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 Good evening and welcome to the Liberty Dome here in New York City for SPNY 139, a 10 fight MMA rules card featuring the clash between Light Heavyweight contenders Belin Billet and Zachery Rey. With the Light Heavyweight title currently vacant speculation is growing that the winner of this fight may well be in with a shot at the title. Tonight also features the battle for the vacant Lightweight title between Mac Hansen and Winston McCall. The two final farewell bouts for the Super Heavyweight division will also be featured on this card. As always Steel Penn NY Bookmaker has odds on all 10 fights.
Main Event: Light Heavyweight
Belin Billet 33-22-2 (5-2 SPNY) vs Zachery Rey 28-14-1 (7-4 SPNY)
I’m the first to admit that I was totally wrong about Billet when he arrived at SPNY, I saw him as a veteran with nothing left to prove and assumed his form leading into his arrival was a sign he was well past his prime. Billet did have an inconsistent start to his SPNY career going 2-2, but has strung together 3 straight wins over some of the top names the org has to offer and is now back to the form that made him famous over 10 years ago. Billet has come a long way from the submission specialist he was at the start of his career, now one of the most versatile and well rounded fighters in world MMA; if there is a weakness in his offence it is his takedowns. There is no way Rey can shape this fight to keep it out of Billet’s comfort zone.
Rey also enters this fight on the back of a 3 fight winning streak and will be determined to make it 4 wins to finally earn a second shot at the SPNY title. Rey is one of the most dominant Muay Thai fighters in the world at the moment, preferring to punch at range but his clinch work is an unstoppable mix of knees, elbows, and punches. My only criticism of Rey is that he doesn’t finish enough of his fights given the number of strikes he is able to land, to find the last time he finished an opponent we need to go back 8 fights.
Billet’s best chance of winning this fight would come on the ground but I don’t think he has the takedown in him to get Rey to ground. I see Rey by decision as the likely result.
2: Light Heavyweight
Jason Krutcher 30-15 (4-3 SPNY) vs Oscar Salcedo 25-17 (7-5 SPNY)
Krutcher was formerly one of the most dominant Middleweights in the world who relied on an ability to consistently outwork his opponents to grind out TKO’s late in a fight. Since stepping up to Light Heavyweight he hasn’t had quite the same level of success, and a tendency to cut saw him lose 4 straight fights on a doctor’s stoppage at one stage. The longer this fight goes the more I see Krutcher getting the upper hand. Salcedo is one of the hugely popular all or nothing style of fighters that SPNY fans seem unable to get enough of. World class boxing and wrestling make him a double threat able to power punch or land the takedown and finish a fight with his ground & pound Salcedo is a true KO specialist. Unfortunately he lacks the defensive capabilities to make him a truly elite prospect, but tonight while Krutcher looks to outwork him watch for Salcedo to load up and go for the early finish.
I’ve never been impressed by Krutcher’s chin and I think Salcedo has the ability to exploit that. Salcedo by KO.
3: Middleweight
Teppo Mansikka 25-14 (1-1 SPNY) vs Anti Satosari 27-12 (7-2 SPNY)
Mansikka’s win in his last fight was his only win in his last 5 which raises concerns over his form. Once one of the most feared Middleweights in the world his reputation has suffered with an extended run of mediocre form. World class boxing is matched up with enough knowledge of jujitsu to be a submission threat if he is taken down, but it should be noted that 11 of his 14 career losses have been by knockout, and giving up such a large size advantage to Satosari makes him appear vulnerable in this fight. Satosari is one of the best kick boxers in world MMA and his dangerous kicks are matched only by the vicious elbows he throws in the clinch. A consistently ranked contender since arriving at SPNY, key losses at inopportune times have cost him a shot at the title.
Satosari by knockout.
4: Super Heavyweight
Vydan Freuster 12-4 (4-2 SPNY) vs Troy McLure 14-5 (11-3 SPNY)
In what will be the final Super Heavyweight bout in SPNY for the foreseeable future Freuster is matched again against McLure. In their first meeting at SPNY 90 McLure made short work of Freuster notching up a KO less than 2 minutes into the 1st round. Both boxers, both insanely tall, it was McLure’s ability to land huge power punches that won the fight and I see nothing about this match to suggest it will finish any differently.
