King of the Beach (270k+) - Official Smack Talk Thread

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KOTB 7: Supremo (Review)

A record 2,000 fans were in attendance for the first-ever double championship card in King of the Beach history on Saturday night. Hayashi’s Lounge provided the perfect atmosphere for the highest rated event in promotion history, and now KOTB looks forward to a return engagement at the lounge for KOTB 8, as well as the inaugural “Challenger Series” card on Wednesday night. For now, let’s get into this weekend’s recap:

Opening the card was a lightning quick affair between 18-year-old Canadian middleweights, Matt Lewsk & Rene The Hulk. Both grapplers came in hungry for a victory and it showed, as The Hulk immediately grabbed a takedown and started unloading with some ground and pound. Lewsk, though, doesn’t mind being on his back and quickly turned things around with a tight triangle choke and a ‘submission of the night’ bonus.

Matt Lewsk (2-2, 1-1) defeats Rene The Hulk (0-2, 0-1) via Submission (Triangle) R1 - 00:22

Up next we had another pair of KOTB veterans looking for their first victories, but in the super-heavyweight division. American Neon Uno, who was considering retirement before the bout, seems to have revived his career after landing a promotion record 152 standing strikes and winning all three rounds 10-8 in the judges’ eyes. Santos Silva showed some resolve after being rocked in the second round by quickly getting his only takedown of the fight and surviving the round. The rest was all Uno, however, as he now looks forward the next stage of his career.

Neon Uno (1-2, 1-2) defeats Gabriel Santos Silva (1-3, 0-3) via Decision (Unanimous)

A key matchup in the featherweight division saw Ireland’s Maellan Rowan take on Belo Horizonte’s Eduardo Dias. On paper, this appeared to be a fight that would be decided on the feet, but the Irish boxer Rowan seemed determined to get things into the clinch and to the floor. This would be a strategic disaster, however, as Dias immediately started landing with knees and elbows in the clinch and countered with some takedowns of his own. After grinding down his opponent for almost two rounds, the Brazilian latched onto a late second-round armbar for his first promotional victory.

Eduardo Dias (2-1, 1-1) defeats Maellan Rowan (0-1, 0-1) via Submission (Armbar) R2 - 04:53

A pair of 19-year-old middleweights looking for their second KOTB victories were up next, as American wrestler Kyrie Perry took on Cuban grappler Jacare Romero in an exciting three-round affair. Things looked good for Romero at first, hitting an early takedown and diving for a heel hook, but Irving managed to get on top and stay there for the remainder of the first round. The second and third rounds would be largely similar, with Perry on top landing ground and pound and defending against the submission attack of Romero. After another win for the former USC wrestling standout, Perry now looks forward to the upper ranks of the division.

Kyrie Perry (2-0, 2-0) defeats Jacare Romero (2-3, 1-2) via Decision (Unanimous)

In the featured preliminary bout, a pair of large and talented teenagers made their promotional debuts in the super-heavyweight division. At 6’4’’ and 255lbs, New Zealand-born Kevin Koo probably isn’t used to being the smaller man when he enters the cage, but that’s exactly what happened when Shaquille O Neal stepped in at 6’10’’ and 280lbs. Despite having good wrestling bases, both fighters came in looking to keep things on the feet, as O Neal looked to setup his clinch attack with kicks, while Koo countered with a boxing attack. Both fighters displayed some great striking defense, but O Neal landed some key body shots and pressed against Koo with a weighty clinch game, tiring his foe and eventually stopping him with some heavy shots from the clinch in the second round.

Shaquille O Neal (1-0, 1-0) defeats Kevin Koo (1-2, 0-1) via TKO (Strikes) R2 - 01:51

The opening bout of the main card didn’t disappoint our high expectations, as British grappling sensation Eric Ashton took on Egyptian über-prospect Ramses XII. On paper, it looked like Ashton had a big step up in competition in his KOTB debut, but things didn’t seem much different when Ashton immediately got a takedown into side control and began to let loose with his lethal ground and pound game. Ramses managed to quickly regain guard, but Ashton then mounted and knocked his opponent clean out. An excited Ashton then took to the mic and now looks forward to a title bout against champion Thatcher Halverson.

Eric Ashton (6-1, 1-0) defeats Ramses Xll (0-1, 0-1) via KO (Strikes) R1 - 01:57

Next up, Caribbean Bruce Zimbardo made his KOTB-record fourth appearance for the promotion in a super-heavyweight matchup against undefeated Russian Lane Herman. Things looked dire for Zimbardo early, as Herman walked through a jab and got an early takedown. Zimbardo, though, avoided a pair of submission attempts and managed to control Herman enough to force a referee standup. From here, it was all Zimbardo, as he countered Herman’s takedown attempts with laser-precise strikes and finished off Herman with a beautiful head-kick knockout, the fourth of his young career.

Bruce Zimbardo (5-1, 3-1) defeats Lane Herman (4-1, 1-1) via KO (Head Kick) R1 - 04:51

Our inaugural featherweight champion was crowned after American boxer Chris Karter took out Brazilian grappler Anderson Gracie very early in the second round. Gracie knew he had a real chance to win this fight with his jiu-jitsu, but Karter would never allow this one to get to the mat. After spending most of the first round peppering Gracie with dirty boxing, Karter would rock his opponent with a clean combination before flooring him with a big right hand. After being saved by the bell, Gracie walked right into a fight ending hook just five seconds into the second round. Karter has now re-signed with the organization and looks hopeful for a long championship reign here in Rio.

Chris Karter (3-1, 2-0) defeats Anderson Gracie (1-1, 0-1) via TKO (Strikes) R2 - 00:05

Our co-main event would see another light-heavyweight contender emerge, as hometown favorite Ronaldo Lima looked to follow up a successful KOTB debut against Australian kickboxer Simon Sims. In a somewhat surprising result, Lima made his sophomore appearance look as easy as his debut, scoring an early trip takedown and moving immediately to a fight-ending kimura. Sims will be looking to rebound, while Lima potentially has a fight with fellow Brazilian and champion James Diaz in his view.

Ronaldo Lima (3-0, 2-0) defeats Simon Sims (5-2, 0-1) via Submission (Kimura) R1 - 00:46

Our super-heavyweight championship belt would finally find a home after being in lingo for a number of weeks, as “Big Bear” Sandu Lungu took on Guy “4” Mourtneant in the most highly anticipated matchup in KOTB history. Lungu had some success at range, landing a kick and some punches, but this one would be decided in the clinch. This is where Mourtneant would make his championship move, landing an assortment of body shots and uppercuts, eventually dropping Lungu to his knees and forcing the referee to intervene. Mourtneant now emerges as KOTB’s premiere fighter in its premiere division. Congratulations and celebrations are in store for the Frenchman.

Guy Mourtneant (5-1, 1-0) defeats Sandu Lungu (4-1, 1-1) via TKO (Strikes) - R1 - 02:44

[Guest]

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KOTB 8: Porrada (Preview)

It’s been a busy week for the King of the Beach promotion, setting an attendance record at KOTB 7, as well as hosting it’s inaugural “Challenger Series” card on Wednesday. Things keep moving on, though, as a couple new title challengers will emerge and KOTB’s first ever title defense will happen on Saturday night at Hayashi’s Lounge.

KOTB has also joined “BUZZ” after rigging up some old computer parts and a 56k modem we found in our Rio offices. Technology!

“Merciless” Mick McManus (1-0, 1-0) Tito “The Warrior” Griffin (1-2, 0-0)
Opening the main card will be a wonderful matchup of “max” heavyweights, when Scottish boxer Mick McManus takes on Canadian Tito Griffin. McManus looks to repeat the success of his debut at KOTB 5, where he KO’d 300lb’er Blob Sapp in a “bite down on your mouthpiece” slugfest. Griffin brings a similar sprawl-and-brawl style and a chiseled physique, but may have the more well-rounded game if he so chooses to pursue it. Don’t blink, as anything can happen when two talented boxers of this size meet.

