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FallenFlyer

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FallenFlyer last won the day on February 19 2015

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  1. From my limited experience, how you set up your sliders cannot be judged by simply 'build x vs. build y'. You need to look at your opponents preferences and how they are likely to fight. From there you can choose whether it will be better to set your sliders to maximise your build or minimise your opponents advantages.
  2. The final Unleash inside a ring, sponsored by Sun-Tzu, is headlined by the resurgent heavyweight title picture and a potential epic between two great featherweights. Could UNFC 54: Paskalev vs. Vos be the crowning glory of this genuinely fascinating experiment? Proceedings begin with DJ Dy No Mite (3-4-0) looking to continue his impressive winning streak. The young American has now won three in a row after an inauspicious start. The increasingly well-rounded Kalle Pailkka (6-4-0) will be a great test of Mite’s true potential. Debutants “The Horse” DJ Maximus (3-2-0) and Jack “The Snake” Larsson (4-0-1) will see each other as a great opportunity to prove why they are going to matter in Unleash. Larsson is considered the favourite due to his high level grappling skills but Maximus’s supposedly elite power shouldn’t be underestimated. Continuing the trend of newcomers entering the organisation are former longtime DSC competitor Seppo Silvennoinen (9-6-0) and perpetual roamer Sergej “Project Alpha” Valentinovich (6-1-0). Despite their records elsewhere, it is really difficult to judge either man’s capabilities as there are serious question marks around the validity of some of their previous opponents. It will be up to one of them to put on a big performance, which will rubbish those rumours immediately. There is still great hope that Pops Maellard (4-0-0) will develop into a world ranked middleweight. However it is essential for Maellard to show that he can convert his hand speed into knockouts having failed to claim a decisive victory in either of his two UNFC appearances. Stopping Axl Rose (3-2-0), who has never even been knocked down in his career, will accomplish this nicely. Another fighter who has garnered a lot of attention in the dirt sheets is Short “Shorty” Low (10-5-1). Known for much of his early career as a guy who you judge others potential from, Low has moved camps and is now looking to make the step into stardom himself. He’ll take on Daniel Datsik (3-1-0), who is another under-the-radar talent that may surprise a few in the future. Anyone who wants to see a slugfest between two men with great heart will be extremely excited by UNFC 54’s main card opener. Both Thomas “Tommie” Hawk (7-4-1) and Matt “The Immortal” Brown (8-8-0) are charismatic stars that always want to throw down. Sometimes this costs them. Brown has been submitted on three consecutive occasions after his joyful abandon opened up an easy takedown. While Hawk has never found a consistent winning streak. Yet this is unlikely to bother these two, especially with the promise of an all out stand up war on the cards. This may even be a case of two fighters gaining popularity by the manner of their performances alone. Jorge Domingo (16-6-0) is still best remembered as being a great Island fighter. His run as Chaos champion cementing his legacy whatever his future held. However the transition to Unleash has been extremely tough on the Florida native as he has failed to perform to the best of his ability. Having finally found his mojo at UNFC 48, the initial excitement towards the legend is back and many people are hoping to see him make a run at the light heavyweight title. Standing in his way is the unique stylings of Ernie “The Worm” Bezoink (9-10-0). Those who have not seen “The Worm” are in for a treat. The Canadian doesn’t appear to believe in strategy, nor pain, as he wades into opponents with only victory on his mind. This single-mindedness has led to his downfall on more than one occasion, but this doesn’t stop Bezoink delivering some of the most violent knock outs out there. To some, there has been the suggestion that this is the perfect opponent for Domingo as he can use his experience and fight craft to undermine Bezoink. However, anyone with a punchers chance like the Canadian’s must be considered a stiff test for anyone. Another Canuck causing waves in the UNFC is Brad “Mayday” May (9-1-0). He will be making a huge step up in competition when he takes on former champion “Pirate” Ragnar Danneskjold (13-7-0). On paper, this appears to be a classic striker verses grappler affair. “Mayday” is a technician when it comes to throwing unusual punch/kick combinations that land with metronomic regularity. More times than not, this completely discombobulates the opponent into desperately grappling, which just plays right into May’s game plan. He’ll have no such luck against “Pirate” as the Norwegian will find a way to get this to the floor if allowed to. Once there the, not unskilled, May will