THE CLINCH REPORT

Rocky Ramirez  (204) Vs  Brandon Halsey (205) Light Heavyweight

Rd 1: Big left hand from Ramirez, prompts Halsey to shoot, and he lands the takedown in side control now. Mount as Ramirez rolls, Halsey lands big elbows, Vicicous ground and pound by Halsey. Ramierez gives up his back, both hooks are in as the chokes is applied, but Ramirez defends well. Ramirez escapes but Halsey wont let him up, and again is looking for the back.  Stuck half way between the back and mount,  the round comes to an end. We give it to Halsey 10-9 Halsey but easily could have been 10 -8

Rd2: Round starts with both fighters pawing jabs. Halsey shoots again and immediately returns to a dominant position. Now in Side control, Halsey again starts the ground and pound.  Big elbows for Halsey land. Halsey dominating once again. Ramirez seems to have no answer for Halsey’s ground game. Halsey with more elbows, that seem to have caused a Huge hemmatoma over Ramirez’s eye. Round comes to an end, another dominant round for Halsey. 10-8

Rd3. Immediately Halsey takes the fight to the ground. This time he is able to secure an arm in choke. Ramirez taps at .50 of round 3.

Winner: Brandon Halsey via Arm in Triangle Choke :50 rd 3

Shad Smith  Vs Aaron Miller Featherweight Bout

Rd1: Smith pushes the early action as Miller lands leg kicks moving backwards. Still moving forward Smith lands a big one, two. More leg kicks from Miller, this time to the outside. Smith starting to land with more consistency, as Miller continues to back pedal. Fight goes to the ground, with Miler landing in side control. Miller looking for a kimura, but Smith defends well. The round comes to an end tough round to score. 10-9 Smith

Rd2: Miller able to secure an early take down. Now in Smith’s guard, but not much happening. Miller transitions to the back, Smith defending well, but no Miller flattens him out. Big elbows to the side of Smiths head. More elbows, but Smith covering up well. Miller than grabs a hold of a leg, and starts looking for the knee bar. Looks deep as the round ends. 10-9 Miller

Rd3: Again Miller able to secure a take down, as Smith pulls guard. Miller looking to transition to the mount, but defended well by Smith. Smith turns the table and momentarily looks for the arm bar. Miller escapes, and now back in Smith’s guard. Smith is able to transition to the back. Again looking for the knee bar, but Miller lets it go and decides to pursue the choke instead. Miller looks for an arm, and softens Smith up with a few hammer fists as the fight comes to an end. Miller 10-9

Winner: Aaron Miller via Unanimous Decision

Josh Appelt  Vs Manny Lara Heavyweight Bout

Rd1: Lara slams Appelt agaisnt the cage looking for an early take down. Appelt defends well, But Lara has a double leg, and immediately parlays it into a take down. Appelt back to his feet, and lands a big right hand. Appelt now on Lara’s back as both fighters go to the ground. Appelt Postures and lands big punches from the side. lara back to his feet as the clinch ensues. Appelt switches positions and gets another take down, and begins to land left hands to the head of his grounded opponent. Lara storms back landing heavy hands that has Appelt on his bicycle. Lara catches him again with an illegal blow, and referee Big John stops the action. Action resumes and Appelt again in side control as the round comes to an end. 10-9

Rd2: Apelt looks for another take down, as Lara lands Hammer fists in response. Appelt  on top again, and landing elbows and left hands to the mid section of Lara. More ground and pound from Appelt, as Lara looks to get back to his feet. Lara reversed and starts to land lefts and rights as he takes Appelts back. Late flurry may have stole the round for Lara, however Appelt controlled most of the round so we see it 10-9 Appelt

Rd3: Fighters hug to start the round. Appelt with a nice jab. Lara responds with a front kick and leg kick combo that lands. Lara with his back against the cage seems to be playing possum, but Appelt isnt buying it. More jabs from Appelt,and a nice right cross. Appelt again able to drag Lara to the mat. Appelt landing punches to the head of Lara as Lara flails he clips  Appelt low stopping the action again. Appelt bull rushes on the restart pushing Lara against the fence. Lara jockeying for an escape, but Appelt wont let him go, and takes him back to the mat. Now in side control, But Lara is gets back to his feet and starts swinging for the fences, some of them land clean as Appelt retreats. Too little to late. Appelt 10-9

Winner: Appelt via Unanimous Decision 30-24 (two fouls)

Richard Rigmaden Vs Keith Berry Middleweight Bout

Rd1: Big right hand by Rigmaden gets Berry’s attention as he shoots and immediately drags the fight to the ground. Berry working in Rigmaden’s loose guard. Berry grabs an arm, and rolls to the opposite hip, forcing the tap.