Third Round “YOLO” Romero (5-0, 0-0) v Bruno "Pitão" Santoyo (3-2, 1-0)
Next up, KOTB is proud to be able to provide an intriguing re-match between light-heavyweight contenders Third Round Romero and Bruno Santoyo. These two competitors originally fought in the semi-finals of a London-based QFC tournament, one in which the Cuban Romero went on to win quite easily with a dramatic superman punch. Fortaleza’s Santoyo will look for redemption and to go 2-0 for the promotion by getting this fight to the ground as soon as possible. With contract talks stalling for contender Ronaldo Lima, the winner of this match will likely be looking to jump the line into a title shot.

Thiago “The Axe” Machado (2-0, 2-0) v Akira “Pearly Shells” Mahalo (2-1, 1-0)
Another number-one contender will emerge from our next match, but this time in the featherweight division. Sao Paulo’s Thiago Machado looks to be the first fighter in the weight class to get three wins for the promotion when he takes on Hawaiian boxer Akira Mahalo. Machado has used his vaunted jiu-jitsu game to much success, getting two performance bonuses with his two victories. Mahalo, on the other hand, used laser-precise boxing in his only victory for the promotion. The strategy is pretty straightforward for both competitors, so this fight will come down to who can impose their will first.

Jin “Devil” Kazama (5-0, 0-0) v PJ McDermott (1-1, 1-1)
Our co-main event will see a fighter looking to rebound from a title loss against a fighter looking to make a strong first impression in the “big leagues.” Talented American wrestle-boxer PJ McDermott had his moments in his first bid at the title, but the loss and series of cuts have taken a bit out of his psyche, with talks of retirement. With his career hanging in the balance, a win here may hopefully rejuvenate his mojo. Across the cage will be South Korean grappler Jin Kazama, who comes in riding high off of five straight QFC submissions to start his career. The winner here looks to remain a contender in the ultra competitive welterweight division.

Parker “The Terrorizer” Allen (2-0, 1-0) v Murphy “Shamrock” MacManus (2-0, 1-0)
Our main event should be nothing short of insanity, as Parker Allen looks to be the first KOTB fighter to defend a title when he takes on Irishman, Murphy MacManus. MacManus has been on the sidelines for a while now after his beatdown of countryman Mike Paddy at KOTB 2, so we should see an improved, hungry and dangerous opponent. Allen, on the other hand, went through a war in his first title fight, but showed top-shelf striking defense and devastating punches in a remarkable performance at KOTB 4. Both fighters like to exchange in the pocket - and in the clinch - with punches and occasional leg kicks, so this is a tough one to call. Things are getting interesting here at the beach, so make sure to tune in.

[Guest]

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KOTB 8: Porrada (Review)

 

Rematches, title defenses, debuts and comebacks were all on the menu Saturday night, as the King of the Beach promotion made its second straight appearance at Hayashi’s Lounge in downtown Rio. KOTB 8 currently sits at the promotion’s second highest rated and second highest attended card in history, so it should be considered a moderate success. But enough about us, lets get into the recap:

 

The Nogueira name couldn’t have been better represented than by the performance Jeferson Nogueira gave in his first professional fight. His American opponent, Billy Craddock, began the fight by utilizing his strong muay thai skills, battering Nogueira in the clinch with knees to the body and the head. The blows were wearing on the bleeding Nogueria, who looked to be near defeat. It was then that Craddock decided to pull guard, but he immediately found out how bad of a decision that would be, as Nogueira immediately mounted his opponent and stretched out his opponent’s arm for a beautiful armbar finish.

Jeferson Nogueira (1-0, 1-0) defeats Billy Craddock (2-1, 0-1) via Submission (Armbar) R1 - 03:57

 

In our second straight Brazil versus USA match-up, Minneapolis wrestler Rust Cohle took on Belem’s Anderson Freitas. Freitas, who was making his professional debut, started out by landing a couple decent jabs and straights, but Cohle eventually managed to get this fight onto the ground with trip takedown. This is where Cohle would make his move, by mounting his opponent and hammering his opponent into the ground with strikes, forcing the referee to intervene at the 02:35 mark.

Rust Cohle (6-1, 1-0) defeats Anderson Freitas (0-1, 0-1) via TKO (Strikes) R1 - 02:35

 

Our next match-up saw a pair of up-and-coming, undefeated super-heavyweights looking to follow up their respective victories at KOTB 4. Canadian Kevin The Beast knew his chance to win this would be on the floor and it showed, as the Beast dove for a number of takedowns, but Bogtrotter recognized this strategy and countered with heavy punches at range and in the clinch, eventually dropping his opponent with a fight-ending uppercut. The British heavyweight has had a great start to his young career and continues to move up the ladder.

Bruce Bogtrotter (2-0, 2-0) via Kevin The Beast (2-1, 1-1) via TKO (Strikes) R1 - 01:47

 

Two fighters from opposite sides of the Niagara Falls border were up next, with Joseph Annuaku representing the American side and Mike Saban representing the Canadian one. The muay thai specialist Saban attempted to get things into the clinch right off the bat, but Annuaku had other things planned, taking down and mounting his opponent before forcing the tap in under a minute. That’s two impressive performances now for the Tokyo-based Annuaku, who now looks forward to the upper part of the division.

Joseph Annuaku (5-1, 2-0) defeats Mike Saban (0-1, 0-1) via Submission (Armbar) R1 - 00:50

 

Our final fight on the undercard saw the previously winless Marc Du Vale outwork Carlos Gypsy in a tightly contested light-heavyweight match-up. The 6’8’’ Frenchman, Du Vale, used his length in the opening and closing rounds to land a very high percentage of leg kicks and punches, while the Argentinian had his best success in the second round with a controlling clinch and a pair of takedowns. Du Vale now has the monkey off of his back with his first professional victory, and looks to start a run in the division.

Marc Du Vale (1-3, 1-2) defeats Carlos Gypsy (3-3, 0-1) via Decision (Unanimous)

 

Opening the main card was a fight destined for fireworks, as bruisers Tito Griffin and Mick McManus met in an intriguing super-heavyweight bout. Griffin, who was looking to make a good first impression for the promotion, pushed the pace from the opening bell by throwing a series of hooks, jabs and uppercuts. McManus looked to counter and avoided most of the damage, but couldn’t quite pull the trigger. Griffin then sent a hellacious overhand right that would land right on the button, and before McManus could regain his senses, Griffin came down with a big left hand and some unneeded follow-up punches.

Tito Griffin (2-2, 1-0) defeats Mick McManus (1-1, 1-1) via TKO (Strikes) R1 - 00:46

 

A title shot would be on the line next, as light-heavyweights Third Round Romero and Bruno Santoyo engaged in a stimulating rematch. Fortaleza’s Santoyo was excited at the chance to rematch the Cuban boxer Romero, who beat him in the semi-finals of a QFC tournament in London, but he did not look 100% going into this one. Already breathing heavily, Santoyo was dropped by Romero within seconds of the opening bell, and got up only to take a monster uppercut to the chin. Romero suddenly looks like the man to beat in the division, and he’ll get his shot at champion James Diaz at KOTB 12 in October.

Third Round Romero (6-0, 1-0) defeats Bruno Santoyo (3-3, 0-1) via KO (Punch) R1 - 00:09

 

Our furry-faced friend from Sao Paulo, Thiago Machado, continued to wreck shop over KOTB’s featherweight division with another impressive performance in our next fight. Hawaiian boxer Akira Mahalo failed to capitalize on the success of his KOTB debut and made a strategic error by taking Machado to the floor early in this one. Machado immediately latched onto a guillotine from his half guard, which didn’t initially look dangerous, but Machado held on, moved to full guard and put Mahalo to sleep. That’s three straight “fight of the night” bonuses to start his career, and Machado now looks confidently towards a title bout with champion Chris Karter.

Thiago Machado (3-0, 3-0) defeats Akira Mahalo (2-2, 1-1) via Submission (Guillotine) R1 - 00:27

 

Our third straight number-one contender matchup would see debuting Korean grappler Jin Kazama take on a previous title contender in American PJ McDermott. After taking numerous punches to open the bout, Kazama managed to get things to the ground and attack with a series of impressive submissions. McDermott’s submission defense held strong, however, and forced the referee to stand this one up. We’d see this exact cycle again, with another Kazama takedown, some submissions and another standup. McDermott, noticeably frustrated, countered Kazama’s next takedown attempt with a crushing right hand and a follow-up, fight-ending uppercut.

