THE CLINCH REPORT

Photos By: John Walsh The Clinch Report

Story By: Jonathan King The Clinch Report

 

Once again all hell broke loose at The San Manuel Indian Casino(follow @SanManuelCasino on Twitter), during The King if The Cage Restitution event. The fighters performances shadowed a late minute main event cancellation that threatened to put a damper on the evening. Nick Rossborough injured his back in training and was unable to compete against heavyweight champion Tony Lopez. Unable to find a replacement, the bout was scraped leaving the fight card one title fight short.

However once the show started and the fighters took control, the performances produced a virtual highlight reel of fight footage. In the opener Marcelo Mafra utilized his dominating wrestling and ground game to control a very game Joshua Miranda who was on the defensive and his back for most of the fight. The effort earned Mafra a unanimous decision victory.

Daniel Hernandez needed only 1:20 to secure a guillotine choke submission victory over Kenny Ento. After an aggressive take down by Hernandez, Ento exposed his neck allowing Hernandez to pull a chancery position that he parlayed into the choke. Hernandez has looked dominant in past few fights. His dominant wrestling and heavy hands have to be drawing some stares from fellow 185lbs contenders.

The third fight was over in a heartbeat. Carlos Ortega landed a huge left hand that immediately staggered Charles Lee. Lee on his bicycle, tried to create space to regain his composure but Ortega swarmed. A heavy right hand from the stalking Ortega dropped the wobbled Lee, forcing the referee to interrupt some rather academic ground and pound.

After a few quick KO’s, Vince Alaalatoa and Manny Murillo change the dynamic by treating the audience to a tightly contested battle that left both combatants bruised, bloodied, and swollen. In the end, Murillo utilized his clinch game, and dirty boxing to secure a tightly scored split decision. Alaalatoa valiantly rallied late in the third round, with a flurry of straight lefts and rights, that staggered Murillo who seemed to be on the balance beam when the final bell rang.

After that grueling fight things returned to form as Alejandro Garcia needed only 3:54 to knockout heavily favored veteran Roberto Vargas. Garcia frustrated Vargas from the opening bell, and snapped cracking leg kicks one after the other keep Vargas out of range. After a right hand, leg kick combination Garcia reset, and unleashed a devastating leg kick to Vargas’s front leg that swept him off his feet. Garcia pounced on the downed Vargas, and took his back. Once he flattened Vargas out he began to pummel the sides of his head with left and right hooks, from the back mount. A big right hand sapped Vargas, and the referee stepped in stopping the fight. A huge win for Garcia, and a tough loss for the journeyman Vargas.

In the co-main event, Joshua Aveles survived and early take down from welter weight champion Sam Liera, by quickly popping back up to his feet. Liera still with his back, unsuccessfully attempted to suplex Aveles back to the mat, however Aveles broke free and returned to his Muay Thai foundation. Surviving another clinch, and brief take down Aveles stood and landed a huge left hand on the exit that had Liera out on his feet. The right hand that followed ended all doubt as Liera fell prone to the canvas clearly unconscious.  The win earns Joshua Aveles the KOTC Welterweight Title, and adds to his impressive highlight knockout reel.

Sean Strickland maybe The King of The Cage’s pound for pound champion. Coming off his first title defense, Strickland was set to face off with veteran striker Bill Albrecht. Both fighters appeared wary of the other. Neither was willing to commit to any sort of combination. Strickland pushed the pace landing a jab, right hand combination that he followed with a take down. Albrecht tried to defend against the mount, but Strickland swiftly transitioned to the mount and began landing powerful strikes that forced Albrecht to cover up. The referee stepped in stopping the fight at 2:41 of the very first round. Strickland continues his undefeated streak, and remains the KOTC top prospect, and Middleweight champion.