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Post by shady1 on Apr 19, 2016 8:18:09 GMT -5
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Post by shady1 on Apr 19, 2016 11:08:02 GMT -5
XTREME CAGE FIGHTING ASSOCIATION XCFA #2 'The Light Heavyweights'
Prelims Light Heavyweight Bout: Karl Albrektsson (6-0) vs Cody Donovan (8-5) Kicking off the event as a whole Sweden's Karl Albrektsson quickly showed why he has earned such an esteemed reputation as he wasted no time in bringing Cody Donovan down to the mat before using some nasty ground and pound to secure a early TKO finish. Result: Karl Albrektsson (6-0) defeated Cody Donovan (8-6) by TKO at 0:57 in the 1st round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Artur Alibulatov (15-2) vs Nick Penner (11-3) In the next contest of the evening Russian fighter Artur Alibulatov showed off his proficient striking abilities as he used strong leg kicks to pick apart Nick Penner and cruise to an easy unanimous decision verdict. Result: Artur Alibulatov (16-2) defeated Nick Penner (11-4) by unanimous decision
Light Heavyweight Bout: Jason Brilz (22-6-1) vs Oli Thompson (17-8) Two former UFC veterans did battle in the next contest of the evening and to many people's surprise who expected very much a grind between these two combatants. Instead what they witnessed was a brutal early KO as former heavyweight Oli Thompson blasted Brilz with a straight right hand which dropped the veteran and allowed him to follow up with several more strikes for the finish. Result: Oli Thompson (18-8) defeated Jason Brilz (22-7-1) by KO at 1:05 in the 1st round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Jacob Noe (11-3-1) vs Wilson Gouveia (14-8) Making his return following a long lay off heavy handed scrapped Jacob Noe proved that ring rust was not a factor as he shockingly put away veteran Wilson Gouveia with ease landing some heavy shots in the early going which wobbled the Brazilian before finally finishing him off with a couple of knees from the clinch. Result: Jacob Noe (12-3-1) defeated Wilson Gouveia (14-9) by KO at 1:24 in the 1st round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Robert Drysdale (6-0) vs Wagner Prado (12-2) The next contest of the evening was very much a traditional striker vs grappler match as submission specialist Robert Drysdale took on striker Wagner Prado. Unfortunately for Drysdale he would be unable to get this fight down to the ground leaving him very much in the world of Prado who spent the three rounds wisely countering Drysdale then getting in close and risking being took down. This conservative approach whilst not appeasing many of the fans led to Prado getting a decision victory. Result: Wagner Prado (13-2) defeated Robert Drysdale (6-1) by unanimous decision
Light Heavyweight Bout: Daniel Spohn (12-5) vs Guto Inocente (7-4) Following a disappointing contest in the previous bout. You'd be forgiven for thinking a battle between two strikers here would more than make up for it. Instead fans were left disappointed with a tentative kickboxing battle between Spohn and Inocente which saw many lulls of inactivity. After three lackluster rounds the judges awarded Inocente with a split decision. Result: Guto Inocente (8-4) defeated Daniel Spohn (12-6) by unanimous decision
Light Heavyweight Bout: Maro Perak (24-6-1) vs James Irvin (17-10) In the last fight on the prelims after two highly disappointing contests. Fans were finally woken up again as former heavyweight Maro Perak steam rolled veteran James Irvin dropping him with a wild hook before punishing him with some ground and pound for a brutal KO. Result: Maro Perak (25-6-1) defeated James Irvin (17-11) by KO at 0:11 in the 1st round.
Main Card
Light Heavyweight Bout: Paul Buentello (34-16) vs Rafael Cavalcante (12-7-1) Opening up the show was a battle between veteran Paul Buentello and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Rafael Cavalcante. With both men noted finishers it was expected this fight would not last long and it very much lived up to that expectation as a quick blitz from Cavalcante following the opening bell rocked Buentello causing him to quickly shoot for a double leg only to be trapped in a standing guillotine choke. Result: Rafael Cavalcante (13-7-1) defeated Paul Buentello (34-17) by submission at 0:43 in the 1st round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Roger Gracie (7-2) vs Stephan Puetz (13-2) The second tournament bout of the evening featured two men considered dark horses in the tournament as Roger Gracie took on Stephan Puetz. Although some before the contest were picking an easy win for the submission specialist. They was quickly surprised as the rangy German was able to fight at distance and pick Gracie apart on the feet for both the first two rounds before opening a cut on the brazilian early in the third which caused the doctor to call a stop to the contest. Result: Stephan Puetz (14-2) defeated Roger Gracie (7-3) by TKO at 2:04 in the 3rd round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Ryan Jimmo (19-5) vs Moise Rimbon (22-10-3) In his first fight following his UFC departure Ryan Jimmo was clearly looking to make up for his disappointing last fight as he took on striker Moise Rimbon. Unfortunately this played right into the game of the Frenchman who over the course of three rounds overwhelmed Jimmo with a sheer volume of power strikes leading to an easy unanimous decision. Result: Moise Rimbon (23-10--3) defeated Ryan Jimmo (19-6) by unanimous decision.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Viktor Nemkov (23-6) vs Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (16-14) Whilst many before the tournament began were hoping that Pride veteran and crowd favorite Sokoudjou would be able to turn back the clock once more. It was very much expected he'd be in for a rough night against tournament favorite Viktor Nemkov and fans were quick to see why as Nemkov dropped Sokoudjou in the early stages of the fight and never let up on him following this. To his credit though Sokoudjou was able to survive and last all three rounds in what was a clear dominant win for Nemkov. Result: Viktor Nemkov (24-6) defeated Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (16-15) by unanimous decision
Fight Announcement! "When the Light Heavyweight tournament resumes at XCFA 9. Not only will fans witness the second round of the tournament take place. But they will also witness not one, not two but three very interesting fights take place between some of the biggest and most experiences names in MMA. This includes a battle between two Brazilian sluggers as Thiago Silva (17-5) and Fabio Maldonado (22-9) face off. Whilst grappling specialist and veteran Jeremy Horn (91-23-5) takes on BJJ Specialist Dean Lister (13-7). Rounding out these announcements is a rematch 11 years in the making. As Chael Sonnen (28-14-1) will look to avenge a second round submission defeat at the hands of Renato Sobral (37-11)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Vinny Magalhaes (13-7-1) vs Trevor Prangley (34-11-2) In an event which had very much seen countless one sided fights. The next contest of the evening between Vinny Magalhaes and Trevor Prangley provided fans with a rather entertaining back and forth scrap with much of the story being Vinny despite his excellent grappling skills struggling to put away the resilient veteran. Prangley for his part would keep on surviving and escaping submissions whilst remaining competitive on the feet until late in the third round when Vinny was finally able to secure an armbar for the win. Result: Vinny Magalhaes (14-7-1) defeated Trevor Prangley (34-11-2) by submission at 4:42 in the 3rd round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Matt Hamill (12-6) vs Tomasz Narkun (12-2) One time looked at as one of the top light heavyweights in the world Matt Hamill looked to turn back the clock once more in a battle against talented prospect Tomasz Narkun. Unfortunately whilst Hamill had some success in the early stages thanks to his heavy hands and strong wrestling. As the fight drew on Narkun was able to stun Hamill with a hard punch of his own before taking the wrestler's back in a scramble before securing a rear naked choke for the submission. Result: Tomasz Narkun (13-2) defeated Matt Hamill (12-7) by submission at 3:35 in the 2nd round
Light Heavyweight: Paul Craig (8-0) vs Keith Jardine (17-11-2) Making his MMA return after a four year absence from the sport Keith Jardine found himself matched up against unbeaten scottish prospect Paul Craig in this first round tournament match. Unfortunately for the Dean of Mean it appeared that his time away from the sport had not done him any favors as Craig as able to quickly for the fight down to the ground before weakening Keith with some ground and pound. This caused Keith to eventually give up his back which allowed Craig to secure a rear naked choke for the finish. Result: Paul Craig (9-0) defeated Keith Jardine (17-12-2) by submission (Rear naked choke) at 1:45 in the 1st round
Light Heavyweight Bout: Stephan Bonnar (15-9) vs Maxim Grishin (21-6) In the main event of the evening Ultimate Fighter veteran Stephan Bonnar found himself matched up against the unheralded russian Maxim Grishin. Going into this fight many fans expected a back and forth war between the two men based on their stand up skills. Instead what fans saw was a glimpse of the Russian's power as a big overhand right dropped Stephan early in the first round and several follow up punches where enough to put the American Psycho away for an emphatic knockout. Result: Maxim Grishin (22-6) defeated Stephan Bonnar (15-10) by KO at 0:54 in the 1st round
Press Conference Notes ~ After his quick submission defeat Keith Jardine announced his official retirement from MMA ~ Stephan Bonnar despite his brutal KO loss expressed an interest in not only fighting again but called for a fight with Paul Buentello ~ Stephan Puetz asked for his next round fight to be against Viktor Nemkov to end their series of fights with one another which currently sits at 1-1
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Post by Yannic on Apr 20, 2016 8:21:04 GMT -5
Love Pütz winning of course, especially if you do the third fight with Nemkov. In their most recent fight he was robbed by the judges, so the rematch makes defo sense. Big fan of Lister and Le Banner, so good to see them in this mixture of freak fights and prospect battles.
