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 DFC: Mayhem 9 – Shreve Jr vs. The Axe (09 September 2016 – Hayashi’s Lounge, Las Vegas) Preview and Predictions
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It is a main event like no other we have had here in DFC, two red hot heavyweight monsters will be set to clash in a bid to determine the number one contender for the DFC heavyweight championship, and in what is division filled with killers – this fight is guaranteed to be brutal. As if that wasn’t enough, the Bantamweight title is going to be defended as Liam Fitzpatrick faces off against Vayle Belval!
Fight 1
Artur The Axe 7-2-0 vs Larry “The Butcher” Shreve Jr 6-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 265lbs
Oh my, oh my, oh my! If there was a more anticipated heavyweight fight in DFC, I haven’t heard of it. When a fighter comes in having won his last three fights, with a total of four first round finishes to his name, with his debut fight ending in just 5 seconds and is the underdog, you know a fight will be exciting! Artur the Axe walked through tough competition to get here, but you wouldn’t have known it as he has one every fight in DFC so far in under one round, a trend he is hoping to keep.
Shreve Jr on the other hand will not make that easy at all, not one little bit! A monster who walks around at 289lbs, “The Butcher” is one of the most promising MT kickboxers at such a young age that I have ever seen, which The Axe will want to be mindful of considering he also fights predominantly in that style. I’d say his boxing ability was slightly better but he would also be outwrestled by the Atlanta, Georgia native.
Although Artur has been nothing short of phenomenal so far, I can’t see how he is going to beat Shreve Jr AT ALL. In fact, I don’t know Jim Lahey, the current champ could stop him….settle down folks, Shreve Jr could have a long stay at the top of the division starting with a first round KO of Artur the Axe.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Larry Shreve Jr Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 2
Two Chugga Chugga 4-0-0 vs Ian Domman 4-2-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 205lbs
Two Chugga Chugga, a very popular fighter I am led to believe, is making his DFC debut here against a submission specialist and Jiu Jitsu brown belt Ian Domman – This should be a very good contest, almost guaranteed that it won’t get further than 2 rounds, as both fighters have won all their fights via stoppage (4 KOs for Chugga Chugga and 4 Subs for Domman).
Chugga Chugga (who henceforth with be referred to as TCC for convenience) is one another practitioner of what is increasingly becoming the more popular style of striking, Muay Thai kickboxing, and is proficient and deadly as far as that is concerned, with a well-rounded ground game to boot.
Domman will have to rely heavy off of luring in TCC into vulnerable positions and force him into a mistake, capitalising on it to submit him – but other than that, if he tries to trade with him he will get put down very very quickly, and that is what I see happening. TCC to win via KO early on.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Two Chugga Chugga, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 3
Jason “Blood” Fumire 6-2-0 v Dean Lockwood 1-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 170lbs
Another great fight to look forward to on paper, as two great welterweight fighters meet head to head w/ a DFC debut for Fumire tonight. I want to make this clear, that I consider Fumire the favourite. He has three wins inside of a minute, with all six wins occurring inside round 1. He is a clinical, clear cut BJJ badass – However, we can learn just as much from our defeats as can we our victories.
Fumire has been KO’d twice, against strikers that I don’t think are as lethal as Lockwood – which spells trouble for the man from Fort Knox. I think if Lockwood catches Fumire clean, then he shuts him down.
Don’t get me wrong, I wish all fighters well and respect their abilities in DFC, but I think that Fumire’s welcoming party might be one to forget.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Dean Lockwood, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 4
Gerry Zero 4-0-0 v Rauga “Lightning” Pascal 3-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 185lbs
I thought about this fight long and hard, and not just because it is in my favourite weight division. The reason why this puzzled me is how I just could not picture the finish in my mind, until it clicked – who has the best defence to their opponent’s best offence? In my mind, it is Rauga “Lightning” Pascal.
Pascal – a very talented striker and BJJ artist has a good all round game, whereas Zero is relying on his ability on the ground. Although I think a grappling contest would only end in Zero’s favour, I don’t think he will find it as easy as he has done in the past and will eat a nasty series of shots for a KO finish.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Rauga Pascal, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 5
Luke “Darling” Bresnan 2-1-0 v Alexander “The Panzer” Pauwels 2-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 205lbs
Another very appetising light heavyweight fight here, as Luke Bresnan, fresh off of his title fight defeat against now former champion Skvardsson needs to kickstart his charge up the rankings again or he could find himself becoming lost in the shuffle here. Both fighters appear to favour their chances on the floor, despite having very substantial striking ability – all the hallmarks of a good fighter. Bresnan finished his first two fights with a Kimura, while Pauwels scored two brutal KO victories in his, showing power a plenty on the ground and standing up.
