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Hi guys here we are with another review of the latest EMPIRE card, don't forget you can also read all of the reviews and smack talk on the official Forum page over at http://www.mmatycoon.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34952
Empire 32 Recap and Bonus Awards
The 16th of March saw Empire 31 come to Los Angeles, here's a quick review of what went down and who walked away with the $30,000 bonuses.
Prelims
205lbs – Cy Coe beat Makao Matsumoto via TKO (3.59, RD2)
265lbs – Kirk Laputa beat Travis Reed via TKO (4.58, RD3)
145lbs – Cormac Maguire beat Jealous Jarvae via Unanimous Decision
205lbs – Ossi Jokinen beat Paul Jones via KO (4.21, RD1)
265+lbs – Curtly Ambrose beat Seaville Bri via TKO (3.40, RD2)
Main Card
265+bs – Sonny Corleone vs Stash Kadowski
Kicking off the main card saw a Super Heavyweight battle between Corleone and Kadowski. Corleone made a fast start out of the gate clinching his opponent up against the cage and then using his dominant clinch game to work over Kadowski with punches, elbows and knees. Kadowski tried to control the position and break away but was unable to do so for long. The second round started off in similar fashion with Corleone quickly clinching and establishing the muay thai plum, enabling him to score with ease with his well rounded clinch game. The third round saw Corleone use his his clinch game once again in the early periods before Kadowski was able to separate for the first significant period in the fight. It appeared the damage had been done though as Corelone saw this as an opportunity to showcase his striking skills landing a barrage of leg kicks and punches to the tiring Kadowski. Kadowski hung in there until the end and proved as tough to finish as ever, but this one was about as one sided as it gets.
Winner - Sonny Corleone via Unanimous Decision
205lbs – Jake Orange vs Thomas Stark
The main card continued with Light-Heavyweight action between Jake Orange and one of the oldest active fighters today, Thomas Stark. Orange looked to catch Stark off guard in this one shooting in for an early takedown which was easily stuffed by the veteran, Stark quickly responded with a vicious head kick busting open his opponent much to the delight of the blood thirsty fans which seemed to throw Orange off his game as he continued to shoot in for more takedowns before Thomas Stark dropped him with a beautiful uppercut. It looked for a moment like it might end the fight as he followed him to the mat looking for the finish, Orange had to channel all of his experience to compose himself on the ground, managing to sweep his opponent before ending the fight on top.
Whatever Jake Orange's cornerman told him during the interval he deserves a pay rise as in the second round he abandoned his plan to takedown Stark and looked to establish his own striking game which couldn't have worked out much better. Orange began to land at will and avoid the majority of attacks coming back at him, methodically wearing him down with leg kicks and peppering him with the jab whenever he tried to engage. Stark was able to land a beautiful 3 strike combo which had the crowd on their feet but it was largely Orange's round with Stark noticeably tiring as the round reached it's conclusion.
The third round began in the same fashion that the second round ended with Orange getting the better of striking before landing a powerful combination which had Stark on wobbly legs, Jake Orange looked keen to finish and threw a thunderbolt of a right hand knocking down his adversary. Before Orange had chance to pounce Stark used all of his athleticism to bounce straight back to his feet with the help of the cage but was quickly caught up in a clinch before he had chance to stage a fight back. Despite a late flurry from Stark it was Orange once again who established his striking game in the latter parts of the round before the buzzer sounded taking us to a decision. Stark had comfortably won the first round but by taking the second and third it was Jake Orange who got the victory and put himself in the mix for a future title shot in the LHW division.
Winner – Jake Orange via Unanimous Decision
265lbs – Budo Rei vs Aloha Hoi
Nearly a year had passed since Rei and Hoi last did battle at Blitzkrieg 118 where Hoi got the stoppage victory via cuts after dominating the first two rounds. No doubt about it though, today both fighters are much better versions of themselves as they fought in a long awaited rematch on tonight's card.
Rei must have been fearing a case of deja vu as the fight began with Aloha Hoi slicing his opponent wide open with a straight right hand. Rei was quick to respond though landing a perfectly timed low kick to the impressive nether regions of Aloha Hoi. After a quick check by Hoi to see whether he still had his meat and two veg in working order they touched gloves and the fight continued. Both guys seemed happy to throw down trading back and forth but while Hoi proved effective with his tried and tested strategy of punching his opponent in the face he was unable to land with much success with his kicks, something that Rei was able to take advantage of and score with his own low kicks. Hoi had perhaps edged the round but Rei looked happy with his strategy as things moved into the second period.
The second round began in entertaining fashion with both fighters exchanging strikes, shortly into the round Hoi landed a beautiful hook above the eye opening up the cut of Rei even more. This seemed to fire up Rei who tackled him to the cage and instigated the clinch taking the opportunity to land strikes including a brutal knee to the face which evened things up in the blood department, splitting Aloha Hoi wide open. Rei followed it up with more knees and punches showing a dominant clinch game that Hoi had no answer for , keeping him there for the majority of a round he comfortably won.
