Tag: World Series of Fighting

(Admit it. You kind of missed that tongue. / Photo via facebook.com/MMAWorldSeries)

Tonight in Atlantic City, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski headlines World Series of Fighting 2 against former UFC whateverweight Anthony Johnson, in a battle that will surely earn the 2013 Minowaman Freak Show Hall of Fame Award. Also on the card: UFC vets Josh Burkman and Aaron Simpson throw down in the welterweight division, Paulo Filho hopefully shows up to fight David Branch, and Marlon Moraes returns from his win over Miguel Torres to face Bellator champ killer Tyson Nam.

Our man Oliver Chan is on the scene tonight at the Revel Casino, where he and photographer Rick Albrecht will be posting round-by-round updates, commentary, and visual aids after the jump, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest from the NBC Sports Network main card broadcast, and let your voices be heard in the comments section.

Please stand by.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, I would like to wish myself a happy 32nd birthday on this lovely Saturday evening where I am sitting cage-side at the World Series of Fighting 2 coming at you LIVE on NBC Sports.  We’ll be bringing some of the action to you live on CagePotato as well.  But first, here are the prelims:

Frank Buenafuente vs. Bill Alego

Alego wins by Rear Naked Choke at 4:26 in the 2nd round

BrensonHansen vs. Tom Marcellino

Hansen wins by KO at 3:24 in the 2nd round

Chris Wade vs. Ozzie Dugulubgov

Ozzie (yeah, not attempting that name again) wins by Unanimous Decision

Igor Gracie vs. Rich Patishnock

Rich Patishnock wins after doctor stoppage (athough Igor clearly had won the round)

Waylon Lowe vs. Cameron Dollar

Waylon Lowe wins via 1st Round KO

Rick Glenn vs. Alexandre Pimentel

Rick Glenn wins via KO at 1:51 in the 3rd round

Danillo Villefort vs. Kris McCray

Villefort via split-decision

Main Event Coming Up!

JZ Calvalcante vs. Justin Gaethje

Well, for this fight, I will definitely be referring to these fighters by their first names.

Round 1

Justin comes in with a couple of leg-kicks.  JZ shoots for the takedown, but Justin defends connects with some heavy fists.  Justin gets JZ  against the fence and hits with some more combos.  JZ eats some knees from the clinch.  Justin slips after some monster knees and a series of punches in bunches, JZ takes the action to the center of the ring.  Justin gets JZ back against the fence and delivers some bone-crunching elbows to the face.  JZ struggles to get off the fence as Justin continues to deliver powerful uppercuts to the face of JZ who is now bloody.

Ref halts the action to have the doctor examin JV’s face which has a rather large gash above the eye.  Doctor comes in to check out the wound and calls the fight.

JZ is pretty pissed that the fight was stopped, understandably since he can still continue, however that giant gash above his eye will only get worse if they continue.

Justin Gaethje wins by Doctor’s Stoppate at 2:27 of the first round

Josh Burkman vs. Aaron Simpson

Simpson coming out to Quiet Riot.

Josh Burkman Twisted Sister.  Lot of 80s hair-band music… We are SO in New Jersey right now.

Round 1

Simpson ties up Burkman against the fence.  Burkman reverses.  The two separate and square off again.  Simpson is bleeding from the mouth.  Burkman drops Simpson to one knee with a vicious right hook.  The two square off again.  Nasty leg-kick by Burkman.  He unleashes on Simpson! Gets him against the fence KNEE TO THE HEAD! Simpson is down and the ref jumps in to end it.

The round started off pretty slow, but ended with a huge exclamation point.

Final decision coming up.

Burkman wins by KO 3:04 in the first

Burkman: “Jon Fitch needs to earn his title-shot”

Paulo Filho vs. David Branch

Branch channeling his inner Wandy with his entrance music.

Round 1

Branch pops Filho with a few jabs before taking hi down to the mat.  He’s in Filho’s half-guard looking to ass.  Branch works some GnP from the half-guard.

There’s certainly some Brooklyn fans here.

Branch is landing some hard shots to Filho’s mid-section.  While in the half-guard.

And there’s a failed attempt to start a “U.S.A.” chant.

Branch passes the guard into the mount, but Filho is able to get Branch in his full guard before any damage can be done.  Branch works some body shts from the guard.  He has Filho up against the cage.  Filo attempts some sweeps from the guard.  Branch is able to defend and works some shots from the guard.

Yep… Here come the boo-birds… Like they can do better.

Branch lands some more shots now from the guard as the round ends.

Round goes to Branch 10-9.

Round 2

The two square off in the center.  Branch drops FIlho with a kick to the midsection.  Filho scrables up and Branch lands some strong combos.  FIlho lands an overhand, but Branch drops him to the knees.  Filho gets up, Branch lands the double leg and pins Filho to the cage.  Filho stands up, but is tied up against the cage.  Ref separates them.

Filho with a left hook.  Branch ducks, double leg into side control.  Branch in the mounted crucifix.  ands some shots to Filho’s head a la Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn.  Filho attempts to rll into Branch.  Filho is looking tired.  Branch flattens Filho out and keeps popping Filho in the head.  Branch attempts to transition into the mount, but goes back to side control.  Filho attempts to hip out, but Branch again flattens out his shoulders.  Branch lands some elbows to the face and body from side control. Now adding knees into the mix.  Branch gets the knee on belly, but moves back to side control.  Branch goes to north-south and lands more body shots to Filho’s midsection.  End of round 2.

Branch dominates the second round.  Easily another 10-9 to the Renzo Gracie fighter.