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Post by shady1 on Apr 20, 2016 18:07:28 GMT -5
Love Pütz winning of course, especially if you do the third fight with Nemkov. In their most recent fight he was robbed by the judges, so the rematch makes defo sense. Big fan of Lister and Le Banner, so good to see them in this mixture of freak fights and prospect battles. Thanks for the comments Yan Bro. Puetz and Nemkov rematching is definitely something I want to get around doing at some point and one of the things I'm doing as you've probably figured out is building up future matches similar to that of a wrestling BTB. Le Banner/Sefo will be a fun fight to do and definitely will carry on a trend I hope to begin with the XCFA showcasing some freak show fights on it's cards. Thanks once more for the comments dude I hope you continue to enjoy my work.
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Post by shady1 on Apr 23, 2016 4:43:12 GMT -5
Introducing Middleweights
With the first tournament confirmed as being for the XCFA Middleweight Championship. The 16 men set to challenge for the title have now been unveiled. They are as followed..
Luke "Bigslow" Barnatt Height: 6'6 Weight: 185 pounds Country: England Record: 10-3 Notable wins: N/A Bio: Although not the most experienced of fighters in this tournament. Talented prospect Luke Barnatt has the potential to surprise some people going forward in this field of 16 talented middleweights. The well rounded not too mention rangy Middleweight prospect of course came up from the Ultimate Figher and has impressed with stoppages over talented fighters such as Andrew Craig and Mats Nilsson not too mention in battles with the likes of Mark Munoz. Well rounded and comfortable where ever the fight goes do not undersell the brit by any means in this tournament.
Aleksei Butorin Height: 6'0 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Russia Record: 10-0 Notable wins: Leandro Ataides Bio: Although he may not have the name value of some of his other competitors in this tournament. There is no denying that One FC's Aleksei Butorin has earned his slot in this tournament based on the tear he has been on. A finisher who has put 9 of his 10 opponents away by KO Butorin has the power to put away any man who stands across from him. Which very much makes him the dark horse to win the XCFA Middleweight tournament.
Luiz "Banha" Cane Height: 6'2 Weight: 185 pounds Country: brazil Record: 16-6 Notable wins: Sokoudjou Bio: A veteran of the fight game with an 11 year career Luiz Cane will of course be best remembered for his five year stint in the UFC where he racked up a 4-5 record. Although don't let the statistics fool you Cane has not been facing slouches in this time with battles against the likes of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Sokoudjou and Cyrille Diabate. Despite holding a black belt in jujitsu Cane only has one submission to his credit and has instead racked up an impressive 13 wins by knockout including his last two fights which combined haven't even gone 2 minutes. Making Cane quite possibly one of the more dangerous fighters in this tournament.
Maiquel "Big Rig" Falcao Height: 5'9 Weight: 185 pounds Country: brazil Record: 35-9 Notable wins: Vyacheslav Vasilesky, Jesse Taylor Bio: A talented fighter who unfortunately may be better known for his incidents outside of the cage than inside. Maiquel Falcao despite patches of inconsistency has proven himself to be a very skilled combatant in the cage. Which is proven by his 35-9 pro record in which he has finished 30 of his opponents. Despite being small for the weight class and a skilled jujitsu player Falcao is best known for his power on the feet having put away 24 of those wins by way of knockout.
Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove Height: 6'6 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Hawaii Record: 23-15 Notable wins: Evan Tanner, Derek Brunson, Joe Riggs, Bio: A popular fighter who came off of season 3 of the Ultimate Fighter. Kendall Grove is quite possibly one of the most consistently entertaining fighters in the game. With many of his fights being entertaining scraps or ending in impressive fashion. Although a well rounded fighter and his last 2 wins coming by way of TKO/KO. Grove is probably most dangerous on the ground with his long limbs having put away 10 of his 23 wins by submission.
Cung Le Height: 5'10 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Vietnam Record: 9-3 Notable wins: Rich Franklin, Frank Shamrock Bio: Without a doubt the biggest name in this tournament
Mamed "Cannibal" Khalidov Height: 6'0 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Poland Record: 31-4-2 Notable wins: Kenall Grove, Melvin Manhoef, James Irvin, Matt Lindland, Bio: If you was to ask people in the know going into this tournament just who was considered the favorite to win the whole tournament. A few names would be raised with one of those men being Mamed Khalidov. The Polish citizen is of course the current reigning KSW Middleweight Champion and is riding an 11 fight win streak with only one of those wins coming by a decision. Although Mamed's background is in striking he has shown himself to be highly skilled on the mat with 17 of his wins coming by submission. Well rounded and dangerous in any situation it is no surprise that Khalidov is considered a strong favorite here.
Michal "Magic" Materla Height: 6'0 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Poland Record: 22-5 Notable wins: Tomasz Drawl, Kendall Grove, Jay Silva Bio: A tough not too mention talented polish fighter. Michal Materla is a former holder of the KSW Middleweight title before recently losing it to friend and training partner not too mention fellow tournament competitor Mamed Khalidov. A grappler by trade Michal has finished 12 of his 22 victories by way of submission with several of those submissions being by way of Guillotine choke. His stand up although not his strong suit is also not to be underestimated as Materla has finished his last 2 opponents with strikes. With his game rounding out Materla could be one to watch come this tournament.
Jason "Mayhem" Miller Height: 6'1 Weight: 185 pounds Country: America Record: 28-9 Notable wins: Kazushi Sakuraba, Tim Kennedy, Robbie Lawler, Bio: One of the most popular and entertaining fighters to have ever stepped in a cage. Mayhem Miller has certainly lived up to his nickname in the past which has also made him one of the more controversial names in this tournament. But despite his antics Mayhem is without a doubt a skilled fighter once the bell rings. With an impressive submission game Miller has put away 15 of his 28 wins by way of submission making him a big threat to anyone once the fight hits the ground.
Yushin "Thunder" Okami Height: 6'2 Weight: 185 pounds Country: japan Record: 31-10 Notable wins: Anderson Silva, Evan Tanner, Nate Marquardt, Mark Munoz, Hector Lombard, Mike Swick, Alan Belcher Bio: There was a time when Yushin Okami was widely regarded as one of the best middleweights in the world not too mention the greatest fighter to have come from Japan. This of course was at the peak of his UFC run where he amassed an impressive 13-5 pro record. Since that time however Okami made a questionable move to Welterweight where he has had limited success and will now be returning back to 185 in the hopes of adding a title to his resume. But do not let his recent lack of success fool you. Okami is a dangerous fighter who is well rounded in all aspects of MMA making him one of the biggest threats in this tournament.