be at a sizeable disadvantage to Danneskjold. There is a really good reason why fighter after fighter uses length and the jab to keep him at bay. One interesting additional factor is May’s perceived inability to finish at this level. In both his previous contests, he has hurt his opponent early in a round, but allowed them to survive when another fighter might be expected to get the finish. This will surely encourage “Pirate” to throw more caution to the wind as he is likely to get another chance even if “Mayday” catches him. Of course that will also give May the opportunity to abolish his sceptics as well. Judging the other fighter will be key for whoever gets the victory in this one. Clearly “Fearless” Frank Nicolosi (14-6-0) wanted to prove that he is a fighting champion. Just a handful of weeks removed from claiming the reestablished heavyweight belt, the Italian stallion puts the gold on the line once more. This time the challenger is the top Nauruan competitor in the world, Ricardo “Demolition” Gaarlandt (14-5-0). These two gentleman are more than capable of taking this fight anywhere, but it is most likely to be a clash of Nicolosi’s raw power against the in-and-out movement of Gaarlandt. In this sense, the challenger may have an advantage. “Demolition” is a surprisingly small and light fighter for the division and that makes his movement almost supersonic compared to many of the lumbering hulks at the top end. He has made a career of getting inside, causing damage and being away from the action once his foe as responded. Nicolosi will have never faced anything like this in his career. Of course the downside, as Gaarlandt as discovered to his cost before, is that one big strike can change the outcome instantly. “Fearless” may even be considered the most powerful of that group so will have the chance, as always, of finishing the fight at any moment. Even if he is way behind on the scorecards. The addition of the two championship rounds also gives Nicolosi more time to land that one, all important, strike so surely makes him the heavy favourite. Still, you never know how someone might step up when they know immortality is on the line. Revenge and validation are on the line for the main event. Fans and commentators alike were crowning Arnost “Honey Badger” Paskalev (15-5-0) as an all-time great when he defeated the original Unleash featherweight great Ferdinand Cortes back at UNFC 37. This all came to a grinding halt just one event later when Jake Vos (10-2-0) secured a rear naked choke to steal away the title. Many were aghast at this turn of events, with a surprising number claiming the win as a ‘fluke’. This perception was not helped by Vos then turning the championship over in his first defence. So Paskalev and Vos meet once again. The former with revenge on his mind while the latter desires to prove to everyone, probably including himself, that he really is the better man. The winner is also likely to be in the picture for another shot at that hot potato of a championship belt that the featherweight title has now become. Funnily enough, the fight itself is not that different from the first one. Both men are excellent grapplers who, in all probability, will want to utilise that ability from early on. However the man who secures the dominant position is going to be in a far better place to pick up the win. So how they go about that will be key. Arguably, Vos is the better pure puncher but there can be little doubt that Paskalev has the more rounded stand up game. Several in the know have suggested that he may employee a number of low kicks early to interfere with the leg strength of Vos. This could well hamper the American’s grappling enough for “Honey Badger” to take the advantage. Others have countered with the reasonable concern that this would leave Paskalev open to the counter, which Vos has executed very well in his career. Ultimately, this will be decided by the finest of margins and is too close to call right now. The winner takes away more than the W. He gets a sense of self-assuredness that will surely turn one of these already great fighters into a champion again. The loser will need to dig deep if not to get into a funk that has killed careers before.
  3. As predicted, there was barely room to breath in Hard Knocks Tokyo as, a suspiciously exact official attendance of, 3000 people were treated to a night of surprises at UNFC 53: Kokoszka vs. Chavez. Unwillingness to commit to the striking game cost Makolaj Bajeczny (0-5-0) in both the fans and, more importantly to him, the judge’s eyes as he lost by unanimous decision to Tyler Thompson (4-2-1). In truth, this was a scrappy affair that never really got going. The pressure of the situation clearly got to both men. Pushing the action also proved to be an effective tactic for Daft “Punk” Young (3-1-0) as he bestowed “Tiny Willy” Editiny Dick (3-1-0) with his first career defeat. Arguably Dick landed the more telling shots but these were far to infrequent compared to “Punk’s” sustained pressure. It was rather apparent that none of Dixie “Dang” Small’s (2-1-0) camp had watched either of the night’s opening bouts as he also fell into the trap of inactivity. To be fair on Small, Raf Camora (3-1-0) was by far the most impressive winner and deservedly stripped his rival of his unbeaten record. Camora's concoction of kicks were a clear step forward for the Italian which bodes very well for his future. Word has clearly gotten out that Bernhard “The Bear” Adelhard (6-4-0) is quickly becoming one of the must see fighters in Unleash. Those who made it to their seats on time were rewarded with the first stoppage of the evening as he overpowered “Freaky Fast” Jimmy Johns (6-5-1) in just over two minutes. What will be most noticeable to future opponents was Adelhard’s ability to switch levels smoothly. Possibly the best display of pure MMA came in the final undercard bout between Jack “The War Master” Douglas (7-5-0) and Peter Smith (11-4-0). Both men probed at his opposition's weaknesses as they explored all three facets of the fight game. Yet neither man could find a clear weakness throughout. The action never deteriorated though as they both pushed hard for the win until the final bell After a long pause for the scorecards, Peter Smith was awarded the victory but neither man truly lost after this classic fight. Orange Joe (9-6-0) scored a massive personal victory as he laid Meguru Takayanagi (7-8-0) out with a deadly bombardment of ground and pound. Not only did this win avenge Joe’s UNFC 30 loss to Takayanagi, but it also proved that he now has the moxie to roll with the best ground fighters despite this not be his favoured route to victory. No doubt Takayanagi’s camp will go away extremely disappointed from this one though. The Tokyo native implemented his game plan perfectly but was still found wanting. The crux of the matter was simply Takayanagi’s inability to muster any offence. This will be especially worrying for his fans as he held several dominant positions for much of the first round, and had a critical take down early in the second. Yet Joe was able to completely neutralise the situation until he was finally presented with the opportunity to go on the attack himself. From this point, the fight was all Joe. He hurt his beleaguered opponent on several occasions before finally dropping a torrent of punches that had *stop the fight* written all over them. This victory puts Joe right back into the title hunt at 155. The future of Takayanagi is far more uncertain with this being his fourth loss on the bounce. Perhaps a little time away from the sport would do this Unleash legend the world of good, as everyone here wants to see this man continue to be a factor in the title picture. Despite what commentators like to say, sometimes great heart is not enough to get a fighter past a superior opponent. This is exactly what Kostas Papadakis (13-8-0) discovered when faced with the clinical boxing of Frank “Bruiser” Brody (12-8-1). How Papadakis survived the first round is a bit astonishing. The first exchange saw the Turk missing wildly and led to him being punished with a picture perfect uppercut. That strike alone would have surely ended most fights. Brody then peppered his outclassed foe with a range of text book blows until one big straight turned his opponents legs to jelly. It looked all over but Papadakis grabbed the clinch. Head cleared, he was then able to manoeuvre around the ring to avoid Brody’s ever wilder head shots. When the round came to an end, Brody’s corner loudly admonished the Irishman for losing his candor and solely loading up for the knockout blow. Advice taken onboard, Brody went back to the technical approach that had worked so well early on. Once again Papadakis had no answer and this time his luck ran out. Brody continued his relentless boxing lesson with one combination after another finding it’s mark. Eventually, the referee took the unusual step of stepping in and saving the man who was yet to have fallen. It turned out to be a great decision by the official as Papadakis was shown to be out on his feet. Too brave or too stupid to go down despite the hail of blows, Papadakis’s performance will go down as one of true grit. Perhaps Brody will not gain the same notoriety but the win will be more than satisfactory compensation. “Ludacris” Terry Opdauhl (9-2-0) snapped his losing streak in just fifty seconds. He sized up Nich Dim (13-4-1) with a couple of early jabs, and proceeded to corral the grappler into the ropes. With no where to go, Dim fought bravely but was overwhelmed by “Ludacris’s” power and precision. This was the perfect repost for Opdauhl who had felt attacked by a number of critics recently. He will very much hope that this performance will silence the doubters who believed he lacked in ambition. Perhaps, his lack of form was simply a case of him not finding his feet in the organisation yet, and now he will only excel further from here. Certainly Dim will hope that there is some merit to this idea of it takes time to settle into a new company as he is now 0-1-1 in Unleash himself. Maybe it will be his turn to have a