2022-05-06
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Bellicose 89

Event Preview: Bellicose 89
BELLICOSE (375+)
2022-04-30, New York, Liberty Dome
Author:Outlaw Bleak

 Welcome Bellicose fans! We have a spectacular night planned for all you fans this Saturday! Some stellar match ups and both Light Heavyweight and Lightweight crowns up for grabs! So sit down, strap in, and get ready for some good ok’ ruthless aggression! 

 

Tonight we have a round table discussion with Jake, Outlaw, and myself. Well let’s be honest, I’m pretty much sitting back taking bong hits as Jake and Outlaw break it down then thrown my opinionated cherry on top. Enough talk... let’s get it!

 

Matt ’Demon’ Damon VS Tommy Harinck

Jake - We do love the Bantamweight division here at Bellicose, full of great talents. One of which being, ’Demon’ Damon! A prolific striker with some strong grappling credentials, Damon is well rounded and can adapt to any scenario a fight takes place. Having a 1-1 record, Damon is coming off a huge 1st round KO win over Dylan Jacobson (3-6) at the time with his only loss being within the Quick Fight Championships, an uneventful fight where his opponent just done enough to steal the rounds. Tommy Harinck do not let this man’s 0-1 record fool you... he is a dangerous prospect, his credentials outside the Octagon speak for themselves. This guy has solid striking but, what really sets him apart from his peers is his sensational ground game with Olympic level wrestling and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I definitely would not want to be in open mat when this guy walks in!

Outlaw – Well said, Jake. Damon is a very well rounded prospect who we will likely be seeing more of as his career goes on. He’s on the opening card tonight as the opening act, but that’s not a knock on this fight as this is Bellicose’s first ever PPV event. So these two fighters will be the first pair of fighters from Bellicose to be seen on a world stage, ever. That’s actually quite an honor. Everything we’ve said about Damon goes even more so for Harnick. This man is a future star. He’s got a great manager and one hell of a skill set to dominate this match. His QFC fight is what many of us would call a test fight to see where his skills are at in the cage, and test some of his intangibles. That’s no knock on him to have lost that fight as he likely was not relying on his primary skills in that fight and seeing how his weaknesses could be exposed. I’m telling you now, this man’s wrestling is top notch, and as he is a very capable striker who will more than likely be a beast in the clinch. 

Jake’s Prediction: Harinck by 1st round submission, this guy outclasses Damon in every area, enough said. When he just edges the striking but completely overshadows Damon in the ground game, this is a no brainer. That being said, Damon has power and all it takes is one punch, Harinck needs to be on alert at all times during this bout.

Outlaw’s Pick – Harinvk via 1st round TKO. Harnicks skill set is just too strong for Damon to overcome in my book. That wrestling will allow him to control this fight and rather it be from the clinch, range, or on the ground, I think he’s going to put his fists to work and force the ref to step in.

Sonny says: Tommy Harinck is coming in well marinated and ready to dominate. His sole loss was a late night affair where he was thrown to the dogs. He was a boy then and a man now, however and having the skill advantage in every department he should get the TKO at the latest in round 2. 


Howie Finkelman VS Petr Vrabec

Jake - Did someone ask for a rangy kickboxer? Well, Finkelman is here to meet that criterion. Boasting some formidable kickboxing as well as a slight height advantage over his opponent, this featherweight is no push over. Sat at 1-2 currently with a 100% finish rate in his win column (only 50% in his losses), Finkelman is coming off a loss to game journeyman ’Tango’ Charlie Bravo (1-5 at the time) via decision. Regardless of result, Finkelman and Bravo both gained the ’Fight of the Night’ award for their efforts in their matchup! Over to Vrabec, 3-6 within his Mixed Martial Arts career so far, Petr Vrabec is looking to push forward into gaining a positive record. On a 3-fight losing streak, he’s fought some of the best of the Bellicose Roster including former title challenger Temujin Atkiray, Yamasaki Mishimoto and Jeryl Christ! Being only 21, Vrabec has plenty of time to improve his skillset and build on this record!

Outlaw – This is another fight that has potential to end up anywhere. Finkelman will want to keep this fight standing and matches up fairly well with Vrabec on the ground if it were to go in that direction. A strong striker, Finkelman will look for the finish here, no doubt. Vrabec’s sole advantage here is his BJJ where he holds a purple belt to Finkelman’s blue. While he gives up a slight edge in wrestling, which may allow Finkelman to control the fight enough to fend of submission attempts, I expect Vrabec to look to get this fight to the ground where he’s got the best shot. If he can land on top and negate the wrestling edge he gives up, he’s got a shot at a win here.

