Battle of theBadges II

By Mike Pisano

 
Fight 1- Leo Grachev  vs Danny Mitchell (Kickboxing)

 
Round 1 –  Both fighters came out patiently circling, Grachev’s corner shouting instructions in Russian. Mitchell finally snapped a hard leg kick directly to Grachev’s quad breaking the silence. He then followed up with an equally hard kick to the body. Neither fighter was in a particular hurry, and nothing else was landed until a decent right by Grachev found its mark before the horn.
Round 2 –  Mitchell opened with a huge right which grazed Grachev’s chin. He moved closer and threw another forceful body kick which finally pissed Grachev off enough to spark an exchange of punches and several knees by Mitchell. The fighters went back to taking their time. Mitchell kept his gaze down as he slowly pressed forward and landed a jab that shook Grachev and then followed with a flurry of offense. Mitchell was in the midst of a wide open attack and had Grachev in trouble when the horn signaled the end of round 2. 
Round 3 –  Both fighters exchanged damaging kicks followed by an exchange of flush overhand rights. Mitchell fired a big right cross which knocked out Grachev’s mouth piece. Mitchell then picked up the pace even more ending the fight with several uppercuts. Judges: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 Mitchell

 Fight 2 –  Joaquin Baca vs Roman McNeil

Round 1 –   Baca came out using leg kicks to set up distance. He stepped in and McNeil stunned him with a quick combination knocking him down. McNeil immediately jumped on him and went to work with punches. Baca recovered on the ground tying up McNeil’s attack momentarily with his corner shouting for him to breathe. Using crafty grappling, Baca worked his way into top position then transitioned to McNeil’s back sinking in a rear naked and causing McNeil to tap almost immediately. Time:  1:17

 
Fight 3 –  Frank Deck vs Brian Lippa

Round 1 –  Lippa attacked right away scoring with a right to the side of the head hurting Deck. Deck retreated to regroup but Lippa kept the pressure on, walking right past Deck’s push kicks and landing another strong overhand right to the jaw then following with an upper cut that turned Deck’s lights out. Lippa pounced but referee Don Thais pulled him off before he could land unnecessary strikes.  TKO – 15 seconds.
 

Fight 4 –   Michael Heinz vs John Hall

Round 1 –  The fighters began the bout cautiously circling, Heinz measuring distance with kicks. Suddenly, Heinz shot low giving Hall a position advantage as he sprawled. Hall established a forearm on Heinz throat then rotated and took his back. Hall punched and tightened the choke as Heinz nose began to bleed. After some effort, Hall finally gave up on the choke to seize a full mount and do damage to Heinz face with ground and pound. Heinz corner was shouting, “Explode!”
Round 2 –  Neither fighter began the round in a particular hurry. Hall bull rushed Heinz into the cage then lifted him by the shorts for a takedown. On the mat, the action resembled one long scramble for several seconds as the fighters competed for the upper hand. With Hall on top dictating the fight, Heinz attempted a heel hook then took Hall’s back in a reversal of sorts. As action slowed and the crowd grew quiet, the referee stood the fight up but the horn sounded before anything else could happen.
Round 3 – Heinz looking the fresher of the two, threw a huge head kick that slapped Hall in the face and could have turned his lights out had Hall been an inch closer. A clinch ensued and Hall connected with a knee to the cup of Heinz which was audible as such, and caused Heinz to cough in pain though he recovered in short order. As action resumed, Hall initiated a clinch and Heinz jumped guard and tried for a triangle. Hall squirmed out but there was no action in the grapple. The round ended with Heinz on top. Judges: 29-28 Hall, 29-28 Heinz, 29-28 Heinz.

