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DFC: Mayhem 7 (26 August 2016 – Hayashi’s Lounge, Las Vegas) Preview and Predictions – Written by Gabe T.S. Gardner (112290)
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Andre Hendrix is set to defend his featherweight title against the undefeated power puncher, Tomas Lindberg atop a card stacked many featherweight fights in what will be a showcase for the division tonight!
Fight 1
Andre “The Prodigy” Hendrix 5-1-0 vs Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg 3-0-0: 5 Rounds of 5 Minutes for the DFC Featherweight Championship
Hendrix will make the attempt to defend his title for the second time against a well-rounded power puncher in Lindberg, whose run of first run knockouts has surely got to give the champion pause for thought. Hendrix has one of the best ground games in the roster, will great wrestling and phenomenal BJJ skills, there is only one way that he is winning this fight: on the ground.
“Tompa” has a large reach and height advantage, and a bone crunching right hand, that could end the fight then and there if Hendrix gets caught, and while he is also a great wrestler, I feel that his lack of BJJ skills will lead to him being vulnerable to giving up his back or neck at some point and being choked out. Overall though, I think that Lindberg is by far the better standing up, and could have the ability to end it in seconds. Thig fight could really be a scorcher, but I think that Lindberg will use his physique and power to its fullest advantage, and will have his hand raised as the new featherweight champion.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Tomas Lindberg Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 2
“The Korean Hobo” Chi Gu 3-0-0 vs Deait “Money” Shaw 6-5-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 205
One thing that is great in this sport is the characters you meet: quirky individuals whose mannerisms and interviews can be just as if not sometimes more entertaining than the fights themselves. Chi Gu is one such character, who indulges in dumpster diving and took up fighting (something he has taken naturally to) because of the freedom it offers. He is a deadly wrestler, which I feel is always the most underrated of disciplines, due to the fact it relies on fierce strength and control, and weeds out the people that just wanna punch things repeatedly. You have to be tough and strong, and Chi Gu has shown that in abundance.
He comes up against popular and experienced fighter, Deait “Money” Shaw, a fighter who adopts the philosophy of training in multiple disciplines to be prepared for any disciplines, however this more often than not ends up in making you a “jack of all trades, master of none” who when coming up against a very experienced fighter in one discipline, can get torn to pieces, which is reflected in Chi Gu’s 6-5 win loss record. Shaw needs to desperately keep this one standing up to win which unfortunately I don’t think he will be able to do.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Chi Gu, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 3
Derick Nice 1-0-0 v Avon “The Towers” Barksalot 3-1-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 185lbs
This middleweight fight is an intriguing one, as a fighter with arguably no ground game, whose only loss has come by submission (Barksalot) squares off against a brown belt BJJ practitioner, who is limited in skills all across the board in other categories. Larson, who beat Barksalot in “The Towers” last fight, had a vastly superior wrestling skillset than Nice has, which could have played a large part in the defeat, and it is because of this that I think that Barksalot might take this one, although keeping the fight standing is in his best interest.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Avon Barksalot, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 4
Rhys Crowder 1-0-0 v William “The Conquerer” Monk 1-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 170lbs
This prediction will be short because in my opinion it is a forgone conclusion.
I think that Monk might have been thrown to the wolves in this one, as he comes up against a terrific welterweight fighter in Crowder, and as I think that Monk is likely to attempt to out strike Crowder, he could find himself floundering on the ground very quickly.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Rhys Crowder, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 5
Chat “The Cat” Watts 1-1-0 v Illidian Newsto 2-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 145lbs
Both these fighters will be envious of the two participants in the main event, as another featherweight fight between two newcomers should be the perfect stage for both men to start the long climb up the rankings. Newsto is the favourite to win here, a talented fighter with a great ground game, and a significant height and reach advantage over many featherweights – but Watts isn’t most other fighters. A giant in the featherweight division at 6ft 1 inches, he may have a great reach advantage over most fighters, but loses a lot of muscle and resistance in exchange, looking like he’s made of sticks. While watts is well rounded, the point I made earlier about a jack of all trades style fighter once again comes into practice, and I think that Newsto has the edge here.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Illidian Newsto, Round 1 (SUB)
Fight 6
“Neck Break Orchestra” Joe Reealopubo 2-1-0 v Dmitry Muratov 4-4-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 145lbs
Reealopubo needs to get back into title contention, and he can do that by finishing the last title challenger in convincing fashion. Muratov, (who is certainly a talented fighter but I did not see him really testing Hendrix in the least) has a chance to make an example of a highly ranked and skilled featherweight fighter in Muay Thai practitioner Reealopubo, if he can get him to the ground and avoid the clinch. I think however, both fighters are good enough to beat eachother, but not the current champion Hendrix, that said I think Reealopubo has more to give and expect him to get the KO victory.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Reealopubo, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 7
Kaos “SS” Coming 5-1-0 v Mark Gregory 1-1-1: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 145lbs
The fourth and final featherweight fight (try saying that four times fast) is Coming v Gregory, two featherweight who I feel are often overlooked in the division. Coming, won a 16 man tournament before making his DFC debut at Mayhem 1, but unfortunately came up short against Dada Buckeye, losing via TKO in the second round. He bounced back in a fight outside the promotion, winning a fight with a rear naked choke in round 1, and giving DFC another reason to take a look at him.