resurgence when he gets his next opportunity. Defence rather than attack was the story of the evening’s co-main event as Dave “The Machine” Johnson (9-3-0) picked a somewhat controversial victory over Joe “The Flying Monkey” Gregory (9-5-0). These two warriors were obviously well matched from the beginning as their individual styles meshed into a dance of fury. Gregory was the aggressor from the opening moments, and bombarded “The Machine” with carefree strikes from the first minute to the last. This rather played into Johnson’s game plan as he was able to avoid the initial strike and look to counter the onrushing opponent. Johnson’s tactics did make it appear that he was running away from the fight at times, which went down poorly with some observers, yet those in the know have applauded him on his wise use of the ring’s dimensions. Therefore judging who was getting the upper hand in the striking game was near impossible for most people. So when it came to who might be the winner, many pointed to the four takedowns Gregory achieved late in each round as the big difference between the two men. Not that the black belt fighter did much once he had gained the position. Something that is likely to disappoint the Canadian deeply. So there was a sizeable intake of breath when Johnson’s name was read out as the winner. All credit to Gregory who accepted his fate with grace but it was clear that his side were extremely unhappy with the decision. The metrics do back up the judge’s choice though as “The Machine” proved to be the far more accurate striker. However there is a fundamental question whether this information should be given more credence than the naked eye test, which suggested both sides were really even. Honestly, the only way this will ever be resolved is if they step into a cage once again, and surely every Unleash fan would be more than pleased to see these two go at it once more. Before Dominik “The Crusher” Kokoszka threw up a picture perfect head kick that knocked Julio Cesar Chavez (8-1-0) out before he hit the floor, these two rising superstars were proving why both men are tipped to dominate Unleash’s lightweight division for many year’s to come. Both fighters came into the contest brimming with confidence, and this transferred into the ring beautifully. Each man took his turn to step into range with purpose and commenced to cause as much damage to the other as possible. Somehow neither warrior connected with anything solid though. This didn’t seem to deter them though as they threw counter after counter. A grazed hit there and a half block here made it look like it was only a matter of time before someone landed something truly telling. Ultimately a little guile from Kokoszka was the difference. After yet another back and forth battle, the Pole circled into his opponent’s power side which allowed him to uncork a stunning head kick beyond Chavez’s guard. No lightweight could stand the force of such a blow and the Mexican should fell no shame for taking his first loss to such a devastating strike. The victory hands Kokoszka the next opportunity to face Unleash’s wayward lightweight champion. When this might happen, or whether “The Crusher” can and will be tempted into defending his well earned status is something that seems to have been undecided at this time. Chavez’s future is far more certain. He now goes away to mourn the loss of his undefeated streak, but also gains the critical knowledge of what it takes to be a number one contender in this great organisation. No doubt he will be twice as good on his return and surely it is a matter of time before these two meet again. The bigger question is whether the gold will be on the line when that happens.
  4. Surely it is more common for fighters who reach the top level at a young age to go through a decline in their late 20s and then have a resurgence in their early 30s? Off the top of my head this is true for Belfort, Mir, Rua, Lawler and the older Diaz.
  5. Who wants to bet that this will go in front of the courts at least once more before Saturday
  6. Now that life has returned to some sort of normality (touch wood), I'm looking to pick up an additional preview or review each week. Examples of my work here http://www.mmatycoon.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43383&page=5 Please Pm me if your interested.
  7. I think you'd be better applying a couple of hidden modifiers to differentiate physicals than separating them. On the whole, most people are either power people or endurance people. By working out you can compensate for your weaker area but ultimately you are naturally better at one or the other. Obviously you get some freaks as well - who are just amazing at both - but these are few and far between. To represent this you could then have two groups (strength/agility/speed and conditioning/flexibility/balance) modified by +/- 0.40 which are randomly assigned like all the other hiddens. Then you keep the physical monsters but some will actually be that and others who will never achieve it no matter how much they work at it.