McLure by KO.
5: Lightweight Title
Mac Hansen 26-18-1 (12-8 SPNY) vs Winston McCall 11-3-1 (SPNY Debut)
Long term SPNY veteran and twice unsuccessful Lightweight challenger gets a shot at the vacant title having won 5 of his last 6 fights. Primarily a wrestler known for his ground & pound attacks Hansen will look to get any edge over the much less experienced McCall he can find, and I wonder if perhaps the clinch is the place to do it with McCall having avoided clinch situations in all his previous fights. Honestly though, I can’t see Hansen fighting this any differently to his usual game plan and see him backing himself to dominate from the top position.
McCall was a surprise announcement as the other challenger having not yet fought in SPNY. Undoubtedly talented with a good grounding in both boxing and submission grappling he will find himself up against a grappler who is as good as him in Hansen. Whilst McCall will have the edge on his feet in this fight, Hansen has very good takedowns and we may not see the fight standing for very long. If McCall is mounted by Hansen this may well be the first time in his career he is stopped.
Hansen by decision is my pick.
6: Welterweight
Glenn Benton 21-12 (2-1 SPNY) vs Cray Williams 22-8 (SPNY Debut)
SPNY crowd favourite Benton will be desperate to keep this fight standing against lay and pray debutant Williams. Benton who will be looking for his 16th career knockout win, but must guard against the takedown against the very accomplished wrestler he is facing tonight. Should the fight stay standing Benton will almost certainly win by KO. Williams is one of the most effective lay and pray decision exponents I’ve ever seen, which is disappointing given that he has quite a vicious clinch offensive in his arsenal. He went through a phase of thrilling fans with his elbows opening up cuts, but it didn’t last long before he went back to safety first fighting and bored his fans to sleep.
Benton by KO for the sake of the fans.
7: Lightweight
Tarquin Fortune 5-3-1 (2-2-1 SPNY) vs Doctor Rockzo 18-17 (8-8 SPNY)
The inexperienced Fortune will try his luck against SPNY stalwart Rockzo in this Lightweight encounter. Fortune is a very active on his feet but relies more on quantity of punches than power to put his opponents away, which could be a very bad strategy to take into a fight against Rockzo who will no doubt try to take this one to the ground. Rockzo lacks defence on his feet, but should he score the takedown tonight his submission skills should make short work of Fortune. As long as Rockzo can take the first few shots Fortune lands he should be well on his way to a win.
Rockzo by submission.
8: Heavyweight
Madz Ladz 6-4 (4-4 SPNY) vs Larry O’Leary 24-13 (0-2 SPNY)
Ladz should take this opportunity not just to win the fight but to make a statement. O’Leary has reportedly been kicked out of his training camp for failing to pay the rent, is out of shape, and enters this fight on a 6 fight losing streak. Ladz arrived at SPNY with a reputation for being a solid wrestler with good ground & pound but his lack of versatility and experience has left him exposed against better opponents. Tonight he can expect to get things his own way with that fight plan, but I’d like to see him start to expand his offence in his upcoming fights.
Ladz by KO.
9: Super Heavyweight
Joe Leduc 6-4 (1-2 SPNY) vs Bailey Vaughan 8-4 (1-1 SPNY)
With the closing of the Super Heavyweight division I will miss seeing the bright yellow beard of Leduc as he tries to wrestle his way to glory. While he never quite made the impact he was looking for at SPNY he has shown snatches of promise that he will in the future be a genuine prospect, especially with the improvements to his stand up over the last few months. Vaughan is a decent grappler but lacks the ability to consistently finish fights, and there are some doubts over the quality of his chin.
Leduc by KO.
10: Featherweight
Mingo Deems 3-2 (3-2 SPNY) vs Jack Walian 3-0 (1-0 SPNY)
Deems has some real KO power but lacks the long term background in martial arts to dominate all comers this early in his career. Walian is a brilliant submission grappler for one as inexperienced as him, and will look to take this fight to ground immediately to avoid Deems’ power punching abilities. This fight could realistically go either way; if Deems lands a big shot early I like his chances of putting Walian away. But if Walian can get the takedown before that happens I like his chances of submitting Deems.
Deems by KO.
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