by Mike Pisano

Fight 1 –  Evan Conver V. EJ Howe (Grappling)

Round 1- Fighters circled then clinched. Howe transitioned from a high guillotine choke to half guard ground control. He worked a Kimura before gaining full mount and securing an arm triangle choke. He then moved off the mount to bring his hips forward and tighten his lock from the side. The referee, watching closely, stopped the contest before Conver went unconscious as he did not tap. 

Fight 2- Brandon Garcia V. Andrew Lipp

Round 1- Seconds into the bout Garcia connected with a huge overhand right to the side of Lipp’s head. Lipp clutched Garcia in a clinch and lifted him head high for forceful slam. All-out effort followed on the ground and Lipp elbows and body punches could be heard as they connected on Garcia. The referee paused the action to warn Lipp for strikes to the back of the head. As action resumed standing, Garcia launched and landed big punches that were felt by Lipp. Lipp fired back. The referee again halted the action to warn both fighters for illegal strikes which were clearly unintentional as the fight was simply so competitive and wide open. Action resumed with more wide open exchanges of punches and kicks; both fighters demonstrating ability to absorb punishment. Garcia got a takedown off of a kick by Lipp then easily transitioned into full mount with Lipp’s corner shouting, “Relax! Relax!” Garcia maneuvered around to Lipp’s back and sunk in rear naked but didn’t have a body lock.

Round 2 – Lipp opened with a forceful left hook and leg kick which landed with precision. Garcia looking slightly fresher responded with left rights to the face then got caught with a right at the end of the exchange. Garcia lunged, knocking Lipp off balance and found himself with a head and arm choke. He tried to rotate but Lipp defended with an explosive reversal and worked for a rear naked choke although he didn’t have Garcia’s hips secured and Garcia escaped to stand-up. Garcia, bleeding from the nose, tagged Lipp with a huge left hand that sent his mouthpiece flying and coaxed even more noise from the already amped crowd as the bell sounded.

Round 3 – Lipp’s corner called for head movement as Lipp was still wobbly from Round 2. Both fighters were understandably tired but Garcia, still the fresher of the two, settled into a flow of punches. Lipp countered. Garcia then dropped Lipp with a similar left hook to the one he shook him with at the end of Round 2. Garcia pounced and used the last of his energy to pound Lipp on the mat with the referee watching closely. Lipp had absolutely no quit in him as his corner screamed, “Get up, get up” but he had taken too much damage and the referee moved in to prevent further injury stopping the fight at 2:27.

Fight 3-  Dominick Garkow V. Paul Pruett

Round 1- The fighters touched up and Pruett missed with a wild head kick. Garkow spun him into a clinch and used a powerful twisting takedown to gain half mount. Pruett quickly reversed him and worked for a choke with Garkow’s corner instructing Garkow to “push his face away”. Pruett landed strikes to the face prompting Garkow to roll to his stomach and cover up. Pruett seized the opening with a fight ending rear naked. Tap out at 2:33.

Fight 4- Brian Montoya V. Michael Stanfield

Round 1- Montoya punched his way in for head control and then did damage with knees in bunches.  Montoya maintained head control continuing knee strikes until Stanfield finally freed his head and let his hands go landing blows to the face of Montoya. Montoya, stunned, immediately grabbed head control again and rested in the clinch. As Stanfield broke loose a second time, Montoya landed a flurry of punches and Stanfield landed an unintentional knee to the groin prompting referee Eric Heinz to pause the action and explain to Montoya that he had 5 minutes in which to recover. Montoya took only a few seconds but the bell sounded before either fighter got off any more offense. 

Round 2- The fighters traded kicks, Montoya’s to the leg and Stanfield’s to the body. Stanfield followed up with two more body kicks buckling Montoya. Stanfield, now the aggressor, looked for strike openings showing hand speed and backing Montoya into the cage with the crowd responding to the momentum shift. Montoya applied the familiar head lock this time landing a knee to the face for which he received a warning. Montoya threw a leg kick and then both men opened up their hands. After the exchange, Montoya landed a knee strike to Stanfield’s groin area and Stanfield was given 5 minutes but resumed fighting almost immediately as well. Stanfield then exploded with a strong overhand right that caused an immediate, golf ball sized swelling to the cheek of Montoya and dazed him. A fast and powerful flurry follow by Stanfield ended the fight by TKO at 1:52.