Costas Philippou Height: 5'11 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Cyprus Record: 13-5 Notable wins: Tim Boetsch, Lorenz Larkin, Uriah Hall, Jorge Rivera Bio: Although he retired following a loss to Gegard Mousasi back in 2015 many wondered whether there would be a chance that slugger Costas Philippou may return to the cage. A former pro boxer Costas has worked hard to round out his game but unsurprisingly it is on the feet where he thrives having put away seven opponents by KO/TKO. Which makes him a highly dangerous opponent for anyone who chooses to stand and trade with the Cyprus native.
"The White Mike Tyson" John Phillips Height: 5'11 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Wales Record: 19-6 Notable wins: N/A Bio: Although he may not have the name of many of his competitors in this tournament and although he may be relatively undersized. There is no denying that John Phillips may not be one of the more exciting names in this tournament. A knockout artist who has put away 16 of his 19 victories. Phillips intention is simple every time he steps in the cage and that is knock his opponent out. Whilst the rest of his game is still in development Phillips is as dangerous as they come should the fight remain standing.
Alexander "The Storm" Shlemenko Height: 5'11 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Russia Record: 52-9 Notable wins: Maiquel Falcao, Vyacheslav Vasilesky, Ikuhisa Minowa Bio: If you was to ask many fans and experts who they would consider a favorite in this tournament. One name that would be mentioned frequently would be that of Alexander Shlemenko. The russian hand to hand master is highly regarded as one of the top middleweight fighters in the world today and with an impressive 52-9 record you can see why. A striker by trade Shlemenko has put away 29 of his opponents by way of KO making him one of the more dangerous strikers in this tournament.
Jesse "JT Money" Taylor Height: 6'1 Weight: 185 pounds Country: America Record: 29-12 Notable wins: Kendall Grove, Tom Watson, Murillo Bustamante, Denis Kang Bio: Although he may be best remembered for a controversial stint on the Ultimate Fighter in season 7. Jesse Taylor has since that time become a very respectable fighter in his own right. As the talented division 1 wrestler has fought and defeated an impressive list of names in his career. Training out of Team Quest Taylor's base is obviously sticking to what he knows as he uses his powerful wrestling to grind his opponents down before looking to lock in a submission which he has done in 16 of his 29 victories. Whilst his style may not be pretty it is effective and it could see the man known as JT Money become the first ever XCFA Middleweight Champion.
Vyacheslav "The Crushin Russian" Vasilesky Height: 5'10 Weight: 185 pounds Country: Russia Record: 27-4 Notable wins: Trevor Prangley, Maiquel Falcao Bio: A multiple time Sambo gold medalist who also holds a black belt in Judo and a Purple belt in BJJ. It's safe to say on credentials alone not many in this tournament can top the Crushin Russian. But do not allow Vasileksy's pedigree to fool you as the majority of his victories have not come by way of submission but instead by way of knockout. Adding to the intrigue going into this tournament is the fact that Vasilesky is coming off a close split decision in his last fight to Alexander Shlemenko which is a result the Russian would greatly like to avenge.
Tom "Kong" Watson Height: 6'1 Weight: 185 pounds Country: England Record: 17-9 Notable wins: Murilo Rua, Matt Horwich Bio: Without a doubt one of the more entertaining and popular fighters to come out from the UK is Tom "Kong" Watson. The former BAMMA Middleweight Champion maybe better known for a somewhat disappointing UFC stint but there is no denying from his battles against the likes of Stanislav Nedkov among others that Watson never failed to put on a show. A well rounded fighter Watson prefers to keep the fight on the feet where he is able to put on a show with his impressive striking background which ranges from Kyokushin Karate to Wing Chun.
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Post by shady1 on Apr 28, 2016 5:57:36 GMT -5
XTREME CAGE FIGHTING ASSOCIATION XCFA #3 'The Middleweights'
Prelims Middleweight Bout: Dylan Andrews (17-7-1) vs Jack Hermansson (12-2) Opening up the show Norwegian prospect Jack Hermansson made surprisingly quick work of UFC veteran Dylan Andrews. As after a early exchange which saw Hermansson drop Andrews with a left hook. A grappling exchange led to Hermansson securing a guillotine choke for the submission. Result: Jack Hermansson (13-2) defeated Dylan Andrews (17-8-1) by submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:05 in the 1st round
Middleweight Bout: Brett Cooper (21-12) vs Tyler Manawaroa (10-0) Veteran scrapper Brett Cooper found himself matched up against talented prospect Tyler Manawaroa in the next contest of the evening. The durable veteran who was making his return from retirement late last year turned this fight into an ugly scrap from the off. As it was clear his strategy was to wear down the scrappy prospect. This style whilst not being pretty was effective as Cooper wore Tyler down for all three rounds leading to a decision. Result: Brett Cooper (22-12) defeated Tyler Manawaroa (10-1) by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Ramazan Emeev (14-3) vs Max Nunes (16-3) Russian standout Ramazan Emeev made it clear in the build up to this event he was not happy being put on the prelims whilst two men he had beaten previously were competing in the tournament. Which is why once the bell rang it was clear Emeev was looking to make a statement against Max Nunes and a statement he definitely made. As the Russian quickly grounded Nunes and after busting him open with some ground and pound followed up by securing a rear naked choke for the submission. Result: Ramazan Emeev (14-4) defeated Max Nunes (16-4) by submission (rear naked choke) at 0:56 in the 1st round
Middleweight Bout: Chris Fields (11-7-1) vs Phil Hawes (3-0) Highly touted prospect Phil Hawes entered this bout with Irish veteran Chris Fields looking to show he was worthy of the hype he had been receiving. The talented wrestling prospect had very much a show case fight here against Fields as he was able show how versatile his game was over the course of the three rounds. This includes some powerful hands on the feet which saw him rock Chris several times and of course his strong wrestling which included several powerful slams. All of this led to a clear cut decision for Phil Hawes. Result: Phil Hawes (4-0) defeated Chris Fields (11-8-1) by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Xavier Foupa Pokam (32-21) vs Tim Williams (12-3) The next contest of the evening was without a doubt one of the best fights to have taken place in the XCFA so far. Whilst not a technical fight on the feet instead fans were treated to just a battle between two men looking to put their opponent down for the count. Unfortunately come the end of the third round of what had been a wild brawl only one man could be victorious and it was Tim Williams who claimed a razor thin split decision. Result: Tim Williams (13-3) defeated Xavier Foupa Pokam (32-22) by split decision.
Middleweight Bout: Khalil Rountree (4-0) vs Stanislav Nedkov (12-2) With the highly touted Phil Hawes earlier on proving his worth. The pressure was on for fellow unbeaten prospect Khalil Rountree in his battle with Stanislav Nedkov here and whilst many expected Rountree to have a tough time with the Bulgarian. Fans where instead given a surprise as a counter left hook by Rountree on a lunging Nedkov was enough to drop Stanislav and allow Khalil to land several follow up punches for a TKO finish. Result: Khalil Rountree (5-0) defeated Stanislav Nedkov (12-3) by TKO at 1:26 in the 1st round.