PJ McDermott (2-1, 2-1) defeats Jin Kazama (5-1, 0-1) via KO (Punch) R1 - 02:52

 

Finally, our main event and first ever title defense would be held in the welterweight division, as returning champion Parker Allen took on Murphy MacManus. For the third straight card, our main event would double as our “fight of the night” in another crowd-pleasing slugfest. Both fighters stood in the pocket and exchanged for a good three minutes, with Allen perhaps getting a slight advantage with his combinations against the kicking-centered attack of MacManus. Allen then decided to move things into the clinch, but MacManus was more than game in this position, landing some damaging punches to the body and head before a pair of devastating uppercuts would seal Allen’s fate. MacManus will now take on a rejuvenated PJ McDermott on a stacked KOTB 12 card in October.

Murphy MacManus (3-0, 2-0) defeats Parker Allen (2-1, 1-1) via TKO (Punches) R1 - 03:13

[Guest]

In-house rankings have been updated

 

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[Guest]

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KOTB 9: Nocuate

 

The King of the Beach promotion heads back to the comfy confines of the Underground on Saturday night, as another KOTB fighter attempts to be the first champion to successfully defend his title. We’ll also have an interview with out current champion later today, so stay tuned for that.

 

Gary Finkler (3-1, 0-1) v Pablo "Breaker" Esposito (1-1, 0-1)

Opening up the main card will be a pair of lightweights looking to rebound from their promotion debut losses, as the Texan Gary Finkler takes on Rio’s own Pablo Esposito. Both fighters hold BJJ purple belts but Finkler should hold a slight wrestling advantage, so look for him to be working from top control. It’ll be interesting to see if Esposito looks to work in some muay thai on the feet, or if he’s confident on the floor. The winner of this bout will move right back into the lightweight contender mix.

 

Lucas "Samurai" Campos (2-0, 2-0) v Inci Yarakos (2-3, 1-2)

An important fight in the welterweight division is up next, as Brazilian dynamo Lucas Campos takes on the Turkish tower that is Inci Yarakos. Campos looks to follow up a 13-second and a 15-second KO in his third professional and promotional fight. Campos has shown devastating combinations and looks to move closer to a title shot with a win here, while Yarakos will be looking to use his half-a-foot reach advantage and grappling skills to push Campos into deep waters and test his stamina and heart.

 

Gustavo "Montanha" Gouveia (3-1, 1-1) v Blob Sapp (2-1, 0-1)

A pair of super heavyweights will battle next, when 6’7’’ grappler Gustavo Gouveia takes on 300lb wrestler-boxer Blob Sapp. Gouveia’s gameplan is simple: get this fight to the floor where he can utilize his Donkey Kong-worthy ground and pound and jiu-jitsu skills. Sapp, on the other hand, will try and use his takedown defense to setup his heavy-handed boxing game. Only one thing is certain: this one will not be going to a decision.

 

Bago "Badaboom" Biga (3-1, 1-1) v Starling Silva (0-0, 0-0)

A title eliminator will make up our co-main event, as Romanian grappler Bago Biga looks to rebound from his title loss against Brazilian newcomer Starling Silva. Biga will probably want to get this one to the floor where he can press with his vaunted submission attack, but he might also have something else up his sleeve for the newcomer. Silva is a bit of an unknown here, but has top-level skills on paper and a good team behind him. This is a tough one to call, but the fans and the promotion are paying close attention to how it plays out.

 

"The Avalanche" Thatcher Halverson (3-0, 2-0) v Eric Ashton (6-1, 1-0)

And finally, champion Thatcher Halverson looks to be the first man to successfully defend a KOTB title when he takes on a fellow wrestler in Eric Ashton. Halverson switched up from a submission attack to devastating ground and pound in his championship win, showing growth as a complete martial artist. It’ll be interesting to see how he approaches his next opponent, as Ashton has been cutting through his opponents with a deadly ground and pound assault of his own. Ashton has been known to be a bit of a partier, and hasn’t been available for interviews all week, so hopefully he’s as focused as he needs to be on Saturday night.

[Steel]

You are doing a great job, this is a very good org.

[Guest]

Thanks, man! I appreciate the good words

[MBennet]

Posters are getting better and better so are the writeups.

[Guest]

It's definitely a work in progress, thanks! The KOTB 10 poster is my favourite so far.

[Guest]

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We had a chance to sit down quickly with middleweight champion, Thatcher Halverson, during fight week. Halverson is KOTB's first and only middleweight champion and is currently undefeated in his young career. Halverson is an American wrestler fighting out of the Million Dollar Training Centre in London, England and will take on rising star Eric Ashton on Saturday night:

 

- Hey Thatcher, we know you’re busy with your camp, so thanks for talking with us.

“Hey, no problem, thank you.”

- You’re making your first title defence as KOTB’s first middleweight champion, are you starting to get recognized in Rio?

“Yes, I’m starting to sign some autographs, especially now that KOTB is growing. I hope this trend continues and that I start to sign more and more autographs, not for the fame, but as a result of being a longtime champion.”

- You’re opponent might be the best wrestler you’ve ever faced, any thoughts on him or his style? Is there any strategy that you’re willing to talk about?

“Wrestling is the most important part of the game, so yes, it might be my biggest challenge of my young career. My game plan is always to be The Avalanche and do my thing.”

- You’re 18th birthday is the same week as your fight, any plans on celebrating now that you’ll be legal drinking age in Rio?

“I actually turned 18 already.” **Smiles** “I’m not sure what I’ll be celebrating more, my birthday or my victory. Hopefully both, but I can’t think of those things right now. Ask me again Saturday night.”

- Thanks, Thatcher, good luck on Saturday night.

 

“I would like to thanks Dr. Jones for putting together a good organization and my manager the Million Dollar Man for believing in me.”

[Guest]

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KOTB 9: Nocuate (Review)

 

The King of the Beach promotion held it’s 10^th event this Saturday, it’s highest rated show at The Underground to date. Only four fighters were making their KOTB debuts, which was a record low and a testament to the emerging veteran presence of the growing promotion. Middleweight Thatcher Halverson looked to be the first KOTB champion to defend his belt, so let’s get into the recap:

 

The only featherweight action on the night would open the card, as boxers Cliff Carriggian and Marcus Aurelius took centre stage. In a somewhat surprising - yet successful - move, Carriggian decided he’d be better off working his developing ground game. After a slam, Carriggian would eventually move to mount and hammer Aurelius with ground strikes. Aurelius tried his best to get things back to the feet, but would eventually give his back and tap out to a tight rear-naked choke about half way through the opening round.

Cliff “Blazing” Carriggian (1-1, 1-1) defeats Marcus “The Tutor” Aurelius (0-3, 0-2) via Submission (RNC) R1, 02:40

 

It was Manaus vs. Rio in a battle of Brazilian lightweights when Jose Almedia took on Maiquel De Oliveira. Almedia put a pace on his opponent and would control all three rounds with precise punches, kicks, clinches and takedowns. De Oliveira showed some great heart over the course of the fight, looking for sweeps and control, but perhaps was not aggressive enough with his submission game.

Jose Almedia (1-1, 1-1) defeats Maiquel De Oliveira (0-1, 0-1) via Decision (Unanimous)

 

Another lightweight battle of Brazil would follow, as Fortaleza’s Hermes Franca took on Rio’s Emerson Sheik in a shootout on the feet. Both fighters came out firing; with Franca pushing the pace with jabs and hooks to the head and body, while Sheik countered with combinations and jabs. Franca appeared to be getting the better of the exchanges in the opening minute but Sheik would come on strong, landing a 1-2 that rocked Franca before finishing him up with a fight-ending left hook.

Emerson Sheik (2-0, 1-0) defeats Hermes Franca (1-1, 1-1) via KO (Punch) R1, 01:21

 

A pair of East Coast American super-heavyweights would be up next, as Florida’s Tim Wallace took on New Jersey native, Todd Hunter. Hunter came into the fight with a foot of height on his opponent, along with 50 pounds of weight. Nobody told Wallace, however, as he stuffed a plethora of Hunter’s takedown attempts before taking the giant for a ride with a beautiful suplex. From there, Wallace would attack with heavy ground and pound while Hunter tried to recover position. The shots would wear on Hunter, forcing the referee to intervene just before the end of the first round.