Sonny says: Finkelman must - must - defend the takedown if he wants the win. His 90% takedown defense rate suggests he can handle all Vrabec can offer as far as takedowns given their close wrestling skill base. I think Finkelman uses his heavy hands and counters with a first round KO. 

Jake’s Prediction: Despite Vrabec fighting the higher quality opposition and have three times as many fights as Finkelman, stylistically he is at a big disadvantage. His only chance of beating Finkelman is by getting it to the mat, but even then, the disparity between their grappling isn’t that big. Finkelman should get this done via unanimous decision.

Outlaw’s Pick – I think Finkelman will effectively utilize his striking and keep this fight standing where he will take the win via KO by round 2. If this thing never goes to the ground, possibly even a round 1 KO.

Shalak Kamir VS ‘Onizaru’ Toyotomi Ieyasu

Jake - Shalak Kamir, the best boxing within the Featherweight division, amazing Muay Thai, very strong wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ... this guy is definitely a future title contender at the very least! Coming off a big win via 1st round knockout, he has some good momentum coming into this bout. My only concern is this is his first fight at Bellicose, Bellicose is a whole new level of talent and he hasn’t fought since October last year. Shalak is very technically sound and smart, adapting as the fight goes on... it’d be unfair for me to say he’s a slow starter considering his 1st round knockout last time out but, he definitely likes to use the first round to get a read on his opponent. Onizaru, 2-1 here at Bellicose and known for being a black belt in BJJ, this guy can throw a sub up from any position and have you tapping in seconds, that’s the truth. Coming off a submission loss to former IFC champion and Bellicose title challenger Shingen Takeda, Onizaru will want to put a stamp on his performance against Kamir come Saturday.

Outlaw – Man, what a fight we have on tap here. Kamir is an extremely underrated striker. He hasn’t flashed a ton of KO power, but don’t you doubt for a minute that he doesn’t pack a punch. He’s an elite boxer and pretty damned good at MT also. He’s about to burst onto the scene here at Bellicose. If you don’t believe me, just look at his managers track record with these young prospects. You mentioned that this guy hasn’t fought since October? Well, that may affect his experience a little, but he’s been in the gym working his ass off and preparing for this next dance in the cage. But this will not be a pushover victory for him. His opponent, Ieyasu, is one hell of a grappler where he’s already a black belt in BJJ at this young age. He has some very good striking, not as good as Kamir, but good enough to keep this fight close and look for his chance to take it to the ground. If he gets it on the ground, he’ll have a strong advantage where Kamir will be forced to play pure defense. So rather he gets the submission or just controls and outworks Kamir on the ground, he’ll definitely have a good shot at pulling off the win here.

Jake’s Prediction: This is a hard one for me to predict guys. I love Onizaru, he’s got high level striking with some of the best BJJ at Bellicose but... Kamir can grapple AND has some of the best striking we’ve seen in a long time. I believe it will be a competitive fight but, I can see Onizaru pulling off the submission within the second round.

Outlaw’s Pick – Man, you called it. This is a very difficult fight to pick. If it stays standing, it’s an easy win for Kamir. If it goes to the ground, it’s almost a certain victory for Ieyasu. I guess it really may depend on what kind of defensive skills Kamir has on the ground, but with that time in the gym he’s had, I’m going to guess he has put some work in on the mats so I’ll go with Kamir via TKO victory in the 3rd.

Sonny says: I am going out on the solo limb here and seeing Ieyasu getting the Sub tonight. He should only need 1 takedown and I have the fells he will get it - Round 2 Sub. 

Charles ‘Bikini Killer’ Sobhraj VS Michal Sykora

Jake - Man, the Bikini Killer, a pure veteran here at Bellicose and an absolute warrior. Having an impressive record of 7-8 with a 100% finish rate in the win column, Charles has fought the best of the division including former champions Sean Dash and Boris Borz plus the current title challenger Pee Wee Sasaki. Coming in with some strong boxing with high level wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ, Sobhraj is a very versatile fighter and not someone you want to mess with. Michal Sykora, 5-3 and coming off a 2-fight losing streak, Sykora is looking to make a statement against Sobhraj. His main strengths lie in his Muay Thai and to a less extent, his wrestling. I’d give the striking edge to Sykora however, the grappling is so disproportionate that Sykora will need to have his takedown defense on point for this match up!