Middleweight Bout: Rodney Wallace (25-11-1) vs Anatoly Tokov (22-1) Talented Russian prospect Anatoly Tokov looked to carry on his momentum here as he looked to continue his already impressive 15 fight win streak against veteran Rodney Wallace. But much to his and the crowd's surprise Wallace was able to rock Tokov early in the fight with a heavy right straight which it appeared Anatoly never recovered from fully. This allowed Rodney to work over Tokov for a three round unanimous decision. Result: Rodney Wallace (26-11-1) defeated Anatoly Tokov (22-2) by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Riki Fukuda (23-8) vs Jack Marshman (18-5) Unfortunately for fans in the next contest of the evening Wales' Jack Marshman was unable to defend the takedowns of Riki Fukuda. Which led to three rounds of uneventful ground fighting as Fukuda seemed content to remain in half guard and work over Jack's body on his way to a decision. Result: Riki Fukuda (23-9) defeated Jack Marshman (18-6) by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Cheick Kone (13-4) vs Drew McFedries (12-7) Finally in the last battle on the prelims two vicious strikers collided as Cheick Kone took on Drew McFedries. In the early stages of the bout it appeared this would be an easy night for the frenchman as he was clearly the more technical of the two and showed impressive restraint to not get drawn into a brawl with the heavy handed McFedries. Unfortunately as the round drew to a close a looping hook by McFedries dropped Kone and allowed him to follow up with some more shots for a KO finish. Result: Drew McFedries defeated Cheick Kone by KO at 4:56 in the 1st round
Main Card Middleweight Bout: Luke Barnatt (10-3) vs Jesse Taylor (29-12) Kicking off the main card portion of the show as well as the Middleweight tournament. Wrestler Jesse Taylor faced off with British prospect Luke Barnatt. Early on in the bout it was very much contested on the feet with the range of Luke coming into play as he was able to keep Jesse at the end of his jab. However as the round drew to a close Taylor reverted to his base and scored a big takedown on Luke. From here the fight continued to be very much of two stories with the range of Barnatt being too much for Jesse to land anything of damage on the feet only to then have Jesse take Luke down to the canvas where he delivered little to no damage. In the end the fight went to a decision which was awarded to the tall Brit. Result: Luke Barnatt (11-3) defeated Jesse Taylor (29-13) by split decision.
Middleweight Bout: Aleksei Butorin (10-0) vs John Phillips (19-6) Two devastating knockout artists collided in the next contest of the evening and unsurprisingly both of these heavy hitters came to throw down as they met in the center of the cage from the opening bell. After a few close exchanges a nasty uppercut by Butorin landed right on Phillips' chin causing him to drop to a knee which allowed Aleksei to take his back and land several more shots to the side of the head for the finish. Result: Aleksei Butorin (11-0) defeated John Phillips (19-7) by TKO at 0:58 in the 1st round
Middleweight Bout: Luiz Cane (16-6) vs Tom Watson (17-9) Two former UFC veterans did battle in the next contest of the evening and with both men known for their striking it was no surprise that this fight was primarily contested on the feet. For the first two rounds Cane was very much ahead on the score cards as his striking was significantly more powerful out of the two. Knowing he was down on the score cards Watson came out in the third round looking for a finish. After a few back and forth exchanges the two men clinched and it was here Watson finally had his chance as a knee to the body crumpled Cane and several follow up shots on the ground led to a TKO finish for Watson. Result: Tom Watson (18-9) defeated Luiz Cane (16-7) by TKO at 3:51 in the 3rd round
Middleweight Bout: Michal Materla (22-5) vs Vyacheslav Vasilevskiy (27-4) Former KSW Middleweight Champ Michal Materla took on former M1 Light Heavyweight champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky in the next contest of the evening. Unfortunately for fans in attendance this fight turned into a dull grappling match as neither man was able to really control the other on the ground leading to several stand ups. As the fight went to a decision the crowd continued to voice their dissatisfaction in regards to the lack of action as Materla was awarded the split decision. Result: Michal Materla (23-5) defeated Vyacheslav Vasilevskiiy (27-5) by split decision.
"Fight Announcement: When the Middleweight's return for XCFA 10 which of course feature the next installment of the Middleweight tournament. Fans will also be treated to two big rematches. The first of which will be a fight which is 14 years in the making as Matt Lindland (22-9) will look to get revenge on a third round submission defeat he suffered at the hands of Murilo Bustamante (15-8-1). Meanwhile Murilo Rua (20-13-1) will be looking to finally beat long time rival Paulo Filho (23-6-3) following a controversial finish in their last bout."
Middleweight Bout: Kendall Grove (23-15) vs Jason Miller (28-9) The next battle of the evening saw two veterans face off as Jason Miller took on Kendall Grove in a clash of the submission specialists. Although it became clear early on with the respect they had for one another neither man was willing to go to the ground. This instead led to the fight being contested on the feet or in the clinch where Kendall Grove excelled on both parts using his reach as well as some hard knees to the body on route to a unanimous decision. Result: Kendall Grove (24-15) defeated Jason Miller (28-10) by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Yushin Okami (31-10) vs Alexander Shlemenko (52-9) Former Bellator Middleweight Champion Alexander Shlemenko took on former top middleweight Yushin Okami in the next contest of the evening. This was very much a styles clash as Okami looked to bring the fight to the ground from the off against the striker Shlemenko. Unfortunately for Okami the unorthodox striker was able to connect with a back fist early on in the contest which wobbled Okami and allowed Alexander to follow up with a combination of punches which put Yushin down for a quick knockout finish. Result: Alexander Shlemenko (53-9) defeated Yushin Omaki (31-11) by KO at 1:32 in the 1st round.
Middleweight Bout: Mamed Khalidov (31-4-2) vs Costas Philippou (13-5) One of the heavy favorites in the tournament Mamed Khalidov showed everyone just why he was so highly regarded as he made short work of Costas Philippou dropping him early in the fight with a heavy right cross before securing a guillotine choke for the submission. Result: Mamed Khalidov (32-4-2) defeated Costas Philippou (13-6) by submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:21 in the 1st round.
Middleweight Bout: Maiquel Falcao (35-9) vs Cung Le (9-3) Finally in the main event of the evening heavy handed brawler Maiquel Falcao found himself matched up against skilled striker Cung Le. Whilst many expected Maiquel may have the power to put Cung away it became quickly apparent that Faiquel's game plan of trying to rush in against Cung would be his downfall as the precision striking of Le opened a cut on Falcao early on as well as rocked him. This carried on until late in the round Le landed a nasty left hook on a charging Falcao which sent the brazilian face planting onto the canvas for a KO finish. Result: Cung Le (10-3) defeated Maiquel Falcao (35-10) by KO at 4:51 in the 1st round.
Press Conference Notes ~ Ramazan Emeev again expressed displeasure at not being in the tournament citing his prior wins over Falcao and Vasilevsky before making it clear that he wants to challenge the winner of the tournament. ~ Alexander Shlemenko asked to fight Cung Le in the next round of the tournament.
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Post by shady1 on Apr 28, 2016 18:02:28 GMT -5
Second round tournament matches for both Light Heavyweight and Middleweight tournaments revealed Earlier today the next rounds for both the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight tournaments were announced and they are as followed..
Light Heavyweight Tournament ~~ Round 2 Maxim Grishin (22-6) vs Viktor Nemkov (24-6) Rafael Cavalcante (13-7-1) vs Stephan Puetz (14-2) Moise Rimbon (23-10--3) vs Tomasz Narkun (13-2) Vinny Magalhaes (14-7-1) vs Paul Craig (9-0)
Middleweight Tournament ~~ Round 2 Luke Barnatt (11-3) vs Aleksei Butorin (11-0) Tom Watson (18-9) vs Mamed Khalidov (32-4-2) Michal Materla (23-5) vs Cung Le (10-3) Kendal Grove (24-15) vs Alexander Shlemenko (53-9)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2016 18:15:06 GMT -5
I've been trying to follow this best I can, Dan. Here's my prediction for the second round fights Grishin Puetz Narkun Craig Butorin The Great Khalidov Materla Shlemenko
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Post by shady1 on May 2, 2016 14:13:40 GMT -5
Introducing Welterweights
With the first tournament confirmed as being for the XCFA Welterweight Championship. The 16 men set to challenge for the title have now been unveiled. They are as followed..
"Funky" Ben Askren Height: 5'10 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 15-0 Notable wins: Andrey Koreshkov, Douglas Lima, Jay Hieron, Karl Amoussou Bio: Hands down if you look at this field of sixteen men set to compete for the XCFA Welterweight Championship. One of the heavy favorites set to compete in the tournament is current One FC Welterweight Champion Ben Askren. The multiple time Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist as well as 2008 Olympian has only been competing in MMA since 2009 but since that time he has amassed an impressive 15-0 pro record and is also to his credit a former holder of the Bellator Welterweight Championship. With an impressive pedigree and still unbeaten there is little doubt many eyes will be on Askren come this tournament.
