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 UnderGround FC 55 Preview & Predictions (930838)
19TH OCT 2019- HILO – HARD KNOCKS ARENA - Written by Gabe T.S. Gardner (112290)
WELCOME One and all, to the latest monster fight card from UGFC - Live from sunny Hilo, Hawaii!
MAIN EVENT
IVANOV VS TANTALAU
Marin Ivanov 8-5-0 VS Mike "Master of Tapping" Tantalau 5-3-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 170lbs
An intriguing matchup between two talented grapplers is our main event of the evening! Both fighters records have been spotty coming in, finding themselves in a host of drag-out, knuckle down bralws in the past. Tantalau holds the advantage of coming into this fight with a win, handing his last opponent (a previously undefeated prospect, and BJJ brown belt to boot) his first lost, and choking them out in the second round. Ivanov must be looking to end his two fight losing streak tonight, and must be wary of his opponents sneaky submission skills.
Indeed, submission is the name of the game for the self-styled "Master of Tapping", whose 5 wins have all come by way of tap-out. Bulgarian Ivanov however, has mixed things up in the past. He boasts not just an underrated submission game, but also swift, and brutal ground and pound ability from the top, being able to send his opponents out in a flurry of blows at a moments notice.
Unless both fighters shock me, and decide to settle this one standing up, then we're looking at a little bit of a grappling chess match, and one either fighter has a chance of losing. Having analysed their previous losses, I'd say Ivanov can count himself unlucky to have been in the crosshairs of some expert grapplers, who have been able to tie him out, and tap him out in the past, whereas his opponent Tantalau has shown while he does have impressive ability, his heart may be lacking. The Singaporean has been TKO'd once, but tapped out under strikes twice, a worrying trend, and one I think Ivanov will look to exploit.
I think after a first round stalemate, Ivanov starts hurting Tantalau with some beefy ground strikes, and gets his man out of there - by tap out, or knock out - in the second round.
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Marin Ivanov (W) KO/TKO or SUB Round 2
CO-MAIN EVENT
SCHMIDT VS STOTTS
Oskar Schmidt 7-3-0 VS Hugo "Beluga" Stotts 2-0-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 265lbs
We bring out a pair of colossal grapplers for our Co-Main this evening, as experienced Schmidt takes on young up and comer "Beluga" Stotts.
In my mind this fight can go one of two ways, painfully, or very painfully.
Both fighters have closed the show in every victorious contest, knocking out their combined 9 opponents (not counting Schmidts three losses) inside the distance, albeit by different means. Schmidt has shown a preference for grinding his opponents out on the ground, even throwing up a couple of submission attempts to keep his man working, before laying in some ugly, brutal ground and pound to send them into the next life. Stotts is a classic clinch controlling nightmare, more akin to a crocodile clamping its jaws around a struggling deer than a mixed martial artist grappling with his foe. he keeps his opponents guessing with peppering shots, upstairs and down, but is more than comfortable to stay at range and counter anyone trying to close distance on him.
Schmidt comes into this fight having suffered the first knockout loss of his career, eating a severe head kick, and having been punished the previous round. His chin isn't uncrackable, but he's been durable enough thus far to get away with imposing his game on others, and avoid the standup, with only a few bumps in the road to speak of.
Stotts is undefeated in his young career so far, which gives me pause for thought. is this to early for the Dutchman? or will he overcome his greatest test to date with the same aplomb we're used to seeing.
Its a pick'em fight folks. I'm edging towards Stotts cracking Schmidt early, but don't be surprised if Gabe gets proven wrong.
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Hugo "Beluga" Stotts (W) KO/TKO Rounds 1 - 2
GALEOS VS VITI
Kyle Kristian Galeos 8-3-0 VS Danny "Damage" Viti 2-0-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 145lbs
N/A
(Gabe's Edit: This writer is refusing to cover Galeos's fights in protest of his nickname, bio and by extension manager)
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Danny "Damage" Viti (W) KO/TKO Round 1 (We can only hope)
DOS SANTOS VS DANIS
Raiam Dos Santos 10-10-0 VS Dillion “Juijutsu” Danis 5-4-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 185lbs
We're absolutely spoiled here, with a fight at middleweight which is my prediction for possible Fight of the Night.
Both fighters will be desperate to claw back a 'W' here tonight, as they both come in with a loss, and losing streak respectively. Danis was sitting pretty on a promising 5-1 record before hitting his recent skid, getting finished in his last three fights, and knocked out twice in 30 seconds. His path to victory is clear here, as he is obviously at a defecit in the striking department compared to Dos Santos. He needs to take his man down, keep him down, and work his "Juijutsu" magic, and take a submission from the brazillian, of which most of his losses have come from.
For Dos Santos? I think his key to victory is variety. keeping Danis off guard as to where he wants to take the fight - he has the fundamentals in most areas to accomplish this - and to ultimately use this tactic to lure him into dangerous positions, and pick him apart with his superior (albeit not incredibly powerful) striking, either earning himself a knockout, or a hard fought decision in the process.
I think DS might just have the ability to pull it off, but my gut feeling is Danis gets his 3 fight losing streak monkey off his back, and manages to get Dos Santos down at some point, and pull off a submission victory. But I wouldn't be surprised if it went either way!
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Dillion "Juijutsu" Danis (W) SUB Rounds 2-3
UNDERCARD
VINCENZO LAMBRUCCI 4-4-0 VS DMITRY BOITSOV 2-1-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 205lbs
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Dmitry Boitsov (W) SUB Round 1
JOLLY RODGER 6-4-0 VS FRANK ROTHCO 4-5-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 205lbs
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Frank Rothco (W) KO/TKO Rounds 1 - 2
JERONIMO RODRIGUEZ 1-2-0 VS ARNOLDS STALLONE 0-2-0
3 5-minute rounds under MMA rules at 170lbs
Gabe’s Pre-Fight Prediction: Jeronimo Rodriguez (W) KO/TKO Round 1
Thats that!
Another great card of MMA action courtesy of the great team at UnderGround FC. I've been Gabe, tune in and watch out for UGFC 55!
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