  8. With the announcement late on Thursday that Unleash Fighting Championship would be returning to the ten-point must system, fans swarmed the Hard Knocks Arena to purchase tickets for the penultimate event that would feature the iconic traditional rules. Those lucky enough to get a seat will be treated to a rousing display of lightweight action at UNFC 53: Kokoszka vs. Chavez. The evenings entertainment will begin with two men desperately hoping to reinvigorate their flagging careers. Tyler Thompson (3-2-1) has only seen one victory in his past four while Mikolaj Bajeczny (0-4-0) is yet to see his hand raised at all. Neither man can afford to lose again. Malaysian “Tiny Willy” Editiny Dick (3-0-0) then puts his unbeaten MMA record on the line against UNFC debutant Daft “Punk” Young (2-1-0). Popular belief indicates this will be the first time that Dick’s chin is truly tested as “Punk” is known for being a powerful striker for the weight class. The nefarious rumours circulating around Dixie “Dang” Small’s (2-0-0) life outside the ring has been given more attention than his match up with Raf Camora (2-1-0), but this will be a really good way of measuring the potential of both these up-and-comers. Surely the winner will be looking at a first main event slot in the near future. No one knew what to make of Season 3 ITFL competitor Bernhard “The Bear” Adelhard (5-4-0) when he entered Unleash. His undistinguished record didn’t gel with the eyeball test that suggested he was a hardened, seasoned fighter. So far “The Bear” has excelled, and is expected to do so once again against the ever popular underdog “Freaky Fast” Jimmy Johns (6-4-1). Another resurgent fighter is Peter Smith (10-4-0), who has looked dominant since returning from a sizeable self imposed exile. He makes a major step up in competition when he faces Jack “The War Master” Douglas (7-4-0) in the night’s final undercard contest. Whether Smith can handle the joint threat of Douglas’s unrated power and well publicised ground game will indicate if he has really made the step up into the top tier of fighters. Times have been tough on former championship contender Meguru Takayanagi (7-7-0). The man who once put together a five fight winning streak has now been soundly beaten in his last three, and finds himself a long way outside the title picture. The Tokyo native now looks to a formerly mastered opponent, Orange Joe (8-6-0), to get his Unleash career back on track. A plethora of bloggers have been gone back to the first fight between these two men. They point to how easily Takayanagi secured the submission victory and use this as ironclad evidence to why the homegrown talent should be considered the strong favourite. Such assumptions should be given little credence though as Joe has become a far more rounded practitioner since that fight back at UNFC 30. Surely, Joe will be far more willing to let his strikes go with his new found confidence in his grappling ability. Yet that first experience could well play on the mind of the man from the Big Apple, and Takayanagi’s innate ground skills are always going to be able to exploit any mental, as well as technical, weakness. Undoubtably, this is a big fight for both men’s future prospects. Another classic striker verses grappler encounter is expected between Frank “Bruiser” Brody (11-8-1) and Kostas Papadakis (13-7-0). Brody is the embodiment of the warrior spirit and has shown on numerous occasions the willing to put everything on the line to find that elusive knock out. Even if that means coming home on his shield on occasion. His record of only seeing the judge’s scorecard once in a twenty fight career is testament to this attitude. Papadakis’s mentality couldn’t be any different. His first plan in every fight is to neutralise his opponent’s stand up and get them into the pain of an energy sapping, often limb breaking, grappling match. In what might be the most obvious statement of the day, whoever empowers their game plan best is most likely to be the winner. What might be a key indicator to who that may be is the fact that Papadakis has never been defeated by knockout in his career, while “Bruiser” has been undermined by high level grapplers before. Of course, MMA makes it’s headlines from fighter’s suffering from their first ‘whatever' each and every week… Before entering Unleash “Ludacris” Terry Opdauhl (8-2-0) had blasted through opponents with a level of ease rarely seen in these days of professionalism. That wonderful run has now come to a grinding halt as he has been undone in successive fights by high quality grapplers. Desperate to prove this blip is just an anomaly, Opdauhl takes on another high end grappler in Nich Dim (13-3-1). The Unleash audience has yet to see the best of Dim, who fought out a majority draw in his debut appearance. The long-time Eastern Canada fighter was clearly nervous before the last contest and simply didn’t fight to the level expected of him. His team have confidently predicted that these issues are now behind him. What this does mean is that he too will be out to prove that he has what it takes to be a top middleweight in Japan’s greatest mixed martial arts company. With all this in mind, actually predicting how the fight may play out is difficult. Dim will surely be looking at “Ludacris’s” past record with grapplers with glee, but then the tape indicates he simply doesn’t have the stand up skills necessary to hurt Opdauhl like those previous opponents did. So this should be a golden opportunity for Opdauhl to get his name back in the win column. Yet there is a noticeable message perpetrated by his camp that he wants to prove he can grapple with top guys. This could well mean he deliberately goes into the fight with the goal of showing that belief. If that comes to light then it really is anyone’s fight. With so many top featherweights competing for space at the top of Unleash’s packed