Karl "Psycho" Amoussou Height: 5'11 Weight: 170 pounds Country: France Record: 21-7-2 Notable wins: David Rickels, Bryan Baker Bio: Born into a fighting family frenchman Karl Amoussou has just reached his tenth year as a pro fighter and he'll be looking to make it 2 for 2 in Welterweight tournaments. As Karl obviously is best known for his Bellator season 6 tournament victory against the likes of Bryan Baker, David Rickels and Chris Lozano. A highly skilled judoka Amoussou is at his best when the fight hits the ground as 13 of his victories have come by way of submission. With experience in tournaments as well as a rounded game Amoussou has to be considered a strong contender for the throne here.
"New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni Height: 5'9 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 15-18 Notable wins: Ryo Chonan, Olaf Alfonso Bio: A veteran of the game who has had a career spanning for 16 years now. Phil Baroni has despite many setbacks in MMA been in some ways a beloved figure. Be it for his antics out of the cage or his devastating knockout power inside of it. Unfortunately though for the 40 year old veteran of the game it seems that his best days as of late are behind him having only gone 2-8 in his last 10 fights. However Baroni has claimed in the run up to this tournament he is back and ready to turn the clock back once more in order to prove he is the "best eva" once more.
Steve Carl Height: 6'0 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 22-4 Notable wins: Josh Burkman, Bio: A veteran of the game with over 25 professional fights on his resume. American Top Team's Steve Carl burst onto the scene with his run in World Series of Fighting which saw him claim their Welterweight title with a submission victory over Josh Burkman. Which only highlighted the fact that going to the ground with the veteran scrapper is a risk for anyone in his division. Whilst he has worked hard to round out the rest of his game overall it is clear going into this tournament Carl will be looking to show just why 17 of his career wins have come by way of submission.
"Fast" Eddy Ellis Height: 5'9 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 20-15-1 Notable wins: Jim Wallhead Bio: A true veteran of the game with a career that has spanned 16 years now. "Fast" Eddy Ellis has worked hard to fully round out his game which includes an impressive resurgence which saw him go from an unimpressive 12-15 pro record and journeyman status. To winning 8 consecutive fights in a row whilst putting 5 of those opponents away by either KO or Submission. With heavy hands and a wave of momentum as well as experience on his side. Eddy Ellis could be an outsider more than capable of upsetting the field in this tournament.
Dennis "Superman" Hallman Height: 5'9 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 53-19-2 Notable wins: Dan Hornbuckle, Ben Saunders, Karo Parisyan, Matt Hughes Bio: Speaking of veterans of the game there are not many who command the respect that Dennis Hallman does. With a career that has spanned twenty years now Dennis "Superman" Hallman has fought some of the biggest names in the sport in some of the biggest organisations in the world. This includes names such as Jens Pulver, Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg. A former state wrestling champion Hallman is at his best when the fight hits the mat which is proven by his 41 submission victories. Making him quite possibly one of the most dangerous men in this tournament should the fight hit the floor.
Dan "The Handler" Hornbuckle Height: 6'2 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 24-9 Notable wins: Pete Spratt, Steve Carl, Justin Wilcox Bio: A veteran of the game who has just hit the 10 year mark on his pro career. Dan "The Handler" Hornbuckle has fought some of the toughest competition around. This includes prior bouts with fellow tournament competitors Dennis Hallman, Steve Carl and Ben Askren. A grappler by trade Hornbuckle holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but with his training at American Top Team he is by no means one dimensional. Having put away 9 of his opponents by way of KO.
Khusein Khaliev Height: 5'11 Weight: 170 pounds Country: Russia Record: 15-1 Notable wins: N/A Bio: Along with his brother Adam, Khusein Khaliev is regarded as one of the top Welterweight prospects in the world. A striker by trade Khaliev is like his brother best known for his kicks. Be it powerful leg kicks to unorthodox techniques picked up from his Taekwondo background. But what makes Khaliev all the more dangerous is just how well rounded a fighter he has proven to be so young in his career. This includes impressive wrestling skills as well as ever developing submissions.
Alexey Kunchenko Height: 5'10 Weight: 170 pounds Country: Russia Record: 13-0 Notable wins: N/A Bio: Another highly touted Russian set to compete in this tournament is the unbeaten 32 year old Alexey Kunchenko. Whilst not as young as fellow prospect Khusein Khaliev. Alexey Kunchenko has earned the plaudits he has for one major reason. That reason being his power as he has put away 11 of his 13 wins by way of knockout. Making him quite possibly one of the most dangerous men in this tournament should the fight be contested on the feet.
Borys "The Tasmanian Devil" Mankowski Height: 5'7 Weight: 170 pounds Country: Poland Record: 18-5-1 Notable wins: Jesse Taylor, Aslambek Saidov Bio: A potential dark horse for the tournament is that of Poland's Borys Mankowski. Known as The Tasmanian Devil the highly skilled wrestler is in many ways similar with his skill set to that of Dennis Hallman. With a stifling top game and impressive submission skills which he has used to put away 7 of his opponents including the likes of Jesse Taylor and Aslambek Saidov. Making him very much a threat to anyone in this tournament.
Dan Miller Height: 6'1 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 14-8 Notable wins: Joe Doerksen, John Howard Bio: A highly respected veteran of the game known for his devastating submissions, toughness and willingness to fight on short notice. Dan Miller is very much a beloved figure in MMA along with his brother Jim. The gritty veteran of the game has fought a veritable whose who in his tenure as a Middleweight including the likes of Michael Bisping, Nate Marquardt, Demian Maia, Chael Sonnen and Rousimar Palhares before moving down to Welterweight with an impressive submission over Ricardo Funch. Although he lost his next two Miller will look to regain some of his past form in this tournament as he will look to add another title to his trophy collection.
Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares Height: 5'9 Weight: 170 pounds Country: Brazil Record: 18-6 Notable wins: Jake Shields, Jon Fitch, Steve Carl, Mike Pierce, Dan Miller, Dave Branch, Jeremy Horn, Bio: Whilst the XCFA has thus far shown no issue in bringing in fighters with their fare share of controversy. It might be safe to say few who have fought so far in the XCFA have the negative stigmata that Rousimar Palhares carries. The stocky, submission specialist who is a former WSOF Welterweight champion is best known for his vicious leg locks of which he has put away 11 of his 15 submission finishes with. Albeit sometimes not letting go straight away afterwards but despite the controversy there is no denying Palhares is a dangerous opponent for anyone in this tournament.
Mike Pierce Height: 5'9 Weight: 170 pounds Country: United States Record: 17-7 Notable wins: Aaron Simpson, Brock Larson Bio: A two time all american wrestling standout who has competed in both the UFC as well as the WEC. Mike Pierce is a tough, gritty veteran of the game who has competed against the likes of Mark Munoz, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and many other top level fighters. Although more a wrestler by trade Pierce has began working on rounding out his game as he has put 8 of his 17 wins away by KO. Proving that on top of his strong wrestling he has some very heavy hands making him a credible threat to the tournament.
Paulo Thiago Height: 5'11 Weight: 170 pounds Country: Brazil Record: 15-8 Notable wins: Josh Koscheck, Mike Swick Bio: A decorated Judo as well as BJJ specialist. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Paulo Thiago is very much a one dimensional grappler. But as seen by his KO of Josh Koscheck the Brazilian is just as dangerous on the feet. Although it appears Thiago may have seen better days only winning 3 of his last 10 fights. There is no denying he has not fought tough opposition in that time and will be looking to use this tournament to show that he is as good as he ever has been.