 
Fight 5 –  Ash Kirstatter vs Rudy Sungina

Round 1 –  Kirstatter  tried to surprise Sungina with a sudden flurry which only resulted in a clinch. Kirstatter used leverage in the clinch to get a spinning takedown and from there worked Sungina’s body with forceful strikes. The fighters competed on the ground; Kerstatter’s corner shouting for their fighter to disrupt his opponent’s breathing. Kirstatter controlled the action on the ground punishing Sungina where he could.
Round 2 – Kerstatter led in with a straight jab which Sungina absorbed. Sungina, still looking fresh from the first round, stuffed a takedown and bloodied Kerstatter’s nose with vicious uppercuts in the clinch. Using a significant advantage in height, Kerstatter dug a guillotine, leaned back hard to tighten it, then kept pressure as he dropped the fight to the ground and finished Sungina with the choke. Time: 1:04

 
Fight 6 –   Brett Titus vs Chris Franquemont

Round 1–  Franquemont shot right away hoisting Titus for a shoulder slam which drew roars from the crowd. On the mat, Titus defended with the head control but Franquemont maneuvered into full mount. Titus held Franquemont’s head close to prevent him from creating space to strike effectively. As action ground to a halt, the referee stood the fight up. Franquemont scored another crowd pleasing slam to finish the round.
Round 2 – Titus missed with an overhand right which led to a Franquemont takedown. Franquemont took side control and then worked into full mount position. Titus defended by keeping him tight again. Suddenly, Titus reversed position and worked from on top as the crowd warmed up. Titus’ corner was calling for him to alternate strikes to the body and head as he worked in Franquemont’s guard. Titus picked up the pace and ended the round with decent ground and pound.
Round 3 – The fighters touched gloves, both looking tired. Titus threw a big kick and a knee to the body which backed Franquemont into the fence. Titus leaned on Franquemont in the clinch. With the crowd into the action, Titus got the takedown and returned to his controlling ground and pound game. Franquemont appeared more gassed than hurt but had absorbed a fair amount of punishment. Both fighters were exhausted at the final horn. Judges: 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 Titus.

Fight 7 –  David Ross vs Tony Hiser

 Round 1 – Hiser whiffed with a wild right hand and Ross bull rushed him into the cage. Ross then landed some damaging legal knees which Hiser protested to no avail. Ross seized the opportunity to let his hands go tagging Hiser who turned his head and dropped to his knees. The referee was on his way to stopping it as Hiser simultaneously tapped out from the strikes.
 

Fight 8 – Travis Coyle vs Ryan Peak

Round 1 –  Coyle opened with a double leg slam and assumed ground control.  Peak gripped his head to prevent taking hammer fists and elbow strikes but Coyle disrupted his breathing and bettered his posture against the cage. From the half mount he controlled Peaks hands and applied a front choke which Peak could not defend and tapped out. Time: 1:28.
 

Fight 9 –  Patricia Vidonic vs Lacey Schuckman

Round 1 –  Vidonic used a leg kick to get inside on Schuckman and bring the fight to the mat. Both ladies worked wrestling and ground strikes each gaining and surrendering dominant position several times. Vidonic worked several triangles which Schuckman defended adeptly.  The two fighters were very even in strength, leverage and technique. Toward the end of the round Vidonic maneuvered from the bottom to the top and in the process initiated a vigorous exchange of strikes.
Round 2 – The round began with exciting standup consisting of back and forth leg strikes and punch combinations from each fighter before Vidonic bulled Schuckman into the cage. Schuckman landed body strikes and applied a guillotine while Vidonic answered with knees. After an extended battle for leverage, Vidonic managed a body lock and rode Schuckman to the mat where the action again went back and forth in a technical grapple including the occasional hard ground strike.
Round 3 – The round began with Schuckman taking Vidonic’s back and striking with a body lock on. Vidonic defended by balling up and keeping her limbs close to her body. The action, again very even went to a battle in the standup clinch with each fighter continuously working. Similar to her maneuver in round 1, Vidonic wrapped a body lock on Schuckman while finding the rear naked with Schuckman standing up, her back to the cage. Vidonic squeezed tighter while sinking in the RNC, bending Schuckman sideways toward the ground and forcing her to tap capturing the 110 pound women’s title.