division, it was a wonderful surprise that two top ten talents in Joe “The Flying Monkey” Gregory (9-4-0) and Dave “The Machine” Johnson (8-3-0) were able to agree on terms on a sort notice after another featherweight suffered an injury. Have no doubt, this co-main event match up has major repercussions on the seemingly undefendable 145 belt. Many think of Johnson as a grizzled veteran but, despite this being his tenth fight in Unleash, he is still only 22. This youth can be seen in every fight by the pure amount he develops from one appearance to another. His obviously thickening frame appears to be giving him more innate power compared to his early appearances yet the hand speed, that has been his trademark, is still there. “The Machine” will need to bring these skills to the fore from the very beginning as it’s highly unlikely that submission specialist Gregory will want anything to do with the striking game. It clearly came as a devastating surprise to “The Flying Monkey” that he was so overpowered in what was predominantly a grappling contest in his first UNFC loss. Still, Gregory must know that he has a much better chance against the stand up orientated Johnson if he uses his wrestling ability to secure dominant positions consistently. Recent featherweight fights have proven that only the most foolhardy gambler should even attempt to separate this group of great but evenly match gladiators. Johnson vs. Gregory is no different. UNFC 53’s main event puts two impressive win streaks on the line, with the reward being a shot at the much-coveted lightweight championship. Dominik “The Crusher” Kokoszka (8-2-0) is a remarkable example of what good can be found from taking a stay from the cage and refocusing on key skills. A fighter who has been with the company from it’s very conception, Kokoszka went a better than average three and two in his early career before stepping away. Since his return, he has won five in a row and won four in under two minutes. “The Crusher” went from tin analogies to car ones as he now fully embodies his nickname. The man who will be standing across the ring from him has never faced such hardships as he is perfect so far in his MMA career. In fact, the final Hostility middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez (8-0-0) has only ever made an impression as a fighter that can do no wrong. His punch-kick combination that finished his debut fight in Unleash was a joy to behold, and will go down as one of the more memorable finishes of the era. Such comparable fluidity has only really been seen from the champion, Hector Camacho. Both men have the ability to take this fight anywhere but most commentators are secretly hoping this one stays on the feet. Their clashing styles meaning that it should be a wonderful clash of power against technique. For every moment of grace Chavez is capable of producing, Kokoszka should be able to respond with biting, oppressive force. Whether that brute force can find it’s target regularly is a big question though. Chavez has the breathtaking ability to use his well-mastered movement as well defensively as offensively. The tension will be all-encompassing as each man walks the fine line of being destructive without causing self-annihilation. These are two special athletes have the capacity to put on a show that would be highlight stealing in any organisation in the world. Only time will tell if it ends up as a true epic though. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please feel free to reply to this and give me feedback. I’m always looking to improve Unleash’s event coverage.
  9. Seems shrewd by the UFC. The two recent losses mean he is a minimum of 3 significant wins away from the title but he has a big enough name to be considered 'top tier'. This way Davis either goes away and wins the Bellator title so the UFC can bring him back as a guy who has 'come good' and you have an intimidate big banner fight as pay off. Or, he goes away and flops and they can move on or bring him back cheap.
  10. Rather off topic but does anyone else think Carlos Condit looks rather like the comedian Jack Whitehall?
  11. I definitely think you have a point about low level (read new) fighters losing having an undue effect on manager rankings considering how hard it is to win at the top level (not that I have ever fought there). Perhaps a little sensible scaling would be useful.
  12. Does that not undermine the point of risk? Surely the point of risking a new build to see if they are any good is putting your ranking on the line. Otherwise there is no punishment for building and releasing fighter after fighter until you (and everyone else) has a group of super humans.
  13. I believe an non-specified energy cliff should be implemented when it comes to takedowns. It is both counter-productive for a wrestler to be 'exhausted' after three failed attempts but it's equally daft for someone to even have a chance after 25 failed attempts. I'd also say a sensible reset connected to strikes should delay the cliff would also help well rounded fighters implement a sensible ground game plan. The ground game (as my naive eyes see it) probably needs a bigger overhaul but that would take a lot of time, money and cross players. If you could implement posturing (stat and slider), accuracy/power (slider) and choke/arm submissions (separate subs into two) then you would have far more variants to play with like striking. Hopefully this would help even out the process as there would be more things to work with and escapes could then be interwoven more satisfactory into that mix. Of course this is more an 18 to 24 month project opposed to an immediate pay off. Also, why would you not simply implement a partial reallocation where a manager can only change a maximum of 110 points? Then a fighter cannot be completely altered and no one will create too many freaks but any wholes can be patched.
