that's enough to counter Morrison's power. Morrison via KO.
#1 Nelson "Big Daddy V" Frazier Jr. (7-2-0) vs #3 Mib Louie (8-2-0) Heavyweight
In the co-main event of Highland Games 51, we present a heavyweight fight for the shot at the current heavyweight champion Barney Gamble between Nelson "Big Daddy V" Frazier Jr. and Mib Louie! Since his first title shot back at Highland Games 25, Frazier lost his first trip back to the octagon, but rebounded to put back-to-back big wins on the board to earn his current #1 ranking. The Harlem, NY native was last seen at Highland Games 45 where he KO'd Andrei Alexeyev in the Fight of the Night. He'll look to use his boxing and wrestling fortes to earn a second trip to a title fight. Louie, too, has lost to Gamble in a title fight, his coming back at Highland Games 17 last November. He too lost his next fight but has stormed back to three straight victories, the last of which came at Highland Games 44 in which he KO'd Alexey Juravlev with a monstrous high kick. The 26-year-old Canadian will look to clinch often to counter Frazier's boxing abilities while setting up for his strong Muay Thai background. Plenty to fight for in this one and I've got Louie by TKO.
Bantamweight Championship Title
(C) Serge "Two Guns" Ibaka (11-0-0) vs #1 "The BJJ Champ" Renato Laranja (9-1-0) Bantamweight
And now, for the main event of the evening, Highland Games presents five rounds for the undisputed bantamweight champion, it’s the champion Serge "Two Guns" Ibaka (11-0-0) versus the challenger "The BJJ Champ" Renato Laranja! Ibaka has done everything right so far in his professional career including earning the AFL belt and defending it before signing with Highland Games, winning their belt and then defending it and impressive five times to remain undefeated. The 26-year-old Spaniard has perhaps the most feared fists in Highland Games and is looking to become the top P4P fighter in the organization. Standing between him and retaining his bantamweight belt is Laranja. The Brazilian has been a BJJ machine thus far on the Island. He has successfully captured the Ultimate XC and AFL bantamweight belts before finally bowing to Darth Vader in his second AFL title defense. He won one more fight in that organization before signing with Highland Games where he debuted by submitting Ronald Raygun halfway through round one of Highland Games 47 earning him this title shot. We all know Laranja cannot fight standing up, but if he can find a way to bring Ibaka to the ground, he should be able to force his will into a submission. All in all, this is shaping up to be a tremendous fight! I'll take Ibaka retaining his belt and therefor staying undefeated by way of TKO.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Highland Games 51 will be a high octane event that you will not want to miss out on! The Bantamweight title fight alone should be enough for any MMA fan to lock his eyes, but with 9 other huge fights, Friday night is a can't miss event! See you Friday and Hayashi's Lounge!
Written by Shtaaf Reimish
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