|
 HFC Christmas
On: December 25th, 2016
At: The Underground - London
Event Rating: 120.05
Attendance: 1000 (Sold Out)
Author: Master Po
Introduction:
In the weeks leading up to this event Honour Fighting Championships has hyped up two Super Events to end off a great year. The was the first of those being on Christmas Day. The holiday spirit was evident straight out of the gates. The staff at The Underground did a great job with decorations. The atmosphere was joyous as we all celebrated the reasons for the seasons in the only way we know how...with caged combat! For a young, up and coming 300k id restricted organization, Honour put its best foot forward, and did not disappoint with this event. Only two fights made it to the judges hands, and once again we can only look to the future with a high level of anticipation. What's next?!?!
Under Card:
Daerion Leafshard vs Keyser Soze - 145 lbs
At the opening bell these two strikers came out basically feeling each other out. Soon thereafter Soze began to find range with chopping leg kicks and brutal body kicks. Leafshard, either by design or defense mechanism, whiffed on several combination attempts. Eventually this led to Leafshard getting gassed and opening the door for Soze to convert on numerous kicks. Soze finally landed a head kick that sent Leafshard reeling. He managed to get up only to be knocked back down under a big right hand. The ref had no choice but to wave it off after Soze climbed on Leafshard's back, and pummeled the snot of out him.
Prediction: Keyser Soze TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Soze TKO (Strikes) 1:46 of round 1.
Phil Ure vs Freddie Adam - 265 lbs
In my preview of this fight I imagined it taking place on the ground with jockeying for position. I truly expected Adam to mount some sort of offence once attaining top positions. Sadly this wasn't exactly the case. In the most uneventful fight of the night, the poor fans had to deal with three mind numbingly boring rounds of sub spam. Adam tried on a few occasions to land some ground and pound strikes but could only manage to make four count. This was borderline embarrassing and all parties involved should be reprimanded! Bah! Humbug! Let us move on from that and never recall it to memory.
Prediction: Adam TKO (Cut) round 1.
Result: Draw...
Main Card:
My Name vs Justin Duponte - 135 lbs
It took all of about 4 seconds for Name to take the fight to the clinch and open a cut on Duponte. Name has a definite history of TKO (Cuts) on his resume. This fight took place entirely in the clinch. Duponte tried to drum up some sort of offense and threw over 51 shots. Only 4 of those connected though and that's not gonna work while clinched up with elbow dropping Name. In the second round Name immediately took it back to the clinch, all the while steadily throwing elbows, 109 of them to be exact. After 48 of those found a home the doctor had to call it, and Duponte may be in the market for a cosmetic surgeon. Sheesh.
Prediction: Name TKO (Cut) round 1.
Result: Name TKO (Cut) 2:53 of round 2.
Taylor Pickerage vs Marcus Morbius - 185 lbs
Pickerage came out swinging as expected. Morbius took on a defensive posture but Pickerage still sneaked a hook through and connected early. There was not much Morbius could do getting stuffed on all takedown attempts. A short lived fight where Pickerage landed a crisp right that rocked Morbius, then he landed a big hook that turned Morbius into spaghetti legs. Party Over. Before the fight I either underestimated Pickerage, overestimated Morbius, or a combination of both. You learn something new every day. Great work by Pickerage.
Prediction: Morbius Submission (Armbar) round 2.
Result: Pickerage KO (Punch) 0:24 of round 1.
Enzo Dimelo vs Renato Ibanez - 155 lbs
Dimelo took the fight to the clinch at the opening bell. He was successful early landing scoring shots, and stuffing attempts to pull guard from Ibanez. I'm guessing Dimelo just didn't have the power to impose his will on Ibanez the more experienced fighter. Close to the 3 minute mark Ibanez managed to pull guard. From then it was downhill for Dimelo as Ibanez spammed sub attempts. Dimelo managed to pull off a decent reversal to gain top control, but Ibanez was just too slick of a customer. Right at the end of round 1 Ibanez isolated an arm and Dimelo had to tap. A learning experience for a young fighter, and a terrible fight analyzer in myself.
Prediction: Dimelo TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Ibanez Submission (Armbar) 4:57 of round 1.
Twist Calypso vs Reed Money - 170 lbs
This would be the second fight to go the distance, but thankfully it would be exponentially more entertaining than the first. These fighters had fought earlier in their careers in a fight that Calypso would win by a late TKO. This would play out differently. In the first round Money instigated the clinch. The entire first round was fought in the clinch with both fighters doing good work. The first round was the closest round and Calypso would actually win that one. In the second round Money again instigated the clinch. More of the same for the next 5 minutes with both fighters having some success, but the tide started shifting in favor of Money who would start outscoring Calypso. In the third round Calypso took it to the clinch where the trend of Money outscoring him continued. Compu-Strike numbers for the fighters in the clinch would end up at head punch 52(21), body punch 22(6), for Calypso and head punch 76(30), body punch 34(13), for Money. After all was said and done Money had outscored Calypso 2 rounds to 1 evening up the series between the two to 1-1. It becomes evident that training and tactical strategies from both camps are moving in different directions. It might be time to pull out drawing boards.
