|
Alpha-1: Super Series
Alpha-1 is back this Saturday night, live from Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum with over 90,000 expected to be in attendance and fights that are sure to shake up the rankings across the world and fighters who are bound to be future hall of farmers. Featherweight stars collide as the Gamma Champion takes on the Alpha Champion in what is surely being considered the fight for the best featherweight. There are heavyweights and super heavyweights and knockouts to be expected. Let's get into the Alpha-1 Super Series! My name is Tycoon Hec and I am thrilled to be with you guys I look forward to watching these fights unfold and wish the very best to all the fighters and managers, especially to Opie. Good luck Opie!
Bishop vs Southall
Heavyweight Match-up
Keth “The Hammer'' Bishop (28-14) proves true to his nickname while holding 22 knockout finishes in his record. The Hammer, who is coming off a recent knockout victory performance, is hoping his fists can get the job done once again as he looks to take on the always aggressive, Neville Southall (18-16). A fan favorite who now resides in New York, Southall proves to be one who goes in swinging for the fences hoping to put his opponent out early. A knockout artist with 16 of his 18 wins coming by way of knockout rarely sees the fight taken outside of the first round. Southall has been compared to the great Iceman Chuck Liddell from his teammates, his counter striking effectiveness when opponents rush in just to see them get wrecked and that will be a concern for Bishop in this matchup as well. A fighter who primarily prefers to stay on the feet and exchange until his opponent collapses, Southall believes Bishop will be the first to crumble come Saturday night. Bishop has just recently grabbed a victory after what seemed to be four losses in a row with his new manager. Feeling like his mma career was coming to an end Bishop made some significant changes in his life and is looking to be much more impressive than what we had previously seen of him. Under this new mentorship Bishop hopes to instill absolute pain upon Southall and bring this fight to an end early in the first placing himself in the top 20 of his division. Both fighters have been working intensely on their striking defense knowing that they are susceptible to being sliced open as well as receiving too much damage on the feet. This fight is really one of those match-ups where it will be like rock-em sock-em robots and its going to be the first guy who knocks the other down. I figure the clinch game of Bishop may temporarily come into play and we wont see as many kicks from him this time around but an increased amount of punches. This is certainly my pick for fight of the night.
Prediction: I believe Keith “The Hammer” Bishop pulls off the victory. Despite his morale hit, I think Neville will push forward too much and get caught by a looping overhand hook.
Barkley vs Rawse
Super Heavyweight Match-up
Two fighters looking to break their losing streak collide in what should be a technical matchup of super heavyweights. Ross Barkley (19-15) holds each of his wins by knockout. A fighter who never allows the judges to tell him he won takes it for himself in impressive fashion. The larger of the two fighters going into this matchup, Barkley looks to impose his size and will upon the threat that is Ricky “The Boss” Rawse (15-12-1). The Chicago born martial artist now residing in Las Vegas, Rawse, is also a holder of all of his wins by knockout. Rawse, like Barkley, prefers to finish his opponents knowing he won the fight rather than having someone else telling him. What that should tell all of our fight fans at home is that these two warriors will come in and swing to knock the others head clean off! Both fighters have been knocked out before so it would not be too much of a surprise to see either end up going down the only surprise would be if this fight went past the first round. Rawse who averages most of his shots to the head will look to only utilize punches and mostly without them being in combinations. His opponent, in Barkley will definitely look to mix up his strikes, but where he thrives is up close and personal, in the clinch, in guard, in his opponents face. I assume Barkley will go in for a takedown and that will be his game plan for this fight.
Prediction: Ross Barkley shoots in the takedown and carries home a first round victory via ground and pound.