Michail "The Lonely Wolf" Tsarev Height: 5'11 Weight: 170 pounds Country: Russia Record: 30-5 Notable wins: Dennis Hallman, Xavier Foupa-Pokam, Bio: A true veteran of the game with more than 30 fights in a career that has spanned 11 years. Michail Tsarev might not have the name or earned the respect as some of his fellow competitors but there is no denying he is just as skilled. A training partner of Middleweight tournament contender Alexander Shlemenko, Tsarev like his training partner boasts an impressive striking background which includes being a master of sports in hand to hand combat. But it's actually on the ground where Tsarev is most lethal as he has put away 19 of his 30 wins by way of submission.
"Judo" Jim Wallhead Height: 5'10 Weight: 170 pounds Country: England Record: 29-9 Notable wins: Frank Trigg, Joey Villasenor Bio: An accomplished Judoka Jim Wallhead like many of his other competitors has had a long career in the sport of MMA. But unlike many of his opponents in this tournament he actually started out as a Light Heavyweight. Training out of the Rough House Gym along with the likes of Paul Daley and Andre Winner Wallhead has shown himself to be a very well rounded fighter. As out of his 29 wins only 9 have gone to the score cards whilst the other 20 have been split evenly between KOs and submissions. Which makes him one of the more well rounded competitors as well as quite possibly one of the more underrated favorites in this tournament.
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Post by shady1 on May 2, 2016 17:44:19 GMT -5
UFC Sign Diego Brandao!
It seems once again the UFC's loss in the XCFA's gain as it can be confirmed today that the recently released TUF 14 champion Diego Brandao will be joining the XCFA. The Brazilian who trains alongside the Greg Jackson camp earned himself a 6-4 record with the UFC which includes wins over the likes of Dennis Bermudez and Katsunori Kikuno. The Featherweight standout holds a 20-11 pro record but whilst he holds a 2nd degree blackbelt in jiu-jitsu it is his striking where he is perhaps most dangerous. Having put away 11 opponents by way of KO.
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Post by shady1 on May 10, 2016 14:44:38 GMT -5
XTREME CAGE FIGHTING ASSOCIATION XCFA #4 'The Welterweights'
Prelims Welterweight Bout: Ali Arish (21-4) vs Max Griffin (12-2) Kicking off the show veteran Ali Arish took on prospect Max Griffin in the first fight of the evening. But much to the surprise of many who expected a close, competitive fight. This battle did not last long as a hard right hand by Griffin dropped Arish early in the fight before he followed up with some hammerfists for a KO victory Result: Max Griffin (13-2) defeated Ali Arish (21-5) by KO at 0:22 in the 1st round
Welterweight Bout: Shonie Carter (51-31-7) vs Eddie Gordon (7-4) Former Ultimate Fighter winner Eddie Gordon made his Welterweight debut in the next contest of the evening and to the surprise of everyone who expected him to have a tough out against veteran Shonie Carter. The serra-longo prospect made quick work of Mr.International as a heavy uppercut caused Shonie to drop face first onto the canvas before some hard shots to follow gave Gordon the KO stoppage. Result: Eddie Gordon (8-4) defeated Shonie Carter (51-32-7) by KO at 1:27 in the 1st round
Welterweight Bout: Cameron Diffley (4-0) vs Waachiim Spiritwolf (12-13-1) The next contest of the evening saw veteran journeyman Waachiim Spiritwolf take on submission ace Cameron Diffley. Unsurprisingly for this contest the submission specialist was looking to get the fight down to the ground and he did so right away with an excellent trip from the clinch. From here it didn't take Diffley long to take an armbar for the submission. Result: Cameron Diffley (5-0) defeated Waachiim Spiritwolf (12-14-1) by submission (armbar) at 2:25 in the 1st round
Welterweight Bout: Ryan Ford (22-5) vs Gerald Harris (22-5) Two recently retired Welterweight standouts made their return to the cage for this next contest of the evening. Unfortunately for Gerald Harris it appeared the ring rust may have affected his game all the more. As Ryan Ford was able to wobble Gerald early on with a heavy combination which Gerald never seemed to recover from. This allowed Ford to very much control the fight on the feet leading to a unanimous decision. Result: Ryan Ford (23-5) defeated Gerald Harris (22-6) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight Bout: Walter Gahadza (15-0) vs Trey Houston (11-3) Undefeated British prospect Walter Gahadza was looking to make a statement in the next fight of the evening and a statement he made as early on in his contest against Trey Houston. He dropped his opponent with a head kick which Trey never seemed to properly recover from. This allowed Walter to continue to damage him on the feet over the course of the round before finally putting him away with a superman punch. Result: Walter Gahadza (16-0) defeated Trey Houston (11-4) by KO at 4:54 in the 1st round
Welterweight Bout: Michael Hill (9-4) vs Mike Swick (15-6) TUF 1 veteran Mike Swick took on TUF 16 competitor Michael Hill in the next contest of the evening as these two former TUF stars looked to take a much needed victory for albeit different reasons. The younger fighter Hill was of course looking to pick up the biggest win of his career to date whilst Swick was of course wanting to show he still had it. Unfortunately for Swick for most of the three rounds this contest went it was all Michael Hill. As the canadian was able to repeatedly get the fight to the ground and stifle Swick. Unfortunately for Hill it appeared in the third round he had tired some and during one takedown Swick was able to secure a guillotine choke for the submission. Result: Mike Swick (16-6) defeated Michael Hill (9-5) by submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:32 in the 3rd round.
Welterweight Bout: Sai Wang (13-5-1) vs Jorge Santiago (25-12) In the next bout of the evening china's Sai Wang looked to carry on his current win streak as he took on arguably his biggest opponent today veteran Jorge Santiago. Whilst going into the bout many expected this to be an easy one for Santiago much to everyone's surprise Sai Wang was not only able to keep up with Santiago on both the ground as well as the feet. But he was also able to slowly overwhelm him with a heavy top game opening Santiago up early in the second round. The pressure of Wang kept up from here and it allowed Wang to pick up his 7th straight win as well as his most impressive one. Result: Sai Wang (14-5-1) defeated Jorge Santiago (25-13) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight Bout: Ryan Scope (8-0) vs Nah-Shon Burrell (13-6) English prospect Ryan Scope looked to maintain his unbeaten record in the next contest of the evening as he took on Bellator, UFC and Strikeforce vet Nah-Shon Burrell. Whilst Burrell may have been a step up for Scope compared to previous opponents. The british prospect was not fazed as he out worked Burrell from the off showing a well rounded game as he showcased some very precise and technical boxing on the feet coupled with an impressive ground game. After three rounds of non stop pressure Scope was able to take the unanimous decision against his toughest opponent to date. Result: Ryan Scope (9-0) defeated Nah-Shon Burrell (13-7) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight Bout: Tyler Stinson (29-10) vs Amir Sadollah (6-5) Lastly on the prelims side of the show Ultimate Fighter Champion Amir Sadollah took on veteran Tyler Stinson. Unfortunately for Sadollah who was looking to pick up his first win since 2012. An early right hand by Stinson wobbled him and from here all it took was a flurry of punches which was enough to put Amir down for a quick and vicious KO finish. Result: Tyler Stinson (30-10) defeated Amir Sadollah (6-6) by KO at 0:42 in the 1st round.
Main Card Welterweight Bout: Steve Carl (22-4) vs Borys Mankowski (18-5-1) Opening up the main card was the first tournament match up of the evening as former WSOF Welterweight Champion Steve Carl took on dangerous ground specialist Borys Mankowski. Unfortunately for Carl he was no match for the wrestling and grappling abilities possessed by Mankowski who was able to repeatedly get Carl down to the ground with ease and control him for the fight's duration. Result: Borys Mankowski (19-5-1) defeated Steve Carl by unanimous decision.
Welterweight Bout: Michail Tsarev (30-5) vs Khusein Khaliev (15-1) In the next contest of the evening veteran Michail Tsarev took on prospect Khusein Khaliev. Although Khaliev entered this fight with a ton of hype it quickly became apparent that Tsarev had the edge especially when it came to the ground as he was able to repeatedly wrestle Khusein down to the canvas. This game plan had Tsarev up on the score cards going into the third round and it looked like Khusein was desperately in need of doing something here and do something he did as Khusein connected with a pin point knee strike as Tsarev dropped down for a takedown. This dropped Michail and allowed Khaliev to follow up with some more shots for an impressive KO finish. Result: Khusein Khaliev (16-1) defeated Michail Tsarev (30-6) by KO at 2:07 in the 3rd round.
