By Mike Pisano

Fight 1 – Lilly Orozco vs. Rosa Acevedo (Thai) – 120

Round 1 – Acevedo engaged Orozco immediately with a body kick and an overhand right which seemed to anger Orozco who fired back head shots. The ladies stood and banged, Acevedo landing the crisper, more accurate strikes. Orozco gave no ground, but the strikes of Acevedo seemed to do more damage.

Round 2 – Orozco opened with a hard body kick and a left-right to the face of Acevedo. Acevedo answered with hard right hands that snapped Orozco’s head back. Orozco returned the favor with a power right of her own as the action continued furiously until the bell.

Round 3 – Acevedo obliged her corner who was shouting for double and triple jabs. Orozco gave no ground until she was staggered with a left hook. Acevedo capitalized immediately, pinning her against the fence with a flurry and landing knees to the body then going upstairs. Orozco’s mouth piece was hanging from her mouth as she gasped for air and went to the mat after several more power kicks to the body from Acevedo. Orozco got to her feet immediately though and, motivated by members of the crowd shouting, “Come on Lilly!” she finished the round trading blows and pleasing the crowd. Judges: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 – Acevado

Fight 2 – Matt Davis vs. Chance Riggs – 155

Round 1 – Davis entered the cage to warm cheers from many of his fans in attendance. Riggs was the first to do damage though with a sharp high kick to Davis’ cheek. Riggs kept the pressure on, blasting Davis six feet into the cage with a straight kick to the gut causing Davis to pause in frustration. Riggs gave him no time to regroup, tagging him with a barrage of punches, wrestling him to the mat and locking in a north-south choke to tap him at 1:16. Davis sat up immediately and pounded the canvas in frustration.

Fight 3 – Brian Aigner vs. Darryn Fallis – 155

Round 1 – Fallis landed a hard jab and Aigner a head kick. Fallis, bleeding from underneath his eye pursued Aigner landing strikes and keeping Aigner off balance. Aigner got a slam but Fallis escaped and quickly stood the action again, but now bleeding heavily from the nose as well. Aigner scored a head toss but lost position on the ground and Fallis stood the action again where he was scoring well. Aigner tagged Fallis with a strong left hook to the side of the head right before the bell.

Round 2 – Aigner hurt Fallis with a power high kick then followed up with a hook and two devastating uppercuts that that dropped Fallis’ hands to his side and prompted the referee to call a stoppage to the bout. Fallis offered no argument. Time: 13 seconds.

Fight 4 – Eddie Jaramillo vs. Benjamin Lujo – 155

Round 1 – The crowd was vocal for this battle between two debut fighters from rival fight gyms in Ft. Collins. Lujo fired speedy strikes.  Jaramillo, the shorter of the two, dipped in and out of Lujo’s reach to land his offense. Lujo scored a takedown from a clinch along the cage and took mount. Jaramillo forced a scramble, escaped an armbar then took Lujo’s back just before the bell as the crowd appreciated the quality action.

Round 2 – Both men looked well-conditioned as they reassumed the fast pace of the first round. Jaramillo got a takedown off of a fast shot, got reversed briefly by Lujo then scrambled and regained his feet. The crowd cheered for the ground action as it was clear both of these amateurs possessed good ground and standup. Jaramillo got another takedown and Lujo reversed, landing ground and pound until the bell.

Round 3 – The crowd was live as the referee signaled the fighters to get it on. Jaramillo was bleeding from the nose as the two stood toe to toe and banged, Jaramillo’s corner shouting, “Stay on him Eddie! Stay on him!” Lujo stung Jaramillo with more jabs to the nose and Jaramillo landed big body kicks but Lujo seemed to have more in the tank, forcing the pace, using superior speed and scoring with a variety of strikes.  Judges: 30-27, 30-28, 30-27 – Lujo

Fight 5 – Joe Gonzalez vs. Andrew Hathaway – 165

Round 1 – After a mean stare-down, the fighters got right to business. Hathaway scored a big slam but Gonzalez fought to his feet and dug punches to the body of Hathaway. Hathaway got another slam and Gonzalez stood up again, hammering Hathaway’s liver and kidneys with right hands as Hathaway stayed low, arms locked around Gonzalez’ legs, taking him down again and again. Gonzalez, bleeding from a cut over his left eye was anything but lazy on the mats but Hathaway was relentless with his wrestling.

Round 2 – Hathaway scored more double leg slams and both fighters worked. Hathaway used ground and pound when he could and the crowd cheered each time Gonzalez would regain his feet, hammer Hathaway’s liver and kidneys, then get slammed again. 1:42

Round 3 – Both fighters were in great condition, looking fresh to start the third round. Hathaway got his double leg to the astonishment of no one, worked ground and pound, transitioned to Gonzalez’ back, flattened him out and pounded his face until Gonzalez gave up the rear naked choke. Time: 1:42

Fight 6 – Al Johnson vs. Endy Gonzalez – 165

Round 1 – Johnson used his significant height advantage to land a kick from half way across the cage. Gonzalez hurt him with a left hook and a right, then Johnson dropped Gonzalez with a straight right and took mount. Gonzalez reversed, passed guard and worked ground and pound. He had Johnson’s back at the ten second mark and appeared close to sinking a rear naked choke.

Round 2 – Johnson threw straight kicks and Gonzalez scored with a left. He clinched then took Johnson to the mat. Johnson reversed and passed guard, but Gonzalez rolled out. Johnson got to his feet and landed a spinning backfist. Gonzalez took him back to the mat and had his back once again at the bell.

Round 3 – In a fight that felt like it could go either way and end at any time, Johnson opened with a strong right. Gonzalez took him to the mat. Both looked tired. Gonzalez took Johnson’s back. Johnson escaped and stood up. The tired fighters traded offense until the bell with Johnson landing a high kick and Gonzalez a right hand. 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 – Gonzalez

Fight 7 – Dustin Gordon vs. Kenneth Atkisson – 265

Round 1 – The two giants touched up and started swinging. Gordon landed a right cross then got a leg sweep to take guard. Atkisson left an arm out and Gordon quickly tapped him with an Americana. Time: 1:08

Fight 8 – Dean Burley vs. Erik Williams -185 Title

Round 1 – Williams landed a quick one-two then fought off a Burley takedown attempt. Burley stayed on the mat baiting Williams to fight him on the ground. Williams got on top and worked ground and pound then stood back up. Burley grabbed a leg and pulled Williams back down threatening briefly with an ankle lock then surviving more ground and pound to the end of the round.

Round 2 – Burley began with kicks then let his hands fly with haymakers that hurt Williams and set him in regroup mode. Burley took top position keeping the pressure on. He flattened Williams out on his stomach then trapped an arm, locked it out and tapped Williams with an armbar. After the fight Burley said that he’d just defeated the toughest competitor in the division and would defend his title against any 185 pound amateur. Time: 1:35

Fight 9 – Joey Guerra vs. Benjamin Williams – 155

Round 1 – Williams paused as Guerra hurried across the cage then met him with a flying knee. The two muscular fighters traded hooks and uppercuts then clinched. Williams fired vicious knees which came close to landing flushly. They separated, then stood and banged more, each taking everything the other could dish out. Williams leveraged a takedown from a clinch and did a little damage with ground and pound. Guerra isolated and arm and overcame Williams strength to tap him with a Kimora. Time: 3:57