Tim “Lights Out” Wallace (4-1, 1-1) defeats Todd Hunter (0-1, 0-1) via TKO (Strikes) 1, 04:43

 

Our featured preliminary matchup had the fans on the edge of their seats, as American boxer Billy Styles took on hometown favorite, Tito Gomez. Styles showed his dominance on the feet from the very beginning, dropping his foe within seconds of the opening bell. Gomez, though, showed great heart by recovering quickly and immediately looking for submissions from his back. After an extended exchange on the ground, Styles would stand up and knock down his foe twice more in the first round, while Gomez would miraculously recover again and again, going for submissions until the ref pulled them apart. Gomez then started the second round by diving for a takedown and attacking Style with even more submissions. Styles would hold strong until a referee standup late in the round, allowing him to connect with a fight ending left punch just before the end of the second round.

Billy Styles (2-1, 2-1) defeats Tito “Chacal” Gomez (1-1, 1-1) via TKO (Strikes) R2, 04:40

 

We’re unsure if American wrestler Gary Finkler had spam for breakfast on Saturday, but we are sure he showcased his takedown skills in our main card opening bout. Brazilian lightweight Pablo Esposito couldn’t give much resistance as Gary Finkler seemed to be too strong and too fast, constantly taking his opponent down and clinching him, before backing out of the positions. Perhaps Finkler didn’t want to hang out in Esposito’s guard, but the record setting number of takedowns wore out the Brazilian before he finished with a second round kimura.

Gary Finkler (4-1, 1-1) defeats Pablo “Breaker” Esposito (1-2, 0-2) via Submission (Kimura) R2, 04:41

 

Veteran KOTB welterweight, Inci Yarakos, should’ve been Lucas Samurai’s toughest opponent to date, but it wouldn’t show on Saturday night. The young Brazilian star shone brightly once again in another “blink and you’ll miss it” KO victory. The only difference in this appearance was that he finished the fight with a high kick, the first thrown in his career. Campos will now take on former champion Parker Allen in the biggest fight of his young career.

Lucas “Samurai” Campos (3-0, 3-0) defeats Inci Yarakos (2-4, 1-3) via KO (Head Kick) R1, 00:10

 

Our next main card matchup would feature two super-heavyweight who had never been out of the first round in their combined seven fights. Blob Sapp would be the one to make the first and only impression, lighting Gustavo Gouveia up in a near perfect 37-second performance. The 300-pound wrestle-boxer rebounded nicely from his KOTB debut and looks forward to a showdown with fellow American Tim Wallace, who won earlier on the card.

Blob “Voodoo Child” Sapp (3-1, 1-1) defeats Gustavo “Montanha” Gouveia (3-2, 1-2) via TKO (Punches) R1, 00:37

 

A middleweight title eliminator served as the evening’s co-main event, as recent contender Bago Biga took on a talented debuting fighter in Starling Silva. The Brazilian had success early with heavy punches, while the Romanian Biga bobbed in and out, throwing strikes to set up his takedowns. After a relatively close opening round, Silva found find his way into the clinch and battered his opponent with punches, forcing the referee to jump in after a devastating uppercut. Biga took to the mic and looked like he may be thinking retirement after consecutive losses.

Starling Silva (1-0, 1-0) defeats Bago “Badaboom” Biga (3-2, 1-2) via TKO (Strikes) R2, 02:42

 

In yet another “fight of the night” main event, Eric Ashton continued his ground and pound world tour with a title winning performance over champion Thatcher Halverson. Ashton started both rounds by immediately taking his opponent down and going to work, while Halverson proved to be a hard out, attacking with submissions and sweeps. In the end, Ashton’s grappling defense held strong and his fists kept talking. It’s a big night for the middleweight division, stay tuned to see what happens when the dust settles.

Eric Ashton (7-1, 2-0) defeats “The Avalanche” Thatcher Halverson (3-1, 2-1) via KO (Strikes) R2, 03:59

[Guest]

http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/posters/1442526644KOTB10.jpg

 

KOTB 10: Revanche (Preview)

 

The King of the Beach promotion is proud to host KOTB 10: Revanche on Saturday night. It’s been a roller coaster few months for us in Rio, but we’re so glad you’re here with us because we feel we’re building something special here. KOTB 10 will feature our first ever PRIDE-style “freakshow” fight, as well as a number of very important divisional fights and a bit of revenge in the main event.

 

Magnus Karlsson (4-0, 1-0) v Alejandro "Osito" Sepulveda (6-3, 0-0)

Opening the main card is a historic fight in our super-heavyweight division, as Chilean newcomer Alejandro Sepulveda takes on undefeated Swede Magnus Karlsson. What makes this fight so special? Well, Karlsson will come into the fight holding a 16-inch height advantage, as well as 125 pounds in weight on his opponent. Sepulveda came to us looking to financially support his village of Lota, and was willing to take on all challengers. That first challenger will be Karlsson, who has a dangerous ground and pound game that should provide quite the puzzle for the much smaller Sepulveda. Will speed and technique be enough to beat strength and size? It’s the age-old question, and we’re excited to see the result.

 

Diederik "The Hidden Blade" Boschman (2-0, 2-0) v Edward Smith (3-1, 0-1)

Next up, we have a pair of light-heavyweight contenders looking to make their stake for a title shot. Suriname-born Diederik Boschman has been a buzzsaw in his first two KOTB appearances and has himself a fitting new nickname to show for it. He’ll be looking to use his lethal clinch game to disrupt the standup attack of former title-challenger Edward Smith. The Brit had trouble with the champion’s clinch over the course of almost five rounds, so he’ll probably be looking to keep things at range with his boxing game. BREAKING NEWS: Light-heavyweight champion James Diaz has been M.I.A. since his title defense, so KOTB has been forced to strip him of the belt. The status of the division is now up in the air, so it should add even more significance to this matchup.

 

Diesel Hendrix (3-0, 1-0) v “Slick” Rick Sharp (1-0, 0-0)

In what should be considered a title eliminator bout at welterweight, American wrestle-boxer Diesel Hendrix will take on an Australian prospect in Rick Sharp. Hendrix is coming off a “fight of the night” victory in his KOTB debut and is looking to put his hands on his opponent. Sharp will be making his KOTB debut, but comes out of a great gym down under and holds a BJJ purple belt to go along with his slick hands. This could be a shootout on the feet, unless Sharp has the takedown game to test Hendrix’s grappling defense.

 

Sandu "Big Bear" Lungu (4-1, 1-1) v Shaquille O Neal (1-0, 1-0)

It’s not too often you can witness two 6’9’’ 280 pound guys go toe-to-toe outside of the NBA, so make sure you don’t miss our co-main event, as Romanian title contender Sandu Lungu takes on the rising American Shaquille O Neal. Lungu will probably look to stay at distance and work his well-rounded standup game against the kicks and clinch dominance of O Neal. That being said, we haven’t seen enough of O Neal to say for sure, and well, anything can happen when bodies of this size clash. KOTB has been working hard reinforcing that canvas all week in preparation for this one.

 

"Megaton" Thiagus Davaru Silva (5-0, 3-0) v Ezekiel "Power Trip" Puchowski (5-1, 2-1)

Our main event is a fight that the fans have been clamoring for since the two fighters engaged in a semi-final matchup at KOTB 2. Thiagus Davaru Silva would go on to win the tournament, as well as the super-heavyweight belt, only to test positive for steroids in the post fight examination. Silva has not fought since but has promised to test clean, so KOTB has given him a one-fight deal to show that he can. Ezekiel Puchowski, on the other hand, has become a real KOTB fan favorite in Rio since that loss, with a number of promotional appearances to go with a vintage performance at KOTB 6. We caught up with both fighters before their big matchup, so hear what they had to say:

 

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Hey Ezekiel, thanks for taking a break from training to join us today.

Not a problem at all, my friend. Always enjoy talking to you.

 

You started your MMA career in Russia while living in Poland. What brought you to Rio?

Well, I did a grappling match here in Rio before my KOTB debut. I lost by close decision and I’d like to repay him the favor, but that’s another story *hahaha* But I fell in love with energy of this place. Poland is so dreary and dull in comparison.