Hoi had slowed down after taking a succession of strikes in the clinch and it was Rei who dominated the striking in the early parts of the third round landing several strikes with little coming back at him. Hoi showed just how durable he can be though by hanging in there and managing to nullify the clinch game of Rei after some quick advice from his corner in between rounds. With both fighters tiring Hoi decided to change levels taking Rei down to the mat. Before Hoi was able to mount any significant offence though Rei quickly escaped and managed to take his back, Hoi scrambled back to half guard but it was Rei who finished on top as this entertaining battle reached it's final conclusion and went to a judges decision. The scorecards were a little mixed in numbers but all 3 judges gave it unanimously for the winner, Budo Rei.
Winner – Budo Rei via Unanimous Decision.
265lbs – Jobe Nkemakolam vs Sean McMorrow
The Co-Main event featured two of the top heavyweights in the division as Nkemakolam took on McMorrow with both fighters looking to score a high profile victory and move closer to a future shot at the title.
It was McMorrow who got the better of the striking in the early exchanges before Nkemakolam caught him with a beautiful strike opening up a cut on McMorrow. Both fighters continued throwing strikes but it was Nkemakolam who was showing more aggression and catching his opponent with the heavier shots. Midway through the first round Nkemakolam caught McMorrow rushing in and had him rocked with a precision jab straight on the jaw. McMorrow seemed unfazed though and began firing back causing Nkemakolam to back up and giving him the time to recompose himself.. Nkemakolam rediscovered his aggression and began to tee off opening up the cut on McMorrow even more. A fired up McMorrow was eager to prove he wasn't beaten and landed a devastating body shot which had Nkemakolam gasping for air, McMorrow seized the opportunity to land with more strikes before scoring with a takedown and landing in half guard to see out the round.
In the second round both fighters came out firing off kicks trying to wear down the gas tanks of each other but it was Nkemakolam who mixed things up by landing a looping left hand that led to McMorrow's cut opening up even more and causing him some difficulties with his vision. McMorrow shot in for a takedown which was stuffed by Nkemakolam who then landed a picture perfect right hook sending his opponent down to the canvas, a weary McMorrow got back to his feet as Nkemakolam waved him up but it was the beginning of the end as McMorrow was sent to the canvas once again by the deadly jab of Nkemakolam leading to the KO victory.
Winner – Jobe Nkemakolam via KO (1.25, RD2)
205lbs Title – Smokudju Womba (Champion) vs Moses Diggs
In the main event of the evening the Light Heavyweight title was on the line as Womba defended against Diggs. Moses Diggs was the former champion and Smokudju Womba had agreed to give him an immediate rematch after winning a decision at Empire 27.
Womba certainly got the better of the opening round as he controlled the striking in the early exchanges before taking him down early in the round and landing in half guard. A grappling battle began as Diggs managed to get back to full guard but couldn't stop Womba from quickly moving into side control. Womba worked away controlling his opponent and landing a few strikes as well as making various submission attempts. Midway through the round Womba committed to an armbar attempt that looked tight for a moment but Diggs showed his jiu jitsu skills to roll out and end up in the top position. Diggs looked to land his own ground and pound from the top as Womba attacked with submissions off his back, a failed triangle attempt led to Diggs stacking him and passing into side control where he worked him over with elbows and punches before the round ended.
In the second round both men exchanged strikes with Womba perhaps edging the early part of the round. Diggs avoided a head kick well though and took the fight into the clinch for the first time where he unloaded on the champion with a vicious onslaught of punches and knees that had Womba gasping for breath. Knowing his opponent was tiring Diggs separated and began serving up some powerful right hands that had Womba back tracking, before turning his attentions to the body and legs where he landed a number of kicks. Womba was still firing back but Diggs was really getting the better of the striking and managing to stuff any takedowns which came his way as the round came to an end.
The third round started off in the same fashion that the second ended as Diggs continued wearing down the champion with strikes leaving Womba only able to fire back with the occasional jab as he was noticeably tiring. Diggs surprised everyone by taking this moment to attempt his own takedown which he landed with ease, Womba has enough of his senses in tact though to land in guard. Diggs controlled his foe and comfortably managed to fight off a few lose submission attempts before Womba threw up a loose triangle choke. Diggs powered out and threw his legs to one side and thought he was safe before Smokudju Womba produced a moment of brilliance as with perhaps his last molecule of energy he managed to switch from the triangle to a guillotine and squeezed with all his might leaving Moses Diggs no choice but to tap.
Winner – Smokudju Womba via Submission (Guillotine, 2.59, RD3)
That completes our recap of the event and all that's left to do is to inform the winners of the $30,000 bonus awards
Submission of the Night – Smokudju Womba – Without a shadow of a doubt Womba earned his bonus tonight showing the heart of a champion as despite suffering from exhaustion in the third round he managed to retain his Light-Heavyweight title with a beautiful piece of grappling skill, switching from a triangle choke to a guillotine to earn a victory over Moses Diggs.
KO of the Night – Jobe Nkemakolam – Nkemakolam showed just how much power he has in his hands earning a victory over Sean McMorrow by landing one of the heaviest jabs in Empire history knocking his opponent out cold.
Fight of The Night – Jake Orange vs Thomas Stark– Stark had Orange in all sorts of trouble in the first round, rocking him and knocking him down to the canvas before a bloody Jake Orange fired back and in the third round getting revenge as he also sent Stark tumbling down to the canvas with his own knockdown earning these two the fight of the night!
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