Winner: Berry via Submission (Kimura) 1:20 Rd 1

Akop Stepanyan  Vs Chris Saunders Lightweight Bout

Rd1: Both fighters feeling each other out, as action starts off slow. Stepanyan landing snapping kicks, as Saunders is moving to his right, then starts moving to his left. Stepanyan looking to load up on his right hand, but Saunders moving swiftly. Head kick by Stepanyan lands, as Saunders starts to work his own leg kicks. Stepanyan countering well, and landing the heavier shots so far. Spinning back fist by Saunders just misses. Big liver kick by Stepanyan. and follows with a high kick to the face. Stepanyan with a standing guillotine, but the round comes to an end. Stepanyan 10-9

Rd2: Saunders again starts with the leg kicks as Stepanyan counters with a jab cross combo. Saunders mid section showing the sings of Stepanyan’s kicks.  Kick lands low on Saunders and Referee John McCarthy stops the action. Touch of the gloves, and action resumes. More kicks from Stepanyan find their mark.Spin kick just misses, as Stepanyan chops a leg that momentarily drops Saunders. Another head kick from Stepanyan, prompts a shot from Saunders but, Stepanyan gets away. More kicks from Stepanyan have Saunders midsection looking very red. Saunders lands a nice leg kick as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Stepanyan

Rd3: Saunders starts the round with some urgency, and catches Stepanyan dropping him with a left momentarily. Now Stepanyan drops Saunders for a second with a counter right hand. Both fighters trade kicks, and Saunders with another to Stepanyan’s liver. Saunders now the much busier fighter, as Stepanyan is picking his shots methodically. Saunders goes down from a low blow, but Big John doesnt see it, Stepanyan re engages, and starts dropping lefts and rights to the grounded Saunders, they seem academic. Big John Stops the fight.

Winner: Stepanyan via TKO 3:50 rd 3

Sabah Homasi Vs Ricky Legere Welterweight Bout *Legere missed weight(sacrafices 20% of his purse)

Rd1: Homasi takes the center of the cage only to be pushed back by Legere. Big knee by Homasi lands, but Legere still in control. Another knee y Homasi stagger Legere momentarily. Inside elbow by Homasi lands. Followed by a pne two combination. Legere shoots, and slams Homasi to the mat. Transitioning to the back Legere has both hooks in. Elbows from Legere land, as Homasi covers up. More hammer fists as Herb Dean looks in. Homasi is in trouble. Legere looking to choke, but then decides to soften him up with punches. End of the round finds Legere on top and in control 10-9 Legere.

Rd2: Homasi starts with a leg kick jab, that pushes Legere back. More heavy hands from Homasi force Legere to shoot, and he successfully get Homasi down, and achieves mount. Legere stuck in half guard, looks to mount and does. Hip escape by Homasi fails. Legere transitions to the back, and again starts softening Homasi up with hooks to the side of the head. The choke looks like its deep, and it is. Homasi is forced to tap.

Rd3:

Nick Piedmont (146) Vs Cleber Luciano (144.6)

Popo Bezerra  Vs Mike Richman Featherweight Tournament Semi Finals

Rd1: Popo starts out with a leg kick, as Richman switches stances. Popo shoots, but Richman defends well momentarily, than lands on his back but pops up quickly. Popo holding on to the single leg, as Richman looks to escape. Popo drags Richman to the mat, but again Richman wall walks back to his feet. Popo brings it back donwn to the ground and takes Richmans back,. Richman defending the choke well. Richman sitting up, often to avoid the choke, but time ticks away and the round comes to an end. Popo Bezerra 10-9 in a very slow first round.

Rd2: Richman starts the round well landing jabs and crosses, but Popo counters well with movement. More straight lefts from Richman find their mark, as Pop is breathing with his mouth open. Richman finding success with straight punches. Popo is looking to load up, but is already showing signs of fatigue. Blood from Popo’s nose. Head kick by Popo lands. Fighters are trading single shots, with Richman looking the sharper of the two. Giving that frame to Richman 10-9

Rd3: Both fighters trading punches two and three at a time. Richman still utiliing those straight punches. Popo shoots, and gets a takedown transitionin from north south position to side control. Richman defending the mount, but Popo is scoring. Swiftly Popo transitions to the back, but Richman is hand fighting and using the cage well to avoid any damage. Richman reverses landing in Popo’s closed guard. Richman stands forcing Popo to rise.  More straight punched from Richman find their mark. No Popo is landing with the jab, Richman rocks Popo with a right. One two from Richman, Both fighter trade to the bell. Tough round and fight to score. We have the round and the fight going to Richman.