Outlaw – I’m not the kind of guy to think of a 7-8 record as impressive, but the fact he’s got 15 fights under his belt is. He’s also racked up 3 awards for his efforts in his career. He’s relied on his wrestling to get his wins and has used some GnP and submissions to get the job done. He’s an aggressive fighter which has exposed him in some fights which is a big reason for his 8 losses. But nobody can argue with your warrior take, as the man is a warrior. This match up favors him as he goes up against a younger guy who has a similar build to him, giving up the wrestling edge for the MT advantage. Sykora boasts a 5-3 record but is coming off back-to-back losses. He’ll want to keep this fight standing and get the finish because if this thing goes to the ground, it’s over. 

Jake’s Prediction: The Bikini Killer should claim another victim in this one, I believe he’ll get the takedown early and either GnP to a finish or wrap him up in a submission. I’ll go for the submission win in the first round!.

Outlaw’s Pick – This fight is pretty simple... keep it standing and Sykora walks away with the win and snaps his streak. Fight on the ground and Sobhraj will dominate. It’s going to be difficult to keep this fight standing which makes me want to lean towards Sobhraj, but I can’t see Sykora dropping 3 in a row so I’ll go with Sykora via TKO victory.

Sonny says: Bikini Killer has too sexy of a nickname not to use exclusively so we will now refer to him ever as such. Further, he should easily grab the first round takedown and the quick first round sub therein. 

Marcus ‘Brash’ Hansen VS Fook ‘Mi’ Man

Jake - Brash is a very well rounded mixed martial artist on a 3-fight win streak (2 out of 3 being TKO’s), on top of this he derailed the Max Payne (4-0 at the time) hype train and caused him to retire after sending him to the shadow realm in the first round... what a f***ing savage! Having quality boxing, respectable Muay Thai, amazing wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ, this man is not afraid to fight in any dimension of mixed martial arts and is truly a problem for anyone who comes across him. Fook Man, 3-0, a win by every way possible and some of the best Muay Thai the division has seen... that spells ‘problem’ right there, folks. My favourite prospect on the roster by far, Fook Man is a scary dude. Despite his Muay Thai being his standout feature, he’s also got high level boxing, very strong wrestling and a brown belt in BJJ. Fook Man is dangerous no matter where the fight goes and has amazing fight IQ!

Outlaw – This is a fairly even fight with the main difference being Man’s MT advantage where he’s literally twice the fighter that Hansen is, ah, who am I kidding, the brown belt is a huge advantage too. On top of that, the man has a maniacal look that intimidates opponents as they don’t know what to think of a man with a Florida Gators cheer leader hair dew. This will be an uphill fight for Hansen but he fears no man and was more than willing to step into the cage. Anything can happen, but expect Man’s manager to have a game plan in place to get another victory here and lead his fighter to a 4-0 start.

Jake’s Prediction: Brash has derailed a promising prospect before but, it’d be wrong of me to say Max Payne was on the level Fook Man is at. Fook Man is a problem and I believe he gets this done with a first round TKO!

Outlaw’s Pick – I’m not even going to elaborate. Man is going to take this fight, it’s just a matter of rather he’s going to do it with his striking or his ground game. He may just let the fight play out and let Hansen determine where the fight takes place and dominate him at his own game.

Sonny says: I’m with you Outlaw. Fook shows huge promise and there are rumors coming out of his gym that the youngster had that real fire to take him far. Although Brash will be a contender and possible champ down the line as well, tonight should be Fook’s.  I’m feeling decision on this one. 

Samuel Summers VS Anthony "THE BEATDOWN " Borrego

Jake - It’s Summertime! Samuel Summers is the prospect we need, but not the one we deserve. Sitting at 4-1 with a 75% finish rate, Summers only loss is to the former champion and next title challenger Kanud Odimabesser (6-1 at the time). Coming off a big UD win over Happy Chukwudu (4-3 at the time), Summers has some strong momentume going into this fight. Let’s not forget the fact his boxing is second to none and he reps a purple belt in BJJ, watch out. Borrego, a submission machine and grappling technician. This man can throw up a submission attempt from anywhere and nine times out of ten, finish it there and then. Coming into this fight at 4-0, with four straight submission wins... this guy’s morale and momentum is out of this world. The air of invincibility still hangs around this guy and we’re waiting for someone to test it.

Outlaw – It’s starting to look like a theme here, another fight where one fighter will stand and bang and look to dominate the game from range while the other will just be waiting for his chance to get it to the ground. Summers is a hell of a boxer and will be looking for a KO victory while Borrego will want to get this fight to the ground as quickly as possible as he’s completely outmatched on the feet. But his brown belt will give him an avenue to victory if he can get this fight on the ground. 