Prediction: Calypso TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Money Unanimous Decision.
Title Card:
Luke Rockhold vs Enok Jepsen - 185 lbs Title
At this point in the evening everyone was festive, jolly, and cheerful, probably due to the complimentary house eggnog that may or may not have been spiked with 151 Rum. So came the "super" part of the event. Four consecutive title fights to cap off a great night for all in attendance. This had all the makings of a stand up war, and it didn't stray from that billing. The 185 lbers came out swinging. Jepsen immediately more accurate and sharp with his strikes. Rockhold showing he was no pushover landed a tight jab that cut Jepsen right around the 1 minute mark. Blow for blow, power punch for power punch, the contestants continued battle. Closing in on the 3 minute mark Jepsen landed a counter right that rocked Rockhold, and allowed Jepsen to take it to the clinch. Ordinarily Rockhold would favor the clinch, but Jepsen seemed a bit stronger than what Rockhold was accustomed to. After being rocked Rockhold seemed to collect himself. This would not last though, as Jepsen broke the clinch and landed a monster right hand that dropped Rockhold. Rockhold would get back to his feet only to find a devastating left hand from Jepsen lying in wait. That was all she wrote, and a new champ in the 185 lbs division would start his reign.
Prediction: Jepsen TKO (Strikes) round 2.
Result: Jepsen TKO (Strikes) 3:55 of round 1.
Random Fighter Three vs Jack Smith - 265 lbs Title
This was a ground fight waiting to happen. Immediately Smith faked with a overhand right, and ducked into a quick takedown attempt into Three's guard. Initially Smith tried working some ground and pound with little success, before getting stood up by the ref. After a few failed takedown attempts from Smith, Three would clinch up and trip Smith into a takedown. Smith tried a few subs but nothing was happening. The first round ended with Three landing some decent shots from guard on top. The fight wouldn't go much further. In the second round Three would express dominance by landing a takedown, and dropping hard shots from side control ultimately rocking Smith's world, and forcing the referee's hand.
Prediction: Smith Submission (Armbar) round 2.
Result: Three TKO (Strikes) 0:36 of round 2.
Co-Main Event:
Josh McCarthy vs Farnad Behpour- 265+ lbs Title
It was the clash of the titans in this one. The 265+ lbs division where we put them dudes that are too damn big to go anywhere else. The bell rang to start the action. Behpour instantly dropped a combination, capitalizing on his 35 cm reach advantage. Rumour had it that Behpour had been drilling striking defense almost exclusively running up to this fight and it paid dividends early on as McCarthy struggled to land...anything. It looked like Behpour may have had McCarthy's number as he landed head shots and kicks at every level. The suspense was thick enough to cut with a knife as it almost seemed that McCarthy was heading on a fast track toward defeat. Behpour landed some vicious leg kicks that echoed through the arena. But McCarthy would prove that he ain't the champ on some fluke eventually landing a big left that gashed Behpour. Right after, McCarthy threw one of his patented uppercuts that felled the giant Behpour, and he finished the job diving on top of his opponent with a barrage of strikes to retain his belt in a somewhat dramatic fight. I thought McCarthy would make much shorter work of Behpour, predicting it would be a KO early in the first. In that sense it was a moral victory for Behpour.
Prediction: McCarthy KO (Punches) early round 1.
Result: McCarthy TKO (Strikes) 2:51 of round 1.
Main Event:
Dwayne Johnson vs Takomi Saka - 170 lbs Title
The number 1 ranked fighter in the organization would be headlining the first of Honour's two end of the season super events. Johnson came out looking to clinch which he did after a swing and miss from Saka. In the first round in the clinch both fighters had success. The main difference maker in the first round was a big left to the head from Johnson that rocked Saka. Saka would recover well, but that may have been the turning point in the fight. The first round was fairly close, but Johnson did enough to win it on all cards. The second round played out the same. Johnson came out with nothing other than clinch attempts before landing one sooner than later. This time though Saka had a lot less success in the clinch. Right around 2 minutes into the second Johnson pulled out his dirty boxing tricks and pushed Saka against the cage and unloaded a quick right hook that put Saka horizontal. Saka tried to scramble to his feet, but fell to his knees, and the ref jumped in to save him. The crowd erupted. I think they were pleased with the outcome of this particular fight and the event as a whole.
Prediction: Johnson TKO (Cut) round 2.
Result: Johnson TKO (Strikes) 1:53 of round 2.
Conclusion:
This super event was a great success. Honour has improved with every event. This is extraordiary when you take into account the fact that we are now under the fourth owner of the organization since the fall. The reasons for managers stepping down is varied, but one thing is constant, and that is that every owner has made sacrifices to better the organization. Honour Fighting Championships is carving out a name for themselves within MMA Tycoon. Be sure to be there for the next super event on New Year's Eve. As always HFC is actively recruiting new fighters in all weight divisions. If you are interested in a contract for your fighter please feel free to contact Henryk Kuzbik. Also, Honour Fighting Championships has interest in working out a deal with a Merchandise Partner. Please direct any inquiries to Henryk Kuzbik. With that I'm off to celebrate the holidays with my family and friends. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Article views:
180
» Donate to this author |
