KickDown 94 Pride and Glory July 16, 2011

Fight 1-  Jon Nelson-Griffith vs Quinton Dooley

Round 1-  Nelson-Griffith opened with a leg kick and
Dooley with an overhand right. Dooley drove Nelson-Griffith into the fence. The
pace was active even in the clinches with lots of nervous energy being
expended. The crowd was loud from the opening intros. Exchanges were even;
Dooley landing effective knees in the clinch and Nelson-Griffith leg kicks in
the middle of the cage. The strikes were crisp and the clinches were active.
Toward the end of the round, Nelson-Griffith landed a big kick then a flush
overhand right.

Round 2- The round began with exchanges of both kicks and punches. Dooley attempted a takedown but
Nelson-Griffith stuffed it; his corner yelling, “he’s tired Jon, he’s tired.”
Nelson-Griffith was determined to keep the fight standing at this point, but
Dooley finally pulled him into a resting guard. The referee warned the
fighters, “do something or I’ll stand it up”, which he did moments later. Dooley,
winded, punched his way in and sunk a guillotine toward the end of the round,
but Nelson-Griffith freed his head before the bell.

Round 3- Dooley, still breathing heavily, landed a flush overhand right but it lacked the snap
his strikes had in the first round. He then clinched. Nelson-Griffith got
loose, landed a left kick to the face, then a leg kick which stung Dooley.
Though tired, Dooley punched his way in with rights and lefts and surprised
Nelson-Griffith with a takedown. The referee stood them up immediately as two
were resting. In the ensuing stand-up, Nelson-Griffith pushed the pace sensing
his opportunity to finish, but lost valuable time in another clinch and Dooley
survived. Judges: 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 Nelson-Griffith

Fight2-  Jarrod Rupley vs Kenny Stone

Round 1- Rupley started the striking with an overhand right. Stone fired back in a fight that
had no feeling out process as both went full throttle from the bell. Both
fighters landed strikes and demonstrated good chins but Rupley did connect on a
right uppercut that briefly stopped Stone in his tracks. Finally, a clinch
ensued and Stone, with some struggle, managed a double leg take down. From
there he passed Rupley’s guard and worked, maneuvering into position to attempt
a guillotine which Rupley shed.

Round 2- Stone opened with a big kick to the body. He followed quickly with left-right
combinations and Rupley appeared out of sorts. Stone scored with an uppercut.
Rupley grabbed Stone by the head and threw several right uppercuts. Furious
exchanges followed as Stone fought his way free from the head grab. The action
never lapsed. A big right by Stone sent Rupley’s mouthpiece flying and had him
in trouble. Rupley, fell to his knees in an attempt to punch his way inside and
Stone took his back. Stone punched to head and body then attempted an arm bar.
Rupley, shaken but game as hell, intelligently defended and the round came to a
close with the crowd cheering.

Round 3- The fighters traded leg kicks and Stone, the fresher of the two, kept pressure up
with fists and kicks all of which were crisp and forceful. Incredibly, Rupley
weathered the attack with an iron chin and amazing will until stone took him
down and pounded him until referee Don Thais moved in and called a stoppage.
Time: 1:09

Fight 3- Abie Gonzalez vs Marcus Lucero

Round 1- Both fighters were extremely quick and athletic in the standing exchanges. Lucero
shot and scored a double leg. Gonzalez utilized a defensive guard until the
referee stood the fight up. Lucero let his hands go connecting with a one-two,
his corner shouting, “He’s hurt!” The round ended with another take down by
Lucero.

Round 2- Gonzalez shot first this time to begin the round but Lucero stuffed it, then reversed
control and took Gonzalez to the mat. Lucero then worked strikes as his corner
instructed, “body, body, head.” Gonzalez attempted several arm bars on the
ground but Lucero was ready for them each time. The round closed with Lucero
appearing to set up an upper body submission.

Round 3- Lucero looking fresh, snapped a loud leg kick to the body of Gonzalez, transitioned
into another takedown, then smoothly took Gonzalez’ back. From there he loaded
up strikes to the head, cross facing and alternating choke attempts as Gonzalez
moved his hands to defend. As the damage mounted and Gonzalez had no answer
defensively, referee Curtis Thrasher stopped the fight. Time: 1:42.

Fight 4- Maureen Riordon vs Britney Elkin

Round1- Riordon, after taking a one-two from Elkin, ducked in and grabbed a leg. Elkin postured
up and gained top position in the grapple before tagging Riordon with a
forceful strike to the face then standing up and inviting Riordon to stand with
her. After a quick exchange, Riordon managed a clinch and then a takedown
establishing head control with her right hand and striking to the face with her
left. She continued to strike and turn Elkin finally getting the full mount and
letting both fists go. Elkin escaped and the fighters regrouped.

Round 2- Riordon, the aggressor, jabbed her way in as Elkin countered. Both ladies scored with
strikes in the exchange and then clinched. From the clinch, Elkin grabbed
Riordon’s head and twisted her to the mat but Riordon used the momentum of the
throw to reverse. In top position, Riordon dug forceful lefts to Elkin’s ribs.
As Elkin squirmed from the body strikes, Riordon inched her body position
gradually higher and passed Elkin’s guard. From there, Riordon opened up her
ground and pound. Elkin’s only defense was to turn sideways, and the referee
stopped the fight. Time 1:40.

Fight 5- Jimmy LaCrue vs Cody Connell

Round 1- After a tough, prolonged, blinkless stare down, the two came out swinging big leather,
Connell connecting with a right which sent LaCrue into the cage. Connell then
got a takedown and pounded LaCrue with lefts as LaCrue tried to get wrist
control and straighten Connell’s right arm. The fight went to standing again;
neither fighter afraid to let wild hands and knees go. Connell gained top
position after another takedown but this time LaCrue got Connell’s arm straightened
all the way and was trying to push his hips out. Connell had his foot on
LaCrue’s throat managing just enough pressure to thwart the submission attempt
of LaCrue. After escaping, Connell again worked from on top landing brutal
forearms and elbows. Toward round’s end, LaCrue again secured an arm bar and
cranked Connell’s arm as hard as possible without breaking it or tapping him.