You’re now onto your 4th fight with the organization, are you beginning to get recognized here?

You know, I get recognized but not for fighting. I'm always the loudest person here at the beach, club, etc. Always loud with a big smile on my face accompanied by, some would say, an obnoxious laugh *haha*.

 

You get to avenge your only loss on Saturday, do you have a different gameplan coming in. Is this the biggest fight in your MMA career?

This is definitely my biggest fight. This time we'll be fighting on an even playing field.

 

Your opponent, Thiagus Davaru Silva, is coming off a title win but was stripped of the belt and hasn’t fought since. Do you have thoughts on the steroid scandal, or Thiagus in general?

Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do. I should've been able to overcome him despite the PED use. Overall, he’s not a bad guy though. Honestly, I wish him the best of luck.

 

A win here puts you near, or at, the top of the pile in the division. Are you hoping a victory gets you a title shot?

Well, to me, he is STILL the KOTB SHW champ despite what went down. Beating him makes me the lineal KOTB SHW champ. I think a title unification bout is necessary for the org to move forward.

Thanks, Ezekiel, good luck on Saturday night.

_________________________________

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Hey Thiagus, long time no see, thanks for joining us today.

Yes, nice seeing you.

We haven’t seen you since your title win at KOTB 3, how has training been going?

Training ... has been... good. A little exhausting ... but good. I'll just leave it at that.

You had your title stripped after that last victory. Any comments on what went down? What kind of changes have you made since?

Well, it is what it is. As far as the training goes, I've switched training camps and I’ve had a couple of altercations, which have strained some trainer-coach relations but they'll get over it.

How have the fans treated you here since then? Is there any animosity over how things went down?

The MMA has community has virtually turned their back to me. Fans, trainers and fighters all look at me like I’m scum. Its fine, I embrace being the "heel" everyone’s made me out to be. Steroids have nothing to do with technique.

You have a victory over your opponent on Saturday; do you think this fight will have the same result?

Of course, Puchowski plays this fake "Mr. Nice Guy" act and its honestly disgusting. I don't like the guy and it'll show in our fight.

Do you expect a title shot with a victory Saturday night? Do you feel ready for another shot at the belt?

Most definitely, Guy Mourtneant is not the true champion, just a fill-in until I take my throne back.

Thanks, Thiagus, good luck on Saturday night.

[JoeLang]

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Eric Ashton (274213)

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Woooooo!!! What a wild ride!!!

Sorry i been a bit quiet! I work hard, and now that i have the belt to reflect my hard work i also like to party to relieve the stress!!

Part of living a balanced lifestyle!!

But now that i have had a chance to relax, i gotta give props to my man "Avalanche" for stepping inside the cage with me. You are tough and you are still young. I look forward to seeing you improve and maybe we can dance again some time!

But for now, i'm gonna relax, party and train until the next opponent.

PS: Happy Birthday Thatcher, hope i didnt ruin your day by taking your belt

[JoeLang]

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Simon Sims (272540)

I didnt have the best debut in Rio, but i managed to bounce back with a quick victory over Kanamun. Now while he isn't the best fighter, it feels good to get the W and a bit of confidence back.

But no time to rest... Time to get back to the gym and focus at the task at hand.

PS: Shout out to my dad William "Slim" Sims who just fought his last MMA fight over at TTFC. He didn't get the victory, and he isn't the best known fighter in the world but he had a career that spanned 20 (tycoon) years and i hope i can continue legacy and make him proud.

[catako]

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Sandu "Big Bear" Lungu

I think I did good at my comeback after the title loss against Mourmont. Still getting better day by day, and most surely I will come for that belt, but that will not be too early. Mourmont showed his class in our last fight and till I don't feel like I'm worth fighting for that belt again, I won't. Even that I won my fight with O Neal, I need to step back in the gym and look what I did wrong in this fight and try to finish my fight even quicker. Thanks for stepping up for the fight O Neal and sorry to hear about your injury.

[MBennet]

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Guy "4" Mourtneant

"Oui, monsieur Lungu will have another shot at the title, bien sûr. He shown class in his most recent fight against that skyscrapper man, O'Neil. What - pardonne moi - who I wanted to adress though is Thiagus Silva. You call me interim champ? C'est bouffonnerie! You not only lost your match against Puchowski, you couldn't even land a single punch. Not one shot. Nothing. You're a... uhm... plaisant(?), oh joke, yes - you're a joke! Not worth receiving a title shot."

[catako]

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Sandu "Big Bear" Lungu

It pretty much seemed to me that Thiagus Silva was sabotaged by his new manager who is also the manager of Ezekiel. Just from a quick look I saw Silva went into the fight already tired (50% stamina). I think we didn't see Silva's true skills in that fight, but I intend to do the same with him and make him look like an amatour.

[Guest]

http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/posters/1442526644KOTB10.jpg

 

KOTB 10: Revanche (Review)

 

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but the King of the Beach promotion kept things warm for our main event competitors on Saturday night. The main card of our second-highest rated event of all time would also feature our first-ever “Pride”-style freak-show fight, as one of our smallest competitors took on one of the largest.

 

The undercard opened with a somewhat stale three-round affair between European middleweights Brad Douglas and Toni Kroos. German muay thai specialist Kroos was determined to get things into the clinch, but couldn’t hold on long enough to do any significant damage on his Romanian counterpart. Instead, Douglas kept things at range and picked apart his foe with a variety of strikes. In the end, it was enough to take all three rounds on the judge’s scorecards.

Brad “The Orphan” Douglas (2-2, 1-1) defeats Toni Kroos (0-1, 0-1) via Decision (Unanimous)

 

Oman’s Walood Kassab continued his streak of alternating wins and losses in a welterweight showdown with Ireland’s Fergal Murphy, who is still chasing his first KOTB victory. Kassab, who later revealed he was nursing a torn muscle as a result of a work-related fishing accident, immediately took his foe down and began going to work with pinpoint ground and pound. Murphy attempted a pair of triangle chokes, but Kassab punched his way through and eventually knocked Murphy out cold. Kassab now looks to take a bit of time off to nurse his injury and focus on his career as a fisherman.

Walood “The Dugong” Kassab (3-2, 2-2) defeats Fergal Murphy (1-3, 0-2) via KO (Strikes) R1 - 01:57

 

A pair of rising featherweights were up next, as former title-contender Anderson Gracie took on the debuting Italian striker, Horatius Cocles. Cocles was probably hoping for a better introduction than what transpired, as Gracie quickly took him down and latched on to his trademark arm triangle submission. The Rio-born grappler is now right back in the mix and should be looking forward to a possible title eliminator bout in the near future.

Anderson “The Boa Constrictor” Gracie (2-1, 1-1) defeats Horatius “Legionaire” Cocles (0-2, 0-1) via Submission (Arm Triangle) R1 - 00:32

 

It was a classic striker versus grappler matchup when Simon Sims put his kickboxing pedigree on display against the jiu-jitsu attack of Papas Kanamun. William Sims, the father of Simon, recently had his retirement bout in MMA and his son couldn’t have made him more proud. Kanamun came out strong, looking for a takedown before getting into the clinch, while Sims countered with heavy punches, eventually forcing the referee to intervene on a slumping Kanamun. The Bulgarian is now in a must-win situation in his career, while Sims is back on track after his disappointing debut.

Simon Sims (6-2, 1-1) via Papas “Mucata” Kanamun (1-5, 1-3) via TKO (Strikes) R1 - 00:23

 

A second featherweight bout closed out the undercard, as Brazilian brown belt Augusto Azevedo took on Irish boxer Maellan Rowan. Rowan really battled the scale during the weigh-ins and Azevedo made him pay with a dominating 18-second “submission of the night” performance, the second of his young career. Azevedo then delighted the ring girls and crowd with some risqué post-fight dance moves, and the Amazonian suddenly and simultaneously moves into “contender” and “crowd favorite” status.

