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 DFC: Mayhem 3 (29 July 2016 – The Underground, Las Vegas) Preview and Predictions – Written by Gabe T.S. Gardner (112290)
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The third edition of DFC Mayhem will see the company crown its first ever welterweight champion, as two undefeated fighters in Teddy Bremner and Gerard Butler square off, atop of a stacked card.
Fight 1
Teddy “T Dog” 5-0-0 vs Gerard “The Bounty Hunter” Butler 4-0-0: 5 Rounds of 5 Minutes for the DFC – Las Vegas Welterweight Championship
Two undefeated welterweights are set to do battle in our main event of the evening when Bremner and Butler meet. Bremner has won three of his previous fights via decision, two were split, showing that he is a capable tactical fighter with an instinct to win rounds and use intelligence alongside his fighting prowess. He will need to be on top form however, as he takes on a veritable knockout artist in Butler, a man who has knocked out his four opponents ALL inside round 1, in a combined time of 3:55 seconds, which is in less time than it took Bremner to win his first fight.
Bremner is going to have to string together a punch perfect performance here if he is to have a chance to win, but I cannot see him getting past the ferocious striking ability of Butler at this stage in his career, and can see him being sent out in the first round.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Gerard Butler, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 2
Right Knee 2-0-0 vs Henry Teller 2-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 155lbs
This fight will put together to almost equally skilled muay thai fighters, in a fight that will almost certainly see someone being left sprawled along the canvas. Knee gives up a little bit in the reach and height department to Teller, and both have demonstrated strong chins, with Knee’s really being tested in his second fight which went the distance, where he won by UD.
Due to the fact that we have seen Knee go the distance, and show that he does have the cardio and chin to take him that far, I think that might just give him the edge here, although one errant punch either way could settle this one.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Right Knee, Round 3 (SD/UD)
Fight 3
Rocky “Italian Etalon” Balboa 0-1-0 v Steve Jackson 2-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 205lbs
This light heavyweight bout is almost a forgone conclusion in my opinion, as Jackson has clearly the better repertoire of the two, knocking his first opponent out and forcing a submission after strikes in his second, he is one scary dude in the clinch. Balboa, however is the better boxer of the two, and will have to rely on keeping Jackson away with his jab, bobbing in and out with combinations if he wants to take this one, but one slip up and Jackson could be all over him.
I think this can only go one way, a Jackson knockout early.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Steve Jackson, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 4
Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg 2-0-0 v Dyllan “Denim Dan” Fugatt 2-1-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 145lbs
Fugatt will be looking to get back on track after suffering a decision loss on his organisation debut, back in early July as he takes on the undefeated Lindberg. I would call Fugatt the more well-rounded of the two, having demonstrated decent skills in Muay Thai, boxing and wrestling – showing that he has a solid all round skillset.
Lindberg however, is more proficient in Boxing and wrestling, showcasing scary knockout power, finishing his first two opponents inside a minute each and winning a KO of the night honours for the later. This could be an entertaining back and forth spectacle, but I believe Lindberg has impressed me more than Fugatt in the fights I have seen on him, and think that he just won’t have what it takes to get the job done.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Tomas Lindberg, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 5
Shane Myres 1-1-0 v “Neck Break Orchestra” Joe Reealopubo 2-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 145lbs
After losing his title fight earlier at DFC Fight Night 1, Myres will want to put himself back into title contention as soon as possible with a victory over Reealopubo here tonight, as the brown-belt ranked Kansas City native will look to avoid sliding down the rankings any further. The key for Myres MUST be to not try and compete with Reealopubo’s striking game, as he is severely outmatched, but lure him into a vulnerable position and try for the submission. If he tries to out strike him I think he will be in for a short but very painful evening.
Reealopubo has won his first two fights by decision, but will be looking for that highlight reel finish to add to his resume, and I think will try and stop Myres early on, overwhelming him with strikes in the clinch. Myres has a very solid chin however, and I think he may stand the onslaught, but lose via decision.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Joe Reealopubo, Round 3 (SD/UD)
Fight 6
Antonio Silva 0-0-0 v Daniel Al 0-0-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 265lbs
Two heavyweight fighters will debut tonight, so the result will be very much in the air and hard to predict, but based on what I have heard in camps and looking at their physical stats, Al has a significant height and reach advantage, as well as having the more well-rounded skillset, whereas Silva is apparently predominately more trained in amateur wrestling. The finish will be extremely difficult to predict, but I think Al will take it via knockout in the first or second.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Daniel Al, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 7
Dion “Brain Freeze” Jones 1-0-0 v Hari “The Kraken” Kunwar 3-1-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 155lbs
A very intriguing fight and a real test for the younger Jones, will see Hari Kunwar look to continue his recent hot streak of three consecutive wins in the first round by submission. An equaliser here could be that Jones is also ranked as a purple belt in BJJ and both will have similar levels of ability, while Kunwar is the superior wrestler, if he doesn’t concentrate on the ground, he could very well walk into a submission applied by Jones.
I think that Jones gameplan will have to be to use his significant striking advantage over Kunwar to knock him out, but I don’t see him being quick enough to get it done, taking until the third round in his first fight to finish it, and I can see Kunwar taking Jones to the ground, not letting him up