Round 3

Filho attempts a spinning back kick, but it’s stuffed by branch who gts into th mount and lands some vicious ground and pound.  Filho gets Branch into his half guard as Branch continues to land some powerful elbows.  Filho can’t seem to get out of the bottom position as Branch continues to land some powerful body shots while in the half guard.  Filho gets Branch into the full-guard and lands some elbows, but Branch continues to control Filho from inside the guard.

Ref stands the up and the crowd cheers.

Branch gets Filho into the clinch against the fence and lands some knees.  The separate and a left kick by Branch.  Branch gets Filho against the fence again, knees to the face and body.  Branch gets the double leg and some more ground and pound and the round ends.

Branch easily takes the third once again 10-9.

Official decision:  David Branch wins by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Tyson Nam vs. Marlon Moraes

Moraes coming out to some 90s Nirvana.  I like.

Round 1

Tyson and Moraes feel each other out for a bit.  Moraes starts to throw some heavy hands, but does not connect.  He lands a strong leg kick on Nam.  Nam comes in with a cross, Moraes steps away and lands a hard body kick.  Morares and Nam exchange a few punches.  Moraes with a nice combo.  Moraes takes Nam down, but unable to capitalize as Nam quickly gets to his feet.  Moraes lands a ROUND HOUSE  Kick to the head and Nam is OUT!!!!

Official Decision: Moraes wins by KO 2:35 in the 1st Round

 

Andrei Arlovski vs. Anthony Johnson

Get ready for the main event.  Quick note, thanks to CagePotato for this opportunity to come to the fights in person.  Been here since 6 and been running on coffee and EBoost all night.

A quick shout-out to the comment section specifically “Thumblaster” for the comment that made me chuckle: “Rumble got his nickname because that’s what his stomach always used to do when he would fight welterweight”.  Congrats.  You win my approval.

Rumble Johnson coming out to some more Nirvana! This time it’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.  I’m pumped! Looking at Rumble one must wonder how he once fought at 170!

Andrei is coming out to “Eye of the Tiger.  The crowd here is definitely pumped now!

Round 1

Rumble comes in with some heavy hands and kicks.  He is definitely pushing the pace and looking good.  Rumble lands a nice combo.    Andrei returns with a strong jab.  Rumble throws to head-kicks, but fails to connect.  Rumble with a nice body-kick.  Andrei with a few body jabs and has Rumble backing up a bit.  Rumble comes in with a combo, goes for a double leg and has Andrei against the cage.  Andrei has the overhook, but Rubmle continues to press him against the cage.  Rumble throws a few knees to Andrei’s legs.  Ref separates.

Andrei with a nice combo.  Rumble goes for the single-leg, but Andrei defends and now has Rumble against the cage.  Andrei throws a few knees as the two pummel.  Again, the Ref separates and the two are squaring off throwing punches in the center.

Rumble knocks Andrei down.  Lands a few punches.  He has Andrei against the cage as the bell rings.

Solid round by Rumble 10-9.

Round 2

Both fighters connect with some powerful shots to the head.  Rumble has Andrei against the cage looking for a take-down.

Once again, the ref moves them to the center of the ring and they square off.  Andrei lands some nice jabs.

Rumble comes in with a few overhands and connects.  Andrei counters with a nice uppercut.  Some front kicks to Rumble’s body.  The two exchange some more.  Rumble goes for the take-down, Andrei sprawls and the two press up against the cage.  Andrei reverses and now has Rumble against the cage.  The two exchanges some knees and continue to pummel.  Andrei catches Rumble in the jewels with a knee and a Rumble is given some time to recover.

Rubmle is back up, they touch gloves and back at it.  Rumble comes in with some strong overhands shoots in for the take-down and once again has Andrei against the cage.  Rumble gets the take down.  Andrei rolls out, Rumble has control of his back.  Andrei is back up against the cage.  Rumble going for the take-down as Andrei lands some hammer-fists.  Andrei sprawls, defending the take-down and Rumble presses him against the cage.  Round 2 over.

Bit closer round.  I’m going to side with Andrei on this, but it could go either way.  10-9 the Pitbull.

Round 3

Rumble goes in for an overhand and Andrei counters.  The two exchange punches and now Rumble has Andrei against the cage.  Andrei lands some strikes to the boy.  The Ref resets once again.

Rumble with a nice head-kick.  Andrei answers with a front kick to the body.  Rumble lands a nice cross to Andrei’s chin that definitely would kill a normal man.  Rumble has Andrei pressed against the cage… Just waiting for another reset now.  Andrei reverses and has Rumble pressed against the cage.  The two exchange knees to the boy.  The two make their way to the middle.  Some hard hits are exchanged and Rumble has Andrei against the cage.  Andrei reverses and the two make their way back to the center.  More hard hits are exchanged.  Andrei’s mouth is open ans he connects with some nice body shots and one to Rumble’s Chin.  Rumble goes for the single-leg, but gives up on it.  Goes for another one and the two are against the cage.  Andrei with some body shots and that’s the third round.

A close round, but I think Andrei landed the better shots.  Tough one for me to call, but I’m leaning to Andrei in a close 10-9 round.  Official decision coming up now.

Official Decision:  Anthony Johnson (29-28 all)… I was waaaaaaaaay off!

Well, folks, thank you for joining me on my birthday (although technically now it isn’t my birthday anymore).  Great fights put together by the WSOF.  Hopefully more to come.  Thanks to Ben and the rest of the CP staff for giving me this opportunity.  Thanks to my Rick Albrecht for his great photog work.  Thanks to EBoost for keeping me going for 6 hours straight.  Don’t forget to donate to Nick Newell’s favorite charity, Tap Cancer Out, by visiting my fundraiser page at www.stayclassy.org/oliverchan