Jake’s Prediction: When I said there were stellar matchups on this card, this is definitely one of them... how am I supposed to pick a winner out of these two? It’s no secret I am a huge fan of Samuel Summers but, Borrego is a dangerous grappler. I’m going with Samuel Summers due to his exposure to higher level opposition and his more well-rounded skillset. Summers via unanimous decision (29-28 or 30-27).

Outlaw – Summers will win this one. He’ll avoid the ground at all costs and look to score a counter power shot to end the night via KO. And when his opponent’s manager is a multi, I couldn’t even pull for him if I thought he was going to win. This will be Borrego’s last fight in Bellicose as he will join the rest of his manager’s cybor twins on the unemployed list once he’s free from this fight contract.

Sonny says: Again I am with Outlaw on this one. Summers is better than people think - and people think he is damn good - so he will lay down the first round KO tonight. 

"The People’s Champ" Nero Hardy VS Arax Lightspeed

Jake - The former champion and people’s champion, Nero Hardy! Losing his title in his last outing against Rock Romero definitely has to be on the back of his mind, but I have no doubts that Nero Hardy is looking to make a big statement in his return to the cage against Arax Lightspeed. Sitting at an impressive 7-2 record with a 71% finish rate and never being finished himself, Nero Hardy is a well-rounded, iron chinned, adaptable beast of a man. Utilizing high level boxing, amazing wrestling and his black belt in BJJ, this guy is a terror in all areas of the fight (especially once it hits the mat). Arax Lightspeed, 4-2, high level striking, NCAA Div 1 level wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ... Nero Hardy is dodging no one! Also coming off a loss himself to Motshan Bogachev (5-2 at the time) via unanimous decision, Arax has only been finished once (submission) and he, himself, has a strong 75% finish rate. Arax is a technical striker that hits damn hard but can also grapple with the best of them! I wouldn’t want to step into the cage with either of these men.

Outlaw – The main card! We’ve made it! And to kick things off, we have the former champ looking to bounce back in this one. He won the belt from Romero and then turned around and defended it against Romero (and lost) in his very next fight. These things don’t happen often, but when your top contender’s manager takes a vacation and turns off his phone for months on end, sometimes you’ve just got to move on. Nero’s strong point is his black belt that he’s used to get 3 submission victories. But he’s got some solid boxing and wrestling to go with that so he can take his time on his feet and wait for the right time to get the fight to the ground. This will be a tough fight for him though as his wrestling is about even with Lightspeed, but he will give up a significant striking advantage. Lightspeed is a hell of a striker with exceptional boxing and MT skills, and has shown the ability to end a fight with his fights as he’s gotten a KO and two TKO victors so far. Lightspeed, much like Hardy, is coming off a tough decision loss and one of these two will snap that streak in this one.

Jake’s Prediction: Arax has the clear striking advantage; however, Hardy has the clear grappling advantage. I’m torn but, I’m going to have to go with the former champ here, he’s fought at the highest level and gone 5 rounds on multiple occasions, on top of this he’s a damn black belt. Hardy via 3rd round submission win.

Outlaw’s Pick – Well, I really want to pull for Hardy here. He was the champ and his manager is none other than Bellicose’s own Sonny Muchacho. But this is going to be possibly a more difficult fight than his last against Romero, and Lightspeeds manager is one of the better ones in the business. I have to go with Lightspeed here via TKO in round 2.

Sonny says: I am obviously abstaining on this pick. Best of luck!

Datte "Believe It" Bayo VS Sammy Nyla

Jake - Lightweights stand up! Datte Bayo has turned me to a believer, being 4-2 in Bellicose and 7-2 overall, it’s hard not to begin buying into the hype. Coming off a big UD win over Aktiv Vajag in his last outing, Datte is no doubt looking for another finish as that was the only time he has gone to the scorecards. Datte is a high-level striker with amazing wrestling and a blue belt in BJJ, he is well rounded but my only concern for this guy is that his Jiu-Jitsu is not to the standard that I’d expect from a fighter of his caliber and level within the promotion. His wrestling certainly neutralizes other grapplers but... I feel if he’d worked towards his purple belt at the very least, he’d definitely be one to look out for! Sammy Nyla, four fight win streak and four straight TKO’s! Nyla is a proficient striker with Olympian level wrestling and a purple belt in BJJ. Being 4-1 in Bellicose is no easy feat to accomplish, Sammy Nyla has done this in the most brutal fashion possible and has destroyed four high level fighters in a row now, if he gets through Datte Bayo on Saturday, there’s no denying this man is on his way for a title shot.

 

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