“Amazing” Augusto Azevedo (2-0, 2-0) defeats Maellan Rowan (0-2, 0-2) via Submission (Americana) R1 - 00:18

 

The fans in attendance were all-eyes for our next bout, as Swedish wrestler Magnus Karlsson looked to use his incredible size advantage against Chilean striker Alejandro Sepulveda in a special open-weight engagement. Sepulveda thrilled the crowd by coming out with a brilliant assortment of punch combinations, pushing his much larger opponent to fight from his heels. After a Karlsson takedown, Sepulveda would keep the heat on with submission attempt after submission attempt. Sepulveda’s family could be heard screaming for their namesake and the rest of crowd hung on every moment. Karlsson would rebound in the second round by using his size to mount his opponent and eventually knocking the Chilean out with some serious ground and pound. Regardless of size, it’s a nice feather in the cap for the Swede. A disappointed Sepulveda was seen leaving the arena with his immediate family in a broken-down hatchback. Hopefully the “fight of the night” bonus heals his wounds and helps his family get back on their feet.

Magnus Karlsson (5-0, 2-0) defeats Alejandro “Osito” Sepulveda (6-4, 0-1) via KO (Strikes) R2 - 01:56

 

The fans didn’t get a break from the action, as the bloodiest fight in KOTB history occurred in an important light-heavyweight battle between Diederik Boschman and Edward Smith. Things opened up with a possible gaffe by former title contender Edward Smith, as the British boxer decided to start the fight in the clinch. Unfortunately, that’s exactly where Suriname’s Boschman does his best work, as he immediately started battering his opponent with elbows and punches. An incredibly deep cut started covering both fighters in a horrifically bloody scene, forcing the doctor to halt the bout. To Smith’s credit, he was still looking to continue, but he’ll have to heal up and try to rebound in his next KOTB performance. Boschman, on the other hand, looks forward to a number one contender fight with Simon Sims.

Diederik “The Hidden Blade” Boschman (3-0, 3-0) defeats Edward Smith (3-2, 0-2) via TKO (Cut) R1 - 01:47

 

A finalist for “fight of the night” featured two up-and-comers in the deep waters of our welterweight division. Rick Sharp, who trains out of the heralded Iron Works gym in Sydney, Australia, took control out of the gate, dropping the American, Hendrix, with a counter combination. From there, Sharp would dominate with position and ground and pound, but Hendrix would show great heart and make it to the bell. The second round would see both fighters going back and forth on the feet in a tightly contested five minutes. Sharp would then put his stamp on things with another knockdown in the third round, finishing the fight with more smothering ground positioning and strikes. It’s an impressive debut all-around for the young Aussie.

“Slick” Rick Sharp (2-0, 1-0) defeats Diesel Hendrix (3-1, 1-1) via Decision (Unanimous)

 

Our co-main event would see a pair of giants engage in a thrilling slugfest, as Romanian Sandu Lungu took out American Shaquille O Neal with second round strikes. Lungu cut his foe early and followed up an exciting exchange by knocking O Neal down with a beautiful combination. O Neal showed incredible resilience and battled back with some heavy body kicks and clinchwork to survive the round. All would be for not, however, as Lungu continued to land in the second round and appeared to injure O Neal with a big left hand and followed up with some fight ending strikes. Early reports say O Neal has shattered his jaw and the American has decided to leave his manager and the promotion, hinting at retirement. Lungu had some strong words for both the main event competitors and looks to be setting up some future matchups.

Sandu “Big Bear” Lungu (5-1, 2-1) defeats Shaquille O Neal (1-1, 1-1) via TKO (Strikes) R2 - 00:28

 

Finally, our main attraction was on, as Thiagus Davaru Silva made his return to the KOTB cage to a hail of boos. The former champion was making his first appearance since being stripped of the title after being flagged for PEDs in his post-fight blood test. He’d be taking on Ezekiel Puchowski, who looked to avenge his earlier tournament loss to Silva. Puchowski opened up with a strong clinch and boxing attack, punishing Silva with punches. Silva appeared to be in much worse shape than he did during his title run, and seemed to be over-confident with his new standup game. This would cost him, as Puchowski stunned Silva with an overhand right before teeing off on his slumping opponent against the cage. Both fighters embraced in the post fight interviews and seemed to leave the beef behind them. Silva has since re-signed with the org and looks to move on in his career, while Puchowski looks forward to a title fight against the winner of Guy Mourtneant and Harry Milne.

Ezekiel “Power Trip” Puchowski (6-1, 3-1) defeats Thiagus Davaru Silva (5-1, 3-1) via KO (Punches) R2 - 02:17

[Guest]

We had the pleasure to interview our two KOTB 11 main event fighters before they're big title fight on Saturday night. Full preview coming in the next day.

 

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Hey Guy, thanks for joining us between sessions at Bomb Squad Las Vegas, how are things going up there?

 

Things are good. Training hard, staying in shape. Getting ready for title defense against monsieur Milne.

 

Did you get a chance to show off that new belt? How’s it feel being called champ?

 

Oui, bien sûr, it's a nice belt and I enjoy nice things. And being called le champion... well, I've earned it. It wasn't an easy fight against Lungu, a man twice my size... but I've won, I've earned it, and no one can say I didn't.

 

What’s your outlook on your first challenger? You’ve been pretty quiet on him, but he’s been working hard and moving up the ranks since KOTB 2.

 

Oh, I've been silencieuse because I don't know much about him. I've seen his last fight at KOTB 6 and it looked impressive but pretty obvious. My trainers who were scouting him and preparing me for the fight told me that he's a professional wrestler from TWGC, so the fight should be at least interesting. Il n'en reste pas moins I feel pretty confident that I can win this.

Is there any significance for you in this fight, in terms of it being France vs. England?

 

Bah oui! *laughs* Avignon was never conquered by Englishman and by God! no Son of Venaissin will ever yield to Englishman!

 

You’ve been crushing everyone with your dominating clinch presence, but your only career loss was to a similarly styled wrestler-boxer, any changes to your strategy coming in that you’re willing to divulge?

Oh yes, Scottie Pippen was a dirty boxer and standup grappler just like me... only bigger and stronger. And of course I'll try to surprise my fans in the attendance, you know I was primarily a wrestler turned boxer and monsieur Milne may be shocked to see I'm quite resourceful on the ground, as well. Hell, I might even take the fight to the ground myself... or not. I really can't say anything about the tactics I will use in the cage, Monsieur Bennet forbid me to.

 

Thanks, Guy, good luck on Saturday night.

Merci et ca m'a fait plaisir.

 

_________________________________

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Hey Harry, thanks for meeting us here in downtown Rio. How are things going down the street at Animal House? That gym is run by your manager, I believe, seems like a good family over there.

 

Hey, thanks for giving me this opportunity. Yeah, we have a good mix at the gym of established veterans and young up and comers. The boss likes to try and foster a family atmosphere so we spend plenty of time down on the beach eating barbecue and surfing. I love it out here, the weather, the atmosphere, the women; it's a massive improvement on Wigan that's for sure. The boss is a philosopher, he's got no interest in seeing accomplished strikers hitting pads all the time like you see in other gyms and being told that “you're the best” when you not got a belt to prove it. He builds us up by making us train on our weaknesses until we don't have any and he won't put someone in the cage till they've shown the attitude and development he expects.

 

You’ve been with us since KOTB 2 and are one of our longest serving fighters, are you happy to be fighting for the title now?

 

To be honest, the title is a nice little bonus. At the moment, I'm just focusing on becoming the best fighter I can be and working hard in the gym to get to that level. It'll be nice for the boss to put it in the trophy cabinet in the gym, as it will be his title fight win as a fighter manager.

 

What’s your take on the champion, Guy Mourtneant?

 

He's obviously a skilled fighter and one of the best in the organization, no doubt, but he's beatable. To be honest, I thought Lungu would beat him for the title, but it just goes to show you that MMA isn't as predictable as it seems.

 

Is there any significance for you in this fight, in terms of it being France vs. England?

 

It's always nice to get one over on them. I doubt the mainly Brazilian crowd will be too fussed about historic European rivalries, though. They just want to see some blood and torn ligaments.

You’ve shown good hands and a good ground and pound in your two fights here, any particular strategy for you coming in that you’re willing to divulge?

Yeah, I'm going to take him down, beat him up, drag him into the deep waters and drown him. I've been working on my jiu-jitsu pretty much constantly since my last fight, so I'm going to be hunting for an arm or neck. I'm going to submit him, Kimura, third round.

 

Thanks, Harry, Good Luck on Saturday night.

