2012-11-03
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IMMA 96 MonsterBash

Event Preview: IMMA 96: Monster Bash
EVOLUTION (288K+)
2012-10-31, Los Angeles, LA Memorial Colossuseum
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 With their halloween card, IMMA is once again trying to contend for the global number one spots, with legends such as Aleksi Borga and Igor Glozman on the card, and four title fights in total this pay per view is looking to be one of, if not the biggest IMMA has ever done. 

But let's skip the small talk and dive right into the fights: 

Main event - Lightweight title fight: Boris "Sensi" Cekada 35-9-1 (7-1 IMMA) vs. Seppo "Suppo" Taalasmaa 36-16 (3-0 IMMA) 

After winning the last ass beater tournament and becoming a millionaire, Boris Cekada has decided to stay with IMMA and take a swing or two at their lightweight champion, the Finnish superstar Seppo Taalasmaa. Now these two veterans have 46 finishes between them, and are both incredible grapplers, so expect this fight to hit the mat and stay there, but let's break down the incredible careers these two have had. 

The current champion Taalasmaa has had an amazing career, and with 36 victories against some of the best fighters in the world should tell you, this olympic level wrestler does most of his fighting on the ground, but later on in his career he has learned the art of striking someone in the head repeatedly without the mount. 

The 36 year old was a semi-finalist in openweight league-based tournament that NFC did losing to Hiro Protagonist one of the best knockout artists in the world. After this tournament he did go on to win the prestigious NFC lightweight belt from Takanori Gomi. 

But even before this he was a champion, as he fought in the early days of Russian Mob Fighting, and was a dominant champion in their lightweight division. All together he has held three belts and been in fourteen title fights, so one person who I can guarantee will have nerves of steel tonight, it will be Taalasmaa. 



But if there is one lightweight in Finland who has just as impressive a resume as Taalasmaa, then it's Boris Cekada, who has not only been in sixteen title fights, but as mentioned previously he won the IMMA ass beater tournament in a dominating fashion. 

Cekada is riding a six fight winning streak and in his last fifteen fights has only lost once. Being on the verge of greatness, Cekada will surely look to grab a hold off his opponent and get that sweat sweat tap. 

Seeing as this fight will most likely go to the ground, who knows how it will turn out, both are great wresters, decent strikers and excellent submission artists, I'm guessing either a draw or a late submission for Cekada in this one folks, and you? 



Co main event - Heavyweight: Llewelyn Carter 21-6 (1-0 IMMA) vs. Gregorio "GSP" San Pedro 21-5-1 (IMMA debut) 

If you happen to get a chance to see this fight, I would suggest getting earmuffs, because either someone or both are going home tonight with broken skulls and shaken brains, that's for sure. Both are elite strikers a proverbial trail of broken bodies and twisted dreams trailing their careers up to this point. 

With thirteen first round finishes GSP can be summarized as one bad motherfucker, coming from a boxing background he has never left much doubt in the minds of his opponents that he mean business, unfortunately for some of them, they can barely string together a coherent sentence if he's allowed to apply his handywork. 

But Carter is of the same mold, 16 knockouts in 27 fights is a mean feat, and the always athletic Carter will be looking to explode and get off first on Sand Pedro and put him on the defense. 

Both fighters have champion material in their heads and explosive material in their fists, I foresee a short and brutal fight. Rocky freeze frame ending anyone? 



Light heavyweight title fight: "F*ck the Cheerleader" Hiro Nakamura 19-4 (2-0 IMMA) vs. Mike "Do It Right" Holmes 21-3 (1-0 IMMA) 

The champion Hiro Nakamura has shown himself to be a great offensive wrestler, as he either puts his opponents on their back and punching them in the head, or ragdolls them in the clinch and caving their skulls in, not a pleasant fighter to face off against, especially when you look at his finishing rate. He has 15 out of 19 victories, and if his wrestling is the determining factor, Holmes will be just another name on the list. 

But that is however, only one of the two likely outcomes, the other is that Holmes manages to keep his distance and tee off utilizing his striking prowess. Because that is what Holmes likes to do, having never gone for a takedown in his career, he only learned ground fighting as a necessity for defense, and never as an offensive tool, now we will see if that is enough when he fights one of the world's best wrestlers, Hiro Nakamura. 



Heavyweight title fight: Mirian Cregov 25-7-1 (2-0 IMMA) vs. "Johny Boy" John Esposito 21-7 (1-0 IMMA) 

Riding a four fight winning streak, the former Syn and current IMMA champion Mirian Cregov has regained his momentum. After losing to some top caliber fighters he is back and swinging for the fences. Having won two of his last four fights in the first round, and all by knockout, stepping into the cage with Cregov is less than a pleasant affair. 

But neither is facing off against top level kick boxer John Esposito, who has a stunning 20 finishes to his name, 15 in the first round Esposito's only real weakness is that he himself is prone to slipping into a coma when hit too hard. 

Regardless, this is a great fight with two powerful knockout artists, and I'll be damned if one doesn't leave in a body bag. 



Middleweight title fight: Igor "pure evil" Glozman 33-12 (5-2 IMMA) vs. "Handsome" Kauno Kaalikorva 27-9 (2-1 IMMA) 

Having fought each other for the title once before, we will get to see how much two veterans of MMA are able to adjust their strategies coming into a rematch. 

In their last fight Kaalikorva was completely unable to implement his gameplan, he missed all, but one takedown, which lead to absolutely nothing on the ground, and in the clinch where he is usually quite effective he also got manhandled. His team's job for tonight is to find a different strategy so he won't end up admiring the ceiling tiles once more. 

And obviously, all Igor Glozman is focused on is repeating their last bout, which ended with a second round TKO. 

Throughout his career, Glozman has always been quite a tournament fighter, having fought in three major tournaments, winning one, this knockout artist has traveled the world and seen it all, and when he sets his eyes on someones gold, he is condign for it swinging for the friggin fences. 

And that's how I think this fight will go down, Glozman coming out like a rabid bull, and Kaalikrova diving for a takedown at all costs to try and get away from the powerhouse that is Igor Glozman. 



Heavyweight: Aleksi "Viikinki" Borga 33-12 (10-3 IMMA) vs. Umberto "Golden Machete" Duran 19-10 (0-1 IMMA) 

Aleksi Borga is really pumping new life into his career, going from gatekeeper status in Syn and Russian combat, to real title contender in IMMA. This legend of the sport has been in many wars, unfortunately for him, his most profiled bouts have ended up in losses. But Borga is never to be counted out, and this incredible striker will surely put Duran's chin to an extreme stress test. 

A test The "Golden Machete" hopefully can withstand, at least long enough to give the fans an awesome slugfest. 

Duran is just as dangerous as Borga, coming from a boxing background he has made a living from his heavy hands and being able to connect them to an opponent's chin like glue. 

Both fighters have been prone to getting knocked out however, and I foresee this being a quick affair with Borga's hand being raised in victory.

 

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