Welterweight Bout: Karl Amoussou (21-7-2) vs Dan Miller (14-8) Two skilled grapplers did battle in the next tournament match of the evening. Unfortunately both men's respect for one another's game saw neither man be too willing to take the fight to the ground. This led to a tame striking affair which saw both men be extremely tentative throughout the bout leading to a split decision for Karl Amoussou. Result: Karl Amoussou (22-7-2) defeated Dan Miller (14-9) by split decision
Welterweight Bout: Eddy Ellis (20-15-1) vs Paulo Thiago (15-8) Veteran Eddy Ellis looked to continue his career resurgence as he battled former UFC veteran Paulo Thiago who was also looking for a resurgence. Unfortunately for Paulo early in the fight he was clipped with a heavy right hand by Ellis which dropped him and several hammer fists later Ellis was declared the winner by way of knockout. Result: Eddy Ellis (21-15-1) defeated Paulo Thiago (15-9) by KO at 1:07 in the 1st round
"Fight Announcements: When the Welterweights return to the XCFA for XCFA 11. Not only will fans get to see the next round of the Welterweight tournament but they will also see two interesting rematches. As well as a battle between two dangerous veterans. The first bout announced will see Joe 'Diesel' Riggs (41-17) take on former UFC Welterweight Champion Carlos 'The Ronin' Newton (16-14). Meanwhile in the first of two rematches announced another former UFC Welterweight Champion Pat "The Croatian Sensation" Miletich will step out of retirement to battle old foe Renzo Gracie (13-7-1). Whilst the always popular Kazushi Sakuraba (26-17-1) will battle kickboxer Andrews Nakahara (4-2-2) in a rematch 8 years in the making."
Welterweight Bout: Dennis Hallman (53-19-2) vs Alexey Kunchenko (13-0) Unbeaten Russian standout Alexey Kunchenko was quick to establish himself as a threat in this tournament with a quick and vicious stoppage against Dennis Hallman. The longtime MMA vet came out in this fight with the right game plan looking to bring the fight to the ground. Unfortunately as he shot in for an early takedown a well timed right uppercut by Alexey staggered him. The rest of the round would then see Kunchenko continue to wobble Hallman with the power of his strikes until finally late in the round an overhand left put Dennis down for the knockout. Result: Alexey Kunchenko (14-0) defeated Dennis Hallman (53-20-2) by knockout at 4:49 in the 1st round.
Welterweight Bout: Phil Baroni (15-18) vs Jim Wallhead (29-9) Two veterans did battle in the next contest of the evening as both men looked to show what they still had left in the tank. Unfortunately for Phil Baroni the judo of Jim Wallhead was very much a difference maker as early on in the first round he landed a hip toss throw which hurt Baroni badly. From here Baroni followed up with some strikes on the ground for a TKO finish. Result: Jim Wallhead (30-9) defeated Phil Baroni (15-19) by TKO at 2:04 in the 1st round.
Welterweight Bout: Rousimar Palhares (18-6) vs Dan Hornbuckle (24-9) The co-main event of the evening would not be pretty for veteran Dan Hornbuckle unfortunately. As submission specialist Rousimar Palhares proved why he has been touted as one of the strong favorites in this tournament by quickly getting Hornbuckle down to the ground before clamping on a heel hook for the submission. Result: Rousimar Palhares (19-6) defeated Dan Hornbuckle (24-10) by submission (heel hook) at 1:37 in the 1st round.
Welterweight Bout: Ben Askren (15-0) vs Mike Pierce (17-7) Finally in the main event of the evening Olympian Ben Askren showed exactly what skills he brings to the dance. As he utilized his strong wrestling and non stop pressure top game to control Mike Pierce en route to a unanimous decision. Result: Ben Askren (16-0) defeated Mike Pierce (17-8) by unanimous decision.
Press Conference Highlights ~ Ben Askren called for a fight with "Cheater" Palhares ~Walter Gahadza challenged the winner of the tournament for a title fight
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Post by shady1 on May 15, 2016 8:00:17 GMT -5
XCFA Signs Will Brooks
With the surprising news of Will Brooks' Bellator departure surfacing. It is no surprise feelers where quickly sent out to the former Bellator Lightweight Champion by many of MMA's top promotions. However it can now be confirmed that a deal has been brokered between Brooks and the XCFA which will see Coconut Creek Native compete under their banner. Brooks who holds an impressive 19-1 pro record is riding an 8 fight win streak which includes wins over the likes of Michael Chandler and Alexander Sarnavskiy. Now whilst Brooks is set to compete in the Lightweight division it can be confirmed that Brooks will NOT be competing in the Lightweight tournament. As instead it is believed that Brooks has been promised an immediate title shot on his arrival to the promotion against whoever wins the tournament.
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Post by shady1 on May 20, 2016 4:39:00 GMT -5
Lucas Martins joins the XCFA
Earlier this week it was revealed despite coming off a win in his previous fight and having been victorious in 4 of his last 6 outings. Lucas Martins parted ways with the UFC and now can be confirmed to have penned a contract with the XCFA. A striker by trade with a Muay Thai background Martins has put away 10 of his wins by way of knockout. Holding an impressive 16-3 pro record it is not yet known whether Martins will be competing in the Bantamweight or Featherweight division for that matter but there is said to be a possibility of him being an entry in the tournament for whichever respective weight class.
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Post by shady1 on May 27, 2016 12:20:06 GMT -5
Introducing Lightweights
With the first tournament confirmed as being for the XCFA Lightweight Championship. The 16 men set to challenge for the title have now been unveiled. They are as followed..
Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Aoki Height: 5'11 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 39-6 Notable Wins: Kazushi Sakuraba, Lyle Beerbohm, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Marcus Aurelio, Joachim Hansen Country: Japan Bio: A heavy favorite in the Lightweight tournament. It is safe to say Shinya Aoki may be overall one of the best known not to mentioned highly regarded fighters to enter the XCFA so far as the Japanese veteran has competed in some of the worlds top promotions including Pride, Bellator, Strikeforce, One FC, Dream, Deep and Shooto. A grappling wizard who has put away 25 of his 39 wins by way of submission. Aoki is very much a threat should the fight hit the floor. But make no mistake as the unorthodox Aoki has began working to improve his stand up whilst remaining a constant threat with flying submission attempts.
Mansour "The Afro-Samurai" Barnaoui Height: 6'0 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 12-3 Notable Wins: N/A Country: France Bio: A talented young fighter at the age of 23 from France. Mansour Barnaoui is very much still a developing prospect in the game but there is no denying he has accomplished some impressive feats so far in his pro career. Currently in possession of the Bamma Lightweight championship Mansour has impressed with finishes over the likes of Curt Warburton and Colin Fletcher. A finisher by trade Mansour has put away 11 of his 12 wins by either stoppage or submission making him a threat no matter where the fight goes.
Lyle "Fancy Pants" Beerbohm Height: 5'10 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 25-3 Notable Wins: Duane Ludwig, Vitor Riberio, Marcus Aurelio Country: America Bio: A skilled grappler who holds a black belt in Brazilian Jujitsu. There was a time when Lyle Beerbohm was one of the most highly touted not too mention sought after prospects in MMA. As at that time he held a 16-0 pro record with wins over the likes of Vitor Ribeiro as well as Duane Ludwig. Despite suffering a handful of losses since that time Lyle has won 9 of his last 10 fights putting away all but one of those wins by either stoppage or submission.