This is a coin toss of a fight to predict considering we have very little in terms of fight records to go on, but I fancy that Pauwels will try to take the fight to the mat, get sloppy and find himself lured into a submission.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Luke Bresnan, Round 1 (SUB)
Fight 6
Liam Fitzpatrick 4-2-0 v Vayle “Hammer” Belval 1-0-0: 5 Rounds of 5 Minutes for the DFC Bantamweight Championship
I must admit I am surprised that the only title fight on the card, is happening halfway through it, but I suppose from a certain viewpoint one could see how the main event is more likely to sell tickets and get people’s attention, no disrespect intended to either athletes in this title fight.
Fitzpatrick has a curious record in DFC, having so far only competed in title fights and also finishing both fights within 3 seconds of the end of the first round – you gotta hand it to the guy, he has good timing! Belval, on the other hand has competed in only one fight to get here, finishing Christa Warner In his debut via TKO. Is there some unspoken rule that Bantamweights barely if at all have to wait for title fights here?
Belval is a mean puncher and good wrestler, and under other circumstances I would assume that his striking advantage and good ground defence would put him in good stead to fight a predominantly ground based fighter, but Fitzpatrick is more capable than you might assume despite his not exactly early finishes.
I expect Belval to struggle with defending the takedowns, and when he DOES get caught with one, he won’t be able to defend well and will be submitted in round 2.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Liam Fitzpatrick, Round 2 (SUB)
Fight 7
Antonio “Mr Dangerous” Brown 2-0-0 v Caio “The Natural” Bottura 3-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 155lbs
Lightweight is a BAD – BAD division to be in if you can’t defend yourself against submission attacks or grappling. Crowned by Hugh Jaskok (1 of only 3 champions DFC has had that have held onto their belts so far since the belts inception) it is a division full of grappling masterminds who could snap off your limbs like a twig or choke you out faster than you could blink. We have two such fighters today, as Brown and Bottura (both ranked Brown Belt in BJJ) at 19 years old, a grand achievement.
I will be honest with you in saying that this is as close a fight that you could have ON PAPER that I have seen – BUT, fights are fought in a cage, not on paper. And inside the cage, Bottura has looked that little more impressive, with slightly more killer instinct than their opponent.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Caio Bottura, Round 2 (SUB)
Fight 8
Bruno “The Godfather” Bigliotti Jr 0-0-0 v Matty “The Viper” Pritchard 2-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 135lbs
Matty Pritchard will look to add further fuel to the fire of his title fight claims that he has been fanning all over the place of late, as he takes on a fighter making his professional MMA debut in Bruno Bigliotti Jr. Does “The Viper” have what it takes to finish early? Of course – but he is in for a battering if he doesn’t take his opponent seriously. Bigliotti Jr, is a great boxer and comes from a very tough background if word of mouth is to be believed.
Bigliotti does have a chance if Pritchard starts slow, and gets caught in an early exchange, however I don’t see that happening as it doesn’t reflect how he has fought in the past.
All the pressure is on Pritchard to validate his wild claims about his prowess and not on the debuting Bigliotti Jr, which could be a detriment to the Englishman.
I think that Pritchard wins via submission in round one, either that or he is going down and going down hard….good luck then.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Matty Pritchard, Round 1 (SUB)
Fight 9
Dom “The Decisionator” Cruz 0-0-0 v Mars “Rocket Fuel” Asteroidbelt 4-4-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 145lbs
Asteroidbelt makes a return to DFC after an extended absence in which he won 3 fights and lost 2. He takes on the debuting, but highly touted Dom Cruz. Asteroidbelt may have guts to keep going and not back down from a fight, but I predict the only thing he will gain from this fight is a losing record, going 4-5 because from what I have heard whispered around, Cruz is one promising fighter and shouldn’t have any difficulty despatching a journeyman of Asteroidbelts calibre.
If this is true, I look forward to seeing it. Sorry Mars, I guess it just isn’t in the stars for you…..get it?.....no?.....ahhh screw you guys.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Dom Cruz, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 10
Max “Coach” Glenclose 1-0-0 v Johnny “Great” Ness 0-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 170lbs
Two pro relative newcomers here making their DFC debut for our opening contest. There isn’t a lot that separates them when it comes to wrestling ability, as both are very well experienced in that regard. However, Ness has undoubtedly the superior stand-up ability and we can expect big things from him in his pro debut.
Glenclose just got paired with a fighter who has the edge on him here, not a knock on him – I just can’t see where he has the advantage.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Johnny Ness, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
This is a phenomenal card from top to bottom (So good the title fight doesn’t event get a podium finish) with a main event for the ages! If you want to know what DFC is all about, then check this card out – You WILL NOT be disappointed!
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