Gregory has an unorthodox record, going the distance in all three fights, with the results getting progressively worse (Won his debut, drew his next fight and losing by decision in fight no. 3) The striking based fighter needs to prove he belongs in DFC and lets hope third times the charm, and he finally wins a fight in the promotion, or he could find his way down the rankings, or worse – out the door.
I think that Kaos is an underrated submission specialist, and will take full advantage of that against Gregory, and will submit the more stand-up based fighter in round one.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Kaos Coming, Round 1 (SUB)
Fight 8
Lucas Niguez 1-1-0 v Tyrion “The Dwarf” Lannister 0-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 135lbs
Lucas Niguez better hope he can build off of his DFC debut victory over Shaun Johnson at Mayhem 3, as he faces a debutant in the sport in Lannister – who despite being named the dwarf is taller than his opponent tonight, although I expect that is a reference to the character from popular fantasy series “Game of Thrones” with whom he coincidently shares the same name (although the book was published before he was born, so perhaps his mother was a big fan…. Who can say) Lannister’s camp has been focussed mainly of striking, or so I have heard and supposedly has a great stand-up game that he will want to use to full effect. Given that Niguez is not a specialist in any area (although I believe I called him out for that in his debut and predicted he would lose) I think that he could submit the debuting fighter, but that the reach advantage of Lannister combined with his boxing ability, will be too much, and he will get knocked out somewhere in the second round.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Tyrion Lannister, Round 2 (TKO/KO)
Fight 9
Christopher “Man Of Steel” Reid 0-1-0 v Jordan “Beast Man” Clarkson 1-1-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 155lbs
This is a tough fight to call, but taking into consideration how both fighters will be desperate to generate momentum in what is a stacked division. Both are extremely talented strikers,, with Reid having great MT and boxing ability, and Clarkson being a Muay Thai expert, this fight can only end with someone getting KTFO. However, neither fighter has actually scored a KO victory yet, with Reid losing his debut in what I would call an upset, and with Clarkson winning one fight via decision and getting KO’d in the next. Both fighters need to show what they are capable of, and I think that fighter will be Clarkson. Sure Reid is a far superior boxer, and is also great at Muay Thai, but that isn’t the same as saying a boxer and a Muay Thai Kickboxer will be fighting Clarkson at the same time – he is still one man against one man, and a man who I think is just more talented.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Jordan Clarkson, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 10
Hugo Smith 0-0-0 v Carl “The Hour Glass” Sands 0-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 265lbs
This should be a good contest to warm the crowd up, as two debuting young heavyweights will look to make their name in the opening contest of a great card. Smith has the obvious height advantage standing at 7. FEET. TALL. At that height, surely your mobility must be compromised but your reach and punching power has to be brutal. Both fighters are skilled strikers from what I have heard, so expect this fight to be fought standing up and ending lying down. There is nothing really to go on here except for the obvious physical advantage of Smith, and that has got to play a big factor, so he is my pick for the first fight of the night.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Hugo Smith, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Phew! That is one impressive card tonight, in what could be the greatest event DFC has held to date (a record recently broken multiple times over) this is an absolutely must see event from the rising stars in the world of MMA. Mayhem 7: DO NOT MISS IT!
Written by Gabe T.S. Gardner (112290)
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