Steelers vs Lemieux
Super Heavyweight Championship
It will almost be like watching two planets collide when these two go at it. Pittsburgh Steelers (29-12) is one of the most vicious knockout artists of this generation. Winner of 29 fights, 28 of those came by knockout. Currently ranked as the number 10 best fighter in his division, the Superheavyweight Steelers hopes to advance that number when he defends his title against the very impressive Vincent Lemieux (29-25). Lemieux, the 11th ranked fighter in his division, considers a victory over the sitting champion will propel him into the spotlight and eventually get the respect he feels he truly deserves. The Sydney based fighter is riding a two fight win streak right now and has been training at the famous Cope Gym. Connecting with his coaches I had asked how training was going, they shared that they believe it is a 100 times better than whatever Steelers is considering training because he is not actually a member of a gym. They also shared how his agility has picked up and his clinchwork has taken on a new level. The rumors are true, Steelers have not been training as of recently and we are not sure if this is a desire for retirement or just an overconfidence or even if it's a lack of finding a gym he wishes to invest in. Whatever the case may be Lemiuex will definitely be going into this matchup with a lot more confidence and hoping to land strikes on Steelers quickly.
Prediction: Vincent Lemieux shocks the world and takes the title away from Pittsburgh Steelers in violent fashion taking home the knockout of the night award.
Winston vs Klos
Co-Main Event
Middleweight Match-up
Two fighters closing in on a middleweight title shot are finding themselves headed straight towards one another in what is sure to be a wild spectacle. Harry “Opie” Winston (36-29) is a 41 year old American, eight years the elder of his German opponent Cal “Tansovic” Klos (25-16-1). These two fighters are both coming in on a two fight win streak looking to dismantle the other on the climb up the ladder. Winston, who has been known to finish fights by both submission and knockout, believes that Klos is just another match for the veteran of the cage and anticipates proving why he is the best fighter across the board. Winston holds 13 of his victories by knockout and 16 of them by submission with that shared it is safe to assume that wherever this fight ends up, Winston will be comfortable. Cal Klos has only been finished three times in his career so there is little nervousness he has in going against an experienced cage fighter like Winston. Klos only has one defeat in his last five match-ups and expects a dominant performance and to make a statement to the whole division that the belt is as good as his. In reaching out to Klos friends over at London MMA club, they have shared with me they have never seen the guy so determined in the gym as now. Critics have claimed that he has lost the x factor in fighting and that he just looks to win fights by decision which may be the reason for his motivated training camp. Harry Winston's teammate and longtime best friend Jax Teller shared with us that since the recent family tragedy that Winston experienced he would not want to be the guy standing across the cage from him. This heavily implies that Winston is not just looking to win the fight but batter his opponent.
Prediction: Harry Winston will take this fight via submission. He will be the second guy to tap out Cal and hopefully that will move him in the direction of a title shot.
Kitjakarn vs Macnamara
Main Event
Featherweight Match-up
The Featherweight Champion of Alpha defends his organization when he welcomes the Featherweight Champion of Gamma in a match with no title on the line rather the pride of the organization and the recognition as the best featherweight in the world. Biabas Kitjakarn (8-2) had five professional fights in kickboxing early on his career before making the full time transition to mixed martial arts. Now a brown belt, Biabas struggled to defend submission attempts from ground fighters in the early part of his mma career succumbing to the grappling of better skilled opponents. His manager at the time decided it was best if they parted ways and Biabas had since found a manager who is looking to obtain his 1000th win and may very well do so with Kitjakarns victory this saturday night! His match up is no joke in “The Gypsy Prince” Seamus Macnamara (28-5-1). Seamus, who is riding a five fight win streak, has a killer fight ahead of him against a guy who fans have been calling the kryptonite to Macnamara, a strong kickboxer. The experience factor is what many of Mcnamara's fans are claiming will lead him to victory, the 31 year old Irish sensation believes he will be too much for the Muay Thai fighter and will outbox him all the way to the judges score cards. When reaching out to Kitjakarns coaches, they have shared with me they believe Kitjakarn will knock out the Gypsy Prince stating he is too small and as long as Biabas walks him down he will pummel him. The facts are there, Seamus Macnamara weighs only 111 lbs and stands under five feet. Despite his physical traits not being as desirable for a fighter as others, his fight records stand out for themselves outsourcing every fighter he goes against by mixing up his strikes with the highest level of talent. His opponent in Biabas is significantly heavier and taller and will probably look to employ the clinch in a way that Mcnamara has never experienced. I think this is a fight that has the potential for fight of the night but will certainly shake up the featherweight division across the world.
Prediction: Kitjakarn will press Macnamara against the cage landing multiple strikes until the fight is recorded as a TKO.
Article views:
36
» Donate to this author |