Danny "Last Call" Castillo Height: 5'9 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 17-10 Notable Wins: Tim Means, Joe Stevenson, Dustin Poirier, Ricardo Lamas Country: America Bio: A former UFC and WEC veteran who is a long time member of the Team Alpha Male facility. It is no surprise that when it comes to Danny Castillo you have a powerful wrestler with an impressive submission pedigree. On top of his blackbelt in BJJ Castillo has proven himself to have some big power in his hands going by his brutal finishes over the likes of Charlie Brenneman. Although he has hit a rough patch as of late with a 4 fight losing streak the 36 year old will have a chance to turn things around in the XCFA Lightweight tournament.
Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante Height: 5'8 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 19-8-1 Notable Wins: Tyson Griffin, Bobby Green, Katsunori Kikuno, Caol Uno, Vitor Ribeiro Country: Brazil Bio: Often hailed as one of the top fighters in the Lightweight division to have never fought inside the octagon. JZ Cavalcante has fought in some of the top promotions in the world from Strikeforce, Dream, Shooto and of course most recently in World Series of fighting. Training alongside the blackzillians Cavalcante is a very well rounded fighter who has shown some big power in his hands from stoppages against the likes of Tyson Griffin as well as a vicious submission game. Which makes him a threat to anyone in this tournament.
"The Irish Hand Grenade" Marcus Davis Height: 5'8 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 22-11 Notable Wins: Chris Lytle, Ben Saunders Country: America Bio: A former professional boxer who burst onto the MMA scene with an appearance on the second season of the Ultimate Fighter followed by a five year long stint in the UFC. It is no surprise that Marcus Davis is best known for his wars with the likes of Chris Lytle in the octagon. But that's not to say that when it comes to Marcus Davis he is a one dimensional fighter. As of his 22 wins 9 have actually come by way of submission. Showing that the Irish Hand Grenade is dangerous no matter where the fight goes.
Mateusz "Gamer" Gamrot Height: 5'10 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 10-0 Notable Wins: Andre Winner Country: Poland Bio: A skilled wrestler and multiple time grappling champion the ever developing Mateusz Gamrot may not be the complete package yet in MMA. But he has more than earned a place in this tournament as in each of his fights he shows constant improvement. As whilst he may have the grappling background it is the striking of Gamrot which has come into play in his last couple of fights. Which show that Gamrot with each fight is becoming a bigger threat with every passing day.
Rick "Genghis" Hawn Height: 5'9 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 21-4 Notable Wins: Pat Healy, Jim Wallhead Country: America Bio: A blackbelt in Judo who has competed in the 2004 olympic games in his chosen sport. Rick Hawn has worked hard to fully round out his game in his transition into MMA. This of course was shown by his four year stint in Bellator in which Hawn won both the season 6 as well as season 9 tournaments. Whilst Hawn's judo and grappling base may make you think of him as a submission specialist but it's the striking of Hawn where he has thrived putting away 11 of his opponents by way of knockout.
Pat "Bam Bam" Healy Height: 5'9 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 33-21 Notable Wins: Lyle Beerbohm, Carlos Condit, Paul Daley, Dan Hardy Country: America Bio: A true veteran of the game who has competed for over 15 years in many of the worlds top organisations including the likes of UFC, Strikeforce, WEC and the IFL. Which has seen him constantly battle against some of the toughest and most notable figures in MMA including the likes of Carlos Condit, Jim Miller, Dan Hardy and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Respected for his toughness Healy is very much a fighter who embraces the grind using a ton of pressure to overwhelm his opponents. This has seen him put away 15 of his 33 wins by way of submission and makes him one to watch come this tournament.
"The Polish Hammer" Chris Horodecki Height: 5'9 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 21-6-1 Notable Wins: Bart Palaszewski Country: Canada Bio: A respected veteran of the game who has been fighting since 2005. Chris Horodecki is a talented veteran of the game who has plied his trade in promotions such as Bellator, WSOF, Affliction, WEC and the IFL. With his time in these organisations as well Horodecki has battled the likes of Donald Cerrone and Marlon Sandro in his career. A skilled and well rounded fighter Horodecki has managed to finish 11 of his 21 wins by way of either TKO or submission and will be looking to add more impressive names to his record in this tournament.
"King" KJ Noons Height: 5'10 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 13-9 Notable Wins: Nick Diaz, Sam Stout, Yves Edwards Country: America Bio: A former professional boxer and kick boxer turned mma fighter. Hawaii's KJ Noons has very much crafted himself a reputation as one of the most fun to watch fighters in MMA. A former Elite XC Champion Noons has competed in organisation such as Elite XC, Strikeforce, Dream and the UFC where he has battled against the likes of Nick Diaz, Donald Cerrone, Jorge Masvidal and others. Unsurprisingly with his background Noons is most dangerous on the feet having put away 9 of his 13 victories by way of knockout. Making him a real threat to anyone standing up.
Alexander "Tiger" Sarnavskiy Height: 5'11 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 34-4 Notable Wins: Marcus Davis Country: Russia Bio: A master of sport in hand to hand combat Alexander Sarnavskiy is so far best known for his run in Bellator where despite showing himself to be a top fighter. He was unable to prove himself to be an elite one as just when he was on the cusp of getting that big win would suffer an unfortunate loss. Despite this the man nicknamed Tiger is an exciting addition to the XCFA and very much one to watch having put away 27 of his 34 wins by either submission or stoppage.
Rob "C4" Sinclair Height: 5'8 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 13-3 Notable Wins: Andre Winner, Daniel Weichel, Tim Radcliffe Country: England Bio: A tough and highly regarded Lightweight from the UK scene. Rob Sinclair in the year 2012 was seemingly on his way to stardom as he was the holder of the BAMMA Lightweight Championship and had just engaged in a thrilling battle with Andre Winner which earned him a contract with Bellator MMA. Unfortunately due to injuries that'd be the last time Sinclair fought for 3 years before he returned with a loss to Saad Awad. Since that time Winner has returned home picking up his 10th stoppage win by strikes and will be looking to reclaim some former glory.
Ronys Torres Height: 5'8 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 31-5 Notable Wins: Drew Fickett, Diego Brandao Country: Brazil Bio: A veteran of the game who after a disappointing run in the UFC back in 2010. Rony Torres has since gone on a tear losing only two fights in that 6 year period whilst winning an impressive 17 fights. Training with the Nova Uniao camp Torres is a well rounded fighter who is dangerous wherever the fight goes which has been on firm display in his recent wins as only 5 of his opponents have made it to the final bell. Showing Torres as a potential favorite to take this entire tournament.
Lowen Tynanes Height: 5'10 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 9-0 Notable Wins: Eduard Folyang Country: America Bio: Although he may not have the big name value currently of some of his fellow competitors in this tournament. A name many of those in the know will be keeping an eye on in this tournament is that of unbeaten prospect Lowen Tynanes. At only the young age of 25 Lowen caught everyone's attention when in only his second fight he defeated the respected Eduard Folyang. A talented wrestler who also has a background in Boxing Tynanes is very much a fighter on the rise and one to watch when this tournament comes round.
Caol Uno Height: 5'7 Weight: 155 pounds Record: 33-18-5 Notable Wins: Yves Edwards, Din Thomas, Dennis Hallman Country: Japan Bio: One of the most respected veterans of the game and in many way one of the pioneers of the Lightweight Division. Caol Uno has fought a veritable whose who of names in the sport over his illustrious 20 year career so far. Despite being one of the more older competitors in the tournament Uno doesn't appear to be faltering just yet having one 6 of his last 8 fights. Putting away four of those six the same way he has put away many of his victories by submission.
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Post by shady1 on May 27, 2016 12:26:04 GMT -5
Welterweight Title tournament 2nd round bracket confirmed
The fights for the next round of the Welterweight title tournament have been revealed today. The bouts are as followed...
Ben Askren (16-0) vs Jim Wallhead (30-9) Alexey Kunchenko (14-0) vs Borys Mankowski (19-5-1) Khusein Khaliev (16-1) vs Rousimar Palhares (19-6) Eddy Ellis (21-15-1) vs Karl Amoussou (22-7-2)
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