Round 2- Connell landed a good overhand right and forceful leg kick. Good work in the clinch and
the tension of an exciting back and forth fight drew cheers from the crowd.
Connell got a double leg take down and his corner shouted for him to look for
more elbows. Connell used ground and pound as LaCrue seemed to be looking for
his submission game. Connell then used his legs to trap LaCrue’s right arm
while holding his other arm in a head and arm lock. Connell then hammered his
face over and over with rights. The crowd, sensing the end, started a chant of
Cody, Cody! Referee Curtis Thrasher was on top of the action giving LaCrue
every chance to survive the crucifix as he battled gamely, but Thrasher finally
intervened. TKO Time: 2:34

Fight 6- Taj Ashaheed vs Anthony Peairs

Round 1- Peairs initiated the action with a big leg kick to the quad of Ashaheed. Ashaheed
showed quick hands with one-two combinations then took Peairs to the mat.
Ashaheed looked for room to work as Peairs tied up his substantially longer
limbs.  Making little progress on the
mat, Ashaheed let the fight return to standing. In the stand up Ashaheed used
his reach to strike with accuracy causing Peairs to lunge with strikes and
kicks. Peairs finally shot and leg swept Ashaheed for take down and Ashaheed
went to guard holding Peairs in guillotine.

Round 2- Peairs, taking punches and having trouble with distance took Ashaheed to the mat and
looked for an arm submission but Ashaheed scrambled back to his feet. At this
point, Peairs was looking gassed and loading up, Ashaheed, also somewhat gassed
was looking to counter. Both landed punches and leg strikes. Peairs moved in
with a spinning back fist and ended up in Ashaheed’s guard. There was back and
forth advantage in the grapple with Peairs going for an arm bar, Ashaheed
rolling out and mounting him to end the round.

Round 3- Peairs pressed forward as Ashaheed’s corner instructed him to “jab, jab, jab.” After a
lull in the action, Peairs stepped in and landed a big left hook which rocked
Ashaheed. Peairs immediately tried to finish by going for broke before Ashaheed
grabbed on and smothered his offense with a clinch then a take down. Peairs
landed another big left and a right and the bell sounded. Judges:
29-28,29-28,29-28 Ashaheed.

Fight 7- Logan Petro vs Blaine Power

Round 1- Both fighters opened cautiously before Petro missed a spinning back fist to set off
the action which consisted of one-two’s, kicks and knees from each fighter.
Petro finally shot in , jerked Power’s legs out from under him and began to
ground and pound, softening Power’s body until the bell.

Round 2- Power threw a looping combination while Petro calmly defended. Petro pressed forward
as power circled. An overhand right by Petro stung Power. Petro followed with
knees in a Thai clinch which hurt Power. A right hook and more knees dropped
Power who immediately rolled onto his side and covered up. Petro hammered him
with five or six extra rights and the referee stopped the fight. Time: 1:19.

Fight 8- Ricky Johnson vs Sammy Rind

Round 1- Rind opened with leg kicks. Johnson dictated distance. Johnson ducked a punch
combination and secured underhooks. He leveraged Rind to the mat and took top
position. He then scooted Rind straight to the fence near his corner, pushed
his head down and dropped a series of huge elbows. Johnson continued ground and
pound and Rind verbally tapped at 1:19.

Fight 9- Larry Williams vs Jack Johnson

Round 1- The fighters circled for a moment then clinched, Williams landing uppercuts to the
body and Johnson kicks to the head. Williams got a take down and maneuvered to
full mount but was quickly bucked off and reversed for the first time of
several to come by Johnson from this position. Johnson threw punches and elbows
from the top as Williams defended.

Round 2- Williams landed a big right but then got caught in a clinch and leg swept. In Johnson’s
guard again, William’s slipped punches, tied up Johnson’s hands and even
punched from his back, but he also absorbed damage from elbows to the face and
punches to the body. Williams, with a sudden burst, gained mount briefly but
was quickly bucked off and back in guard taking damage. The crowd encouraged
him chanting “Larry, Larry, Larry!”

Round 3- Johnson landed kicks to the head and Williams landed punches to the head and body.
Williams got a takedown and Johnson reversed it immediately. Johnson worked
elbows and punches. Williams went for a number of arm bars but Johnson escaped
them. Johnson dictated the fight from on top.

Round 4- Johnson took Williams to the mat right away. The crowd became restless and began the
chants of “Larry” again but a contingent in attendance was simultaneously
chanting “Jack.” The grapple was technical at times and back and forth to be
sure, but Johnson did more damage and had more control as the had all fight.

Round 5- Williams, sensing he was behind enough to need a finish, came out with energy and landed
several punches and knees before Johnson took familiar control. Williams’ right
eye was swollen and both fighters tired. Johnson controlled the ground battle
as the crowd shouted at the referee to stand the fight up. The round ended with
Williams actually on top and working but it wasn’t enough to win him a fight in
which Johnson did more damage and had a decided edge in octagon control.
Judges: 49-46, 50-45, 50-45 Johnson.

Fight 10- Vallore Caballero vs Matt Vigil

Round 1- Caballero threw double jabs and Vigil moved. Caballero buckled Vigil with several solid
leg kicks causing Vigil to move forward and initiate a clinch. Caballero used
underhooks and a leg sweep to bring the fight to the mat where he took Vigil’s
back in short order and choked him out with a rear naked. Time: 2:36.