Winner: Via Split Decision Mike Richman 

Dan Cramer  Vs Brett Cooper Welterweight Tournament Semi Finals

Rd1: Cramer drops Cooper right away, but the ground game is underway. Cooper looking to scramble but  Cramer keeps him smothered. Cramer now transitions to the back and has both hooks in, however Cooper defending well. Cramer still looking to sink the choke, but Cooper with the switch, reverses position as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Cramer

Rd2: Round begins with both fighters engaged in a clinch. Cramers back to the fence, very little action, Cramer now reverses and begins to land lefts and rights. But back to the clinch. Knees from Cramer land, as Cooper starting to bleed. More big shots from Cramer. Cooper is in trouble, but will survive the round. 10-9 Cramer

Rd3: Cramer counters a looping Cooper right with one two. As Cooper retreats Cramer follows with a stiff left hand. Cooper secures a take down after a brief clinch, and lands momentarily in  Cramers closed guard before returning to their feet. Cooper lands a big right hand a left that has Cramer on dream street. He tries to stand but falls again, and again as Big John has seen enough, and steps in to halt the contest at 3:19 of rd 3.

Winner Brett Cooper via KO 3:19

Sultan Aliev  Vs Doug Marshall Middleweight Tournament Semi Finals

Rd1: Marshall starts out the aggressor, but Aliev drags the fight to the ground. Marshall trying to land from his back.  But Aliev is smothering him up against the cage. Marshall closes the guard and is looking for a triangle, but Aliev shrugs it off. Hammerfists land on Marshall’s jaw. Marshall trying his best to control Aliev’s posture. Marshall back to his feet as he glances at the clock. Knee to the body by Marshall. Back to the mat, where Aliev continues to control Marshall. Herb Dean looking for action, stands up the fighters. Marshall bull rushes but is sent to his back again as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Aliev

Rd2: Big head kick by Marshall rocks Aliev. Who looks to shoot again, as he again brings the fight to the ground. Now inside the closed guard of Marshall, Aliev begins jockeying for position.Herb Dean again calls for acton as both fighters are brought back to their feet. Marshall landing ones and twos, as Aliev again shoots successfully  but Marshall springs back to his feet. The round comes to an end, as both fighters look exhausted. 10-9 Aliev

Rd3: Both fighters touch gloves, as Marshall pursues Aliev across the cage. Aliev taking Mrashall’s back, but he is able to pop back up and lands a few hooks, as Aliev again looks for the take down. Marshall pressed against the fence as the crowd calls for action. Once again Herb Dean stands them up, and Aliev on his bicycle. Marshall again falls into the clinch of Aliev who again takes him down. Marshall busy from the bottom, landing lefts and rights. Big right hand drops Aliev and another as the bell sounds. 10-9 Aliev despite the late flurry by Marshall.

Winner via Split Decision Doug Marshall moves on to the tournament finals against Brett Cooper

Froddo Khasbulaev  Vs Marlon Sandro Featherweight Tournament Semi Finals

Rd1: Start of the round finds both fighters in the clinch. Low blow  by Sandro forces an early stoppage. Khasbulaev in obvious pain, as he is taking quite a bit of time to recover. Finally back to his feet, he looks like he is ready. Here we go. Sandro lands a nice left, but Khasbulaev scores a take down. Sandro back up, as he separates. Big right hand by Khasbulaev, who immediately grabs an arm. Armbar looks deep by Khasbalaev, But Sandro spins free. Sandro now working inside the guard of Sandro. Khasbalaev rollsm abd ends up on top with a deep Kimura that Sandro escapes. Now in the mount Khasbalaev rains down hammerfists as the round draws to a close. Khasbalaev 10-9

Rd2: Spinning heel kick by Khasbalaev misses. Left hand leg kick by Khasbalaev is countered by a left from Sandro. Back in the clinch, Khasbalaev again controls the Brazillian on the ground. Nice sweep by Sandro, finds him in Khasbalaev’s half guard. Sandro flattening out Khasbalaev and looking for the choke. Now transfers to the arm in choke, but Khasbulaev breaks free. Both fighters standing again. Three punch combo by Khasbulaev followe by another take down. The Russian is now posturing up and landing good strikes on the ground. Again Khasbulaev isolates an arm, but Sandro breaks away and grabs a single leg. Khasbulaev is able to sweep int half guard where the round comes to an end. 10-9 Khasbulaev

Rd3: Inside trip by Khasbulaev from the clinch finds the fight in familiar position. Sandro is in a tough position as Khasbulaev traps an arm and begins to land right hands to the side of Sandro’s head. Now standing Sandro cannot get away. Again Khasbalaev takes the fight down.  More ground strikes land, as referee Big John McCarthy steps in to stop the fight.

Winner: Khasbulaev via TKO Rd 3