  14. The fervour around Unleash’s continued experiments with returning to a more traditional Japanese version of mixed martial arts grew in intensity at UNFC 52: Armstrong vs. Mitchell. Fans, fighters, and promoters alike, all viewed the night with a mix of intrepidation and hope that these old-school rules would force combatants to be more aggressive throughout their contests. The high number of late finishes suggests this wish may well have come to fruition, but a larger set of results will be needed to before any decision on a permanent change is considered. Clearly Remy “Gambit” LeBeau (3-3-0) and Ole Bighead (4-7-0) wanted nothing to do with the new rules as they threw everything at each other in the night’s opener. It looked like these two were about to put on a classic when LeBeau sneaked through a nasty jab late in the first. This cascaded into an unstoppable barrage of punches that left the referee with no choice but to intervene. Controversy erupted in the following bout as the judge’s awarded Billy “Backwater” Bulge (9-3-0) a razor tight decision victory over Randy “The Rock” Alcatraz (8-7-0). Either man could have been handed the victory with many arguing “The Rock’s” desire to finish as more important that Bulge’s strong defence. If nothing else, this one proves that there will be impassioned debate over whether the judge’s are correct with whatever system a company chooses to use. A little over-confidence can be a dangerous thing and this point was proven by Johan Pahlm (4-3-0) who was triangled by Kevin “The Skillz” Wilbowo (8-3-0). Swede Pahlm had showed great poise against black belt Wilbowo, despite being taken down early, but this lead him to relax for just a moment. This was all “The Skillz” needed and he took an impressive eighth win by submission in his career. For the most part, Benjamin Thumbhisbum (7-3-0) was frustrated by Tatsuya Mifune (5-3-0) as the native fighter used a combination of superior wrestling and distance finding jabs to keep his opponent at bay. However raw power came to Thumbhisbum’s aid in the final round. He timed Mifune coming in perfectly, and ploughed his fist directly into his foe’s temple. Stunned, Mifune was robbed of any ability to defend himself so the ending was a sweet release. The final undercard fight also had a third round stoppage but there were no great twist like the last bout. Ricardo “Demolition” Gaarlandt (14-5-0) dominated from the opening bell with a varied arsenal of stabbing strikes. Even when his opponent Takuji “Devil” Kawashima (11-6-0) dragged the fight to the floor, Gaarlandt looked in complete control and neutralised the potential danger. Ultimately, tiredness lead to Kawashima turtling up on the ropes and that only invited “Demolition” to pour the pressure on further. The referee was obviously looking for any opportunity to wave the contest off and this was the perfect chance. Victory was all the more delicious for Gaarlandt as this avenged his first loss in the UNFC and continues his good form that has seen him win three of his last four. Neither Rick Cricket (11-5-0) nor Taishi “Snow” Mori (11-5-0) looked entirely comfortable in the opening stanza of their light heavyweight contest. Whether this was each man giving his opponent too much respect or the unfamiliar surroundings of a ring, neither man excelled early and many predicted that the first to find their feet would walk away the winner. Cricket proved to be the man who could adapt the quickest as forced the clinch upon Mori. An early cut may have also worsened Mori’s disorientation but there was no doubt that Cricket was forcing his will on his opponent as the second round progressed. Some of the dull thuds that echoed around the arena, as Cricket dug in numerous short, sharp hooks into “Snow’s” ribs, were harrowing. This beating continued in the third round as the American used his obvious freshness to dance around his adversary with ease. One particularly rigorous combination left Mori reeling. It looked like the end and within in a minute it was. Only, to the rapturous applause of the partizan audience, it was Mori dancing around the ring in elation. The earlier blitz seemed to anger the Japanese fighter and that lead to him dive for a powerful double leg that caught Cricket completely by surprise. Feigning some sort of choke, “Snow” quickly isolated Cricket’s arm and menacingly tore at it until the American had no choice but to tap. An unbelievable comeback from what was surely a losing position and a statement win for a fighter who needed to prove his worth in the UNFC. “Fearless” Frank Nicolosi (14-6-0) was crowned the new Unleash heavyweight champion after taking a third round victory over bookmakers favourite Paul “Poc” O’Connell (8-2-0). Not that it looked like anyone but O’Connell would walk away with the victory after the opening five minutes. With the first contact of the fight, “Poc” opened a nasty gash over Nicolosi’s eye and proceeded to pepper his rival mercilessly. “Fearless” lived up to his nickname as he faced up to the onslaught and kept coming despite the suspicion that he was seeing stars at several points. Yet after all that dominance on display, it was O’Connell who looked the worse for wear as the two men sat down between rounds. There have been some unsubstantiated rumours that he may have broken his hand or possibly a rib but no one is really sure. He may, as others have postulated, have just spent himself trying to finish his hurt opponent and blown through his energy reserves. Whatever the reason, the repercussions were clear from the the second round on. Now Nicolosi was in control. He carefully picked his opponent apart with a