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 Welcome to the Hard Knocks Arena in New York for SPNY 125 a 10 fight MMA card featuring the 3rd Heavyweight Title Defence of Shane Waitzel against challenger Czesio Niemen. The undercard features a Welterweight match between Adam Rabago and Nawal Chekhemani, and the in form Bantamweight Paulo Moreno against Otou Hek.
Main Event: Heavyweight Title
Shane Waitzel (c) 25-5 (4-1 SPNY) vs Czesio Niemen 21-16 (3-1 SPNY)
To say that Waitzel is one of the most fearsome strikers in the world is an understatement. His MMA career has been based entirely on a boxing based offence; this has not limited his success as he has the ability to knock out almost any opponent. His current form is nothing short of sensational, with 16 wins in his last 17 fights, and all but one of those wins coming by knockout. Propelled into international superstardom after his 3 fight series with Earnest Abe, tonight will be looking to add to the long list of names of fighters he has beaten in his quest to be recognised as the top pound for pound fighter in the world.
Niemen is also primarily a boxer, however, lacks the clinch offence of Waitzel. A well known and popular fighter in Eastern Europe, he has achieved a new level of consistency since moving to SPNY and tonight will be looking not only to win the title but also to record a 4 fight winning streak for the first time in his career. Whilst he has the ability to record one punch knockouts much like Waitzel, he lacks Waitzel’s granite chin and defence which could be the decisive factor in this fight.
This fight will remain on its feet for the duration; Niemen is generally the more accurate puncher of the two so may get the better of the early exchanges. However, Niemen in my opinion lacks the chin to hold Waitzel out once the big shots start to land. Waitzel to win by knockout.
2: Welterweight
Adam Rabago 10-3 (3-1 SPNY) vs Nawal Chekhemani 17-13 (10-7 SPNY)
Rabago has proven himself a solid stand up fighter who is most dangerous in the clinch. Tonight he will have the challenge against him of keeping the fight standing against BJJ black belt Chekhemani; Rabago is a relative newcomer to BJJ having only obtained a blue belt suggesting that he will not last long should he be taken down tonight. Rabago does not have a history of early KO wins, but tonight needs to pull one out.
Chekhemani has a long history with SPNY fight fans dating back to SPNY 3. Chekhemani is primarily a submission grappler but also has the ability to grind out a knockout from the top position. Despite his 17 career wins his current 3 fight winning streak is only the second time in his career he has won more than 2 consecutive fights; tonight a 4th straight win will give him the boost he needs to start to challenge the title contenders.
Rabago needs to pull out an early knockout because he will not have the skills to defend against Chekhemani on the ground. For mine Chekhmani wins as the first fighter to submit Rabago.
3: Light Heavyweight
Katsuji Rikidozan 11-14 (7-5 SPNY) vs Jimmy Yackey 15-5 (1-1 SPNY)
Former Light Heavyweight champion Rikidozan will tonight match his boxing up against the Muay Thai kick boxing and jujitsu of Yackey. Rikidozan comes in having lost 3 of his last 4 fights and has seen his hopes of a return to the Title fade away. Yackey has also lost 3 of his last 4 fights, and will be looking to rebuild his form with a win tonight. While Rikidozan has more power the versatility of Yackey should see him home, with Yackey’s superior ground fighting giving him the edge in this fight.
Yackey by submission.
4: Light Heavyweight
BJ Andrews 12-11 (2-4 SPNY) vs Belin Billet 30-22-2 (2-2 SPNY)
Andrews as a submission fighter in MMA has had the major limitation in his career that he is just not good at scoring takedowns. While there are few harder working fighters Andrews has never shown the dominance of a champion fighter. Veteran Billet started life as a submission fighter but developed a well rounded stand up game as well, and tonight his versatility should give him the edge against Andrews. However, despite a 2-2 record since splitting with his long term manager his motivation has appeared to be lacking and that may count against him against the younger man Andrews.
I like Andrews by decision for this one.
5: Middleweight
Kenny Monday 23-13-2 (11-4-1 SPNY) vs Teppo Mansikka 24-13 (SPNY Debut)
Two time former Middleweight champion has hit a rough patch of form with no wins in his last 3 fights (0-2-1). A former Olympian and black belt in BJJ, Monday is almost unstoppable on the ground which made his submission loss to Alexei Surov even more amazing. His opponent tonight Mansikka arrives at SPNY in career worst form with only 1 win in his last 5 fights. Mansikka brings a reputation of powerful striking and a willingness to adapt to whatever situation he is put in.
Tonight I see a return to form for Monday, with a first round knockout on the cards.
6: Bantamweight
Otou Hek 9-14 (1-0 SPNY) vs Paulo Moreno 11-1 (8-0 SPNY)
Hek won his debut fight with SPNY after arriving having gone 1-8 in his previous 9 fights. Hek’s offence is based almost entirely on his ground & pound, but lacking a dependable takedown he struggles to get the position to throw those strikes. Moreno has won 11 straight fights including his last 8 by knockout and must be wondering if a shot at the Banatamweight Title is on its way. However, his fighting style being entirely dependant on a Muay Thai clinch perhaps leaves him to predictable to win a title challenge.
I don’t see Hek getting the takedown he needs against Moreno, and once Moreno catches Hek into the clinch it will only be a matter of time until the referee steps in to end the fight. Moreno by TKO.
7: Heavyweight
Scott Thorpe 15-12 (1-2 SPNY) vs Andy Chick 7-2 (1-1 SPNY)
Thorpe is a very good wrestler from Canada who unfortunately has a history of being cut against good strikers; both his SPNY losses have been stopped due to cuts. While he has little offence on his feet, Thorpe has some of the most powerful ground & pound in the business, and once he advances to mount is irresistible. Chick is an English kick boxer who has shown the ability to outscore opponents but until his last fight appeared to lack true knockout power. Chick may be at a disadvantage in this one giving up 4 inches and almost 60 pounds.
Should Chick hold off the takedown he should be able to do a lot of damage with his dangerous kicks. I still like Thorpe for the win, but I sense he will have to work hard for it. Thorpe by knockout in the 3rd.
8: Welterweight
Tony Hendricks 12-12-2 (6-5-2 SPNY) vs Nate Query 25-13-1 (0-2 SPNY)
SPNY veteran Hendricks will be hoping to throw off a 2 fight losing streak against the out of form Query. Hendricks is a submission fighter and will enjoy knowing that Query has been submitted 4 times in his career. However, Query is by far the better stand up fighter of the two and will be confident in his ability to keep the fight standing and record a KO.
Query by KO.
9: Middleweight
Rasheed Willis 12-9-1 (8-7-1 SPNY) vs Klas Ondahl 16-12-2 (SPNY Debut)
Org veteran Willis (who fought at SPNY 1) will attempt to use his BJJ skills against Swedish wrestler Ondahl. From what we know of Ondahl, his striking defence is poor but has a solid chin and he looks vulnerable in the clinch. Tonight however, that will be unlikely to feature in the contest with both fighters being grapplers.
Ondahl should get the top position in this one and use his ground & pound to record a KO win in his org debut.
10: Lightweight
Brij Khali 28-38-1 (1-0 SPNY) vs Doctor Rockzo 17-16 (7-7 SPNY)
Khali is one of the few active fighters in the world who debuted before Belin Billet, and possibly has lost more fights than anyone else in MMA history. While earlier in his career he recorded a number of knockouts, his poor defensive skills have seen him stopped 14 times by both knockout and submission. That will be music to the ears of submission grappler Rockzo who will look to take this down early and finish it quickly.
I actually like Rockzo by KO in this rather than his usual submission.
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