 

Cheers.

[Guest]

http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/posters/1443108835KOTB11.jpg

 

KOTB 11: Arrebentar (Preview)

 

The King of the Beach promotion returns to the friendly confines of Hayashi’s Lounge for KOTB 11 and we’ve got a nice card set up for Saturday night. Besides an undercard stacked with intriguing matchups, we’ve got our super-heavyweight title up for grabs and a number of talented newcomers and veterans in a heavy-hitter filled main card.

 

Bruce Bogtrotter (2-0, 2-0) v "Merciless" Mick McManus (1-1, 1-1)

Opening that main card will be a pair of max heavyweights who both like to bite down on the mouthpiece and throw heavy leather. Fighting out of England, Bruce Bogtrotter prefers to do his work in the clinch with dirty boxing, but isn’t opposed to standing in the pocket and exchanging. Scottish-born Mick McManus, on the other hand, has made his living in that same pocket as a sprawl-and-brawler. This is a tough one to call, but I imagine it’ll be over early after some heated exchanges.

 

Jin “Devil” Kazama (5-1, 0-1) v Jefferson "Grisahlo" Murillo (1-1, 0-0)

Up next, we have a pair of up-and-comers looking to move up that dangerous welterweight ladder. Korean Jin Kazama will be looking to bounce back from his loss at the hands of perennial contender PJ McDermott by imposing his strong submission game. This is where things get interesting, though, as local Brazilian Jefferson Murillo has a wonderful wrestling and takedown attack of his own. It’s tough to say what Murillo’s gameplan will be, with this being his KOTB debut. Is he confident in his own ground game, or will he look to use his wrestling to keep this fight on the feet?

 

Bruce “The Great” Zimbardo (5-1, 3-1) v Tito “The Warrior” Griffin (2-2, 1-0)

Our second super-heavyweight on the main card is bound to be another striking battle, as KOTB veteran Bruce Zimbardo looks to move into title contention in his record fifth fight for the promotion. The tall Carribean striker has probably the best kicks out of anyone at KOTB, and will be looking to go shin-to-skull early and often. Tito Griffin will be making his second appearance for the promotion and probably won’t be afraid to exchange with his foe. Fighting out of Canada, Griffin has the most enviable physique in the division and has the athletic ability to back it up. It should also be noted that Griffin has a purple belt, so we may see that come into play here as well.

 

Marty McFly (4-0, 0-0) v Casey Frost (2-0, 0-0)

Our co-main event sees a pair of highly touted newcomers make their debuts in our budding light-heavyweight division. The American Marty McFly is a bit of a baby face, but don’t let that fool you, as he comes to bang. Despite a very strong wrestling game, the 17-year-old doesn’t make any attempt to use it offensively, instead using it entirely as a defensive tool to keep things on the feet. Rio’s own Casey Frost has strong boxing and a purple belt in jiu-jitsu, but probably doesn’t have the takedowns to get this one to the mat. This really comes down to who has the better striking defense and hands.

 

Guy “4” Mourtneant (5-1, 1-0) v “The Bulldog” Harry Milne (4-0, 2-0)

And finally, our main event, and what a main event is. Guy Mourtneant probably no longer needs an introduction, as the champion has never held his tongue and is an incredible self-promoter. The French sensation will look to break the KOTB champion curse and be the first man to defend a title in the organization. He’ll be opposite the surging English-born wrestle-boxer, Harry Milne. Milne has been with us since KOTB 2, and has slowly but steadily working his way to the title as he builds his well-rounded skills. Both men seem confident in their skillsets and both have made suggestions that this one might go to the mat. That being said, they could just be bluffing to set up their respective game plans. Regardless, this is bound to be a nail-biter and should not be missed.

[Guest]

http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/posters/1443108835KOTB11.jpg

KOTB 11: Arrebentar (Review)

The King of the Beach promotion is proud as hell of this last weekend’s card, as KOTB 11 would end up being the highest rated card in it’s history, as well as having the second highest attendance. The card would also see a record 10 finishes, a record nine KO/TKOs, as well as a tie for the fastest finish in KOTB history. All in all, a crazy night, so let’s get into the recap:

Getting things started would the KOTB debuts of two Rio-born middleweights, as Ryan Gracie took on Caio Rodrigues. Both fighters possess strong grappling games, so it wasn’t a surprise that this fight took place entirely on the mat. Rodrigues was first to make a move, grabbing a nice single leg takedown seconds into the fight. From there, it was a battle of positioning before Gracie hit a beautiful sweep from his butterfly guard and transitioned into a fight-ending kimura. Overall, it was a wonderful show of jiu-jitsu for the Rio fans that got to the arena early.

Ryan “Neto” Gracie (2-0, 1-0) defeats Caio “Cobra” Rodrigues (0-1, 0-1) via Submission (Kimura) R1 - 01:37

A pair of featherweights looking to follow up their recent victories were up next, as another Rio-born fighter, Bruised Rib Aldo, took on the Hawaiian, Akira Mahalo. Considering both fighters’ skill sets, the fans were expecting a standup war in this one. Aldo had other things planned, however, in a flawless performance that pushes him near the top of the featherweight rankings. After missing his first punch, Aldo would hit cleanly in his next four, including a massive lead left hook that would separate Mahalo from consciousness at the 23-second mark of the first round.

Bruised Rib “Excuse” Aldo (5-1, 2-1) defeats Akira “Pearly Shells” Mahalo (2-3, 1-2) via KO (Punch) R1 - 00:23

Up next was the only fight to make it out of the first round, as Egyptian prospect Ramses XII battered the Peruvian, Gabriel Vera, over the course of three rounds. If nothing else, Vera showed a solid chin and good heart in a lopsided defeat, but besides a few takedowns and a series of submissions, this one was all Ramses, who finally got to display his full arsenal of punches, kicks, clinchwork and grappling. Rumors have spread since that the highly touted Ramses is now in high demand and our sources don’t think that KOTB will be able to re-sign him. Let’s hope that’s not the case, as Ramses has future champion written all over him.

“The Pharaon” Ramses Xll (1-1, 1-1) defeats Gabriel “Tarántula” Vera (3-3, 3-3) via KO (Punches) R3 - 03:53

Our first of five super-heavyweight fights on the card saw a pair of excellent boxers in need of a win, as New Zealand’s Kevin Koo took on Florida’s Neon Uno. Despite both fighters holding strong ground games, this one would unravel entirely on the feet. Koo looked to be the more athletic and active of the two, firing over 10 punches per minute at his opponent, and despite some solid footwork and defense from Uno, the pace would start to wear on him. After a deep cut started to spill over onto Uno’s face, Koo smelled the finish and delivered a devastating uppercut, followed by a volley of punches on his slumped opponent.

Kevin Koo (2-2, 1-1) defeats Neon Uno (1-3, 1-3) via TKO (Strikes) R1 - 03:13

Another super-heavyweight bout would finish off our undercard, as Croatia’s Mirko Vukovic took on Russia’s Lane Herman. Vukovic was making a record fifth appearance for the promotion and is one of the more well-rounded athletes in the division. Despite winning his last fight by submission, he decided to attack with kicks against the grappling presence of Herman. Herman tried his best to get this one to the floor, but got there the hard way after getting cracked with a head kick. Vukovic followed, but the referee would quickly stand it up after a positioning stalemate. It would be here that Vukovic would land a gorgeous fight-ending, walk-away head kick. That’s two straight impressive performances for the teenager.

Mirko “The Shadow” Vukovic (3-2, 3-2) defeats Lane “Heman” Herman (4-2, 1-2) via KO (Head Kick) R1 - 03:08

Our “fight of the night” would open our main card, as Scotland’s Mick McManus and England’s Bruce Bogtrotter would engage in spirited back and forth super-heavyweight affair. After a cut-inducing jab scored for McManus, Bogtrotter moved the fight into the clinch, where he does his best work. Things seemed to be going well for him, as McManus struggled with positioning while trying to block his opponent’s shots. In the final minute, however, Bogtrotter would break out of the clinch only to be dropped by a huge McManus right hand. Maybe still out of sorts, Bogtrotter would glance up at the clock only to be dropped by another huge McManus right hand, one that he wouldn’t recover from. McManus has another big win under his belt and is creating a following as one of KOTB’s more exciting fighters.