hit and move strategy that further ebbed O’Connell’s energy away from him. By the end of the second, “Poc” was a mess and barely made it out to make the bell. It was only a matter of time before “Fearless” found a way to end the bout which he did so via the clinch. The fresher man’s obvious strength advantage allowing him to rag doll his opponent on the ropes until he simply couldn’t take any more. A huge win for Nicolosi who knows he has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as he must build this once defunct belt back to prominence. Brandon Marshall (7-1-0) reinstated his claim of being the brightest up-and-coming middleweight in the whole of Tokyo with another highlight stealing knockout. This time his victim was Eddie “Shutdown” MacArthur (9-4-0) who is no slouch when it comes to turning an opponent’s light’s off himself. Obviously these two were going to be a little wary of the other’s power and so it proved for all off thirty seconds. Suddenly MacArthur dug in two thundering leg kicks into the meat of Marshall’s calf, only to receive a huge hook in return that sent him to a knee momentarily. This game of high stakes chess continued all through the first round with neither man ever landing the telling shot. The interval didn’t deter their fencing any either as both looked for the perfect set up. Somewhat unsurprisingly, it was one of these faints that lead to the bout’s end although not necessarily in the way the move was designed. MacArthur threw an artful uppercut looking to draw Marshall into a big hook, and in doing so opened himself up to the same shot coming the other way. Whether Marshall judged his rivals intention or if it was just a case of dumb luck, the strike was picture perfect and knocked “Shutdown” for six. Another Marshall moment that will be played ad nauseam in promo packages and complication videos for some time to come. Perhaps the most impressive performance of the night should be handed to newcomer Chesney Page (13-4-0) who walked through Cortland “The Celtic Warrior” Cartwright (15-9-0) in less than a round. A native of Swansea, Wales, Page had come into the company with a reputation as a submission artist, so most were expecting a high level grappling contest against Unleash’s resident tap out specialist. This preconceived notion was obliterated within the opening minute as Page landed several snapping leg kicks while circling away from Cartwright’s desperate lunges. These low shots forced “The Celtic Warrior” to lower his guard further and further until Page suddenly went upstairs. The kick couldn’t have been more on the money as the Welshman’s shin plunged into the American’s jaw. Cartwright dropped like a stone and took some serious time to rouse which had many onlookers worried. Fortunately, we can report that Cartwright is in good health and back preparing for another adventure in the UNFC but it will be Page who fans will be desperate to see again. Few have made such a startling first impression. When the familiar opening bars to “I’m the Man” bellowed out around the Shinjuku Indoor Arena, the Unleash audience rose as one to applaud “The Modern Day Messiah” Malcom Mitchell (14-6-0) on his tenth outing with the company. This landmark occasion came with a certain amount of concern for the company man as his opponent Nathaniel “Threadmill” Armstrong (8-3-0) offered a ground threat that has blighted Mitchell’s career. These fears appeared to be coming to fruition in the first round as Armstrong was able to take Mitchell to the ground after taking a few notable blows from the clinch. Surprisingly, “The Modern Day Messiah” looked serene despite his predicament and quickly fooled his American rival into giving him top position. This didn’t stop Armstrong being the aggressor on the floor and he tried to unsettle Mitchell several times but it was to no avail. The round ended back on the feet and, once again, it was Mitchell who had the notable advantage. “Threadmill’s” persistence came to the fore early in the second as he bullied Mitchell to the floor once again. Yet, the former Relativity champion lost the top again and allowed his Canadian foe to escape to his feet. In many people’s eyes this was the critical mistake of the fight as Armstrong would not be able to get the fight back to the floor until very late in the third. He desperately tried to get the finish but time ran out on him. The intervening minutes of the second and third were characterised by Mitchell using a number of clinch holds to suffocate “Threadmill” into inactivity while landing a series of point scoring shots. Arguably, the Dartmouth native should have looked to be more damaging however it is understandable that he simply did not want to give Armstrong a chance to take the fight back to his wheelhouse. Although not appreciated by the clearly nervous fighters, this was a great opportunity to see the benefits of the all-fight judging method. Both men had been dominant for notable spells during the contest and this could have easily lead to rounds being oddly split under the normal system. This time there would be no doubt that the judges were awarding the fight to the man they believed to be the better fighter overall. Ultimately, “The Modern Day Messiah” was the man with his hand raised. The sold out arena went wild. A rue smile crossed the face of Armstrong. So many ‘what if’ moments running across his mind. Mitchell showing grace in holding his defeated foes hand aloft for the the crowd to give him his due. A fight that maybe quickly forgotten but could well be the major deciding factors on how the UNFC grows from here.
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