“Merciless” Mick McManus (2-1, 2-1) defeats Bruce Bogtrotter (2-1, 2-1) via KO (Punch) R1 - 04:42

Our only welterweight fight on the card would see the introduction of a new Brazilian contender, as Jefferson Murillo made short work of Korean grappler, Jin Kazama. Murillo showed strong takedown defense, swatting away three early attempts from his opponent, before dropping him with a vicious hook, forcing the referee to jump in and wave this one off in just 19 seconds. Murillo now moves up the ladder and looks forward to a bigger test against KOTB veteran, Walood Kassab.

Jefferson “Grisahlo” Murillo (2-1, 1-0) defeats Jin “Devil” Kazama (5-2, 0-2) via TKO (Punches) R1 - 00:19

Tito Griffin is paving a road of destruction to the title and Bruce Zimbardo wouldn’t amount to much more than a speed bump. The Caribbean striker, who was making a record tying fifth appearance for the promotion, never had lost a fight by knockout before this matchup. This didn’t appear to matter to Griffin, who launched into a fight-ending right hand just five seconds into the fight, tying the KOTB record for fastest finish. Griffin looks to be a serious contender and will probably wrap up a shot at the champion with another victory.

Tito “The Warrior” Griffin (3-2, 2-0) defeats Bruce “The Great” Zimbardo (5-2, 3-2) via KO (Punch) R1 - 00:05

Our co-main event would be the third straight finish in under a minute, as the baby faced assassin, Marty McFly, tore through his hometown opponent, Casey Frost. Frost was making his KOTB debut, but will have to go back to the drawing board in his sophomore appearance. McFly found his confidence after stuffing a trio of takedown attempts and showed his class with stinging combinations. McFly would then seal the deal with a massive right hand and takes his place as one of the top prospects in the light-heavyweight division.

Marty Mcfly (5-0, 1-0) defeats Casey Frost (2-1, 0-1) via KO (Punch) R1 - 00:50

And finally, to top the night off, Guy Mourtneant broke the KOTB curse for defending champions, putting in a vintage performance over the surging Brit, Harry Milne. The Frenchman teased fans about his possible ground attack, but didn’t mess around and went to his dominant clinch game early. Milne did manage to break Mourtneant’s clinch on numerous occasions, something that no fighter has ever done, but he couldn’t get any offense of his own going. Instead, Mourtneant showed strong takedown and striking defense and eventually wore down on his opponent, finishing the fight with a cannon of a jab to Milne’s jaw. Some fans thought the referee might’ve jumped in early, but Milne was clearly out of it until the champion’s hand was raised. Both fighters demonstrated class in the post fight interviews, showing clear respect for each other.

Guy “4” Mourtneant (6-1, 2-0) defeats “The Bulldog” Harry Milne (4-1, 2-1) via KO (Punch) R1 - 03:28

[Guest]

http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/posters/1443118677KOTB12.jpg

KOTB 12: Péga (Preview)

What a card we have for you this Saturday, fight fans, as “YOLO,” “The Machette,” “The Little Ginger Prince,” “The Axe,” “Shamrock,” and the man known simply as “PJ” will all compete for KOTB belts. We also have a pair of debuting light-heavyweights competing for a title shot, as well as an important bout between surging KOTB middleweights. All in all, it should be one of the most thrilling main cards we’ve ever put on.

“The Golden Child” Kyrie Perry (2-0, 2-0) v Joseph Annuaku (5-1, 2-0)

Opening this historic main card will be two rising middleweights looking to make it 3-0 in the King of the Beach promotion. Richmond, Virginia’s Kyrie Perry has, thus far, made a successful transition since leaving USC’s wrestling program early to pursue an MMA career. Now fighting out of the Madz gym in Sydney, Perry has utilized a strong top game and defensive grappling to compliment a growing boxing attack. His fellow American, Joseph Annuaku, will also be bringing in a grappling-centered approach, albeit a little more submission oriented. Training out of the Lock and Roll Grappling Gym in Tokyo, Annuaku may be looking to counter Perry’s takedowns into sweeps and submission attempts of his own. While this may be a grinding fight at times, we have no doubt it’ll be full of some really fan-friendly grappling exchanges.

Yuri “Hands of Stone” Boyka (3-1, 0-0) v Zico “The Kick” Ali (3-2, 0-0)

Up next, KOTB is proud to showcase two of their biggest signings in the light-heavyweight division. Russian-born Yuri Boyka fights out of the Pit gym in London, which is also home to KOTB’s welterweight champion, Murphy MacManus. He’ll bring in one of the most polished standup games that our promotion has ever seen, but also has a proficient wrestling game that could come into play. His opponent, Zico Ali, was a one-time UVT fighter with quite a bit of experience here in Rio. Despite his nickname and 3-2 record, Ali has never missed a straight head or body punch in his career. It’s quite a statistic and one that seems to promise a standup war in this number-one contender matchup.

Third Round “YOLO” Romero (6-0, 1-0) v Ronaldo “The Machette” Lima (3-0, 2-0)

The two men who will fight for that aforementioned title will be up next, as undefeated crowd favorites Third Round Romero and Ronaldo Lima finally square off. Both men were scheduled to face former champion James Diaz at one time or another, but Diaz’s sudden departure gives both men an opportunity for gold. This is a clear striker vs. grappler setup, with Cuba’s Romero looking to finish his seventh straight fight in the first round with strikes, while Brazil’s Lima will look to make it three-for-three with first round submissions in KOTB competition. Whatever happens, we’ll have a brand new champion after Saturday night.

“The Little Ginger Prince” Chris Karter (3-1, 2-0) v Thiago “The Axe” Machado (3-0, 3-0)

Our co-main event will see featherweight champion, Chris Karter, defend his belt for the first time against Sao Paulo submission wizard Thiago Machado. This will be the American’s third fight against a Brazilian in as many fights, so the champion should come into the fight with a familiarity of fighting a Brazilian opponent in front of a hometown crowd. He’ll be looking to put hands on Machado, who comes into the fight with two ‘submission of the night’ bonuses and a ‘fight of the night’ submission win in his first three career fights, all of which were with the KOTB promotion.

Murphy "Shamrock" MacManus (3-0, 2-0) v PJ McDermott (2-1, 2-1)

Our main event is a fight we’ve actually been expecting since we signed both athletes in the early days of KOTB. Regardless, it’ll surely be worth the wait, as our Irish champion, Murphy MacManus, looks to defend his title for the first time against KOTB-veteran PJ McDermott. MacManus is coming in off of a wild title fight against former champion, Parker Allen, and will be looking to repeat that success with his top-level striking game, whether it’s from range or from the clinch. McDermott rebounded nicely from his title loss with a dominating performance and showed a new sharpness in his standup game. This one will most likely be fought on the feet and in the clinch in a bloody back-and-forth affair, but McDermott may also want to get this one to the floor. Whoever emerges from the cage champion on Saturday night has a hungry challenger waiting for them, as new signee James La Grande has been chomping at the bit to get into the cage and show his potential as champion.

[theWHITEWOLF]

Message from James"Flames"La Grande...Hi Murphy and PJ who ever comes out the victor will hage to beat me to stay a champion wnd don't take this as a dissrespectfull thing I really do give props to everyone and anyone who steps into a cage and to get a title in KOTB nice job,but I mean seriously guys you together don't have the Cage experience I have No offense to you but I think both of you need to become more rounded before thinking you are a true champion you guys only faught easy fights and my fight against Aengus Dublain made me realise that my Jui-Jitsu game won't always get it done in there and thats why i started training my stad up aswell and I think I have the skills to beat anyone in this division yes both of you have the ability to beat me aswell anyone can win on the night but I am just saying don't duck me please and I wish both of you all the besg in your fight against eachother may the best Boxer win because thats the only place I see this fight ending with a KO but I like watxhing brawlers like yourselfs cheers and I will see one of you in the following month!

[Qester]

Looking forward to KOTB12, awesome card!

[Guest]

BREAKING NEWS:

Kyrie Perry has taken a leave of absence for the health of his father. Due to driving under the influence, Jakeem Perry (Kyrie father) has had a fatal accident and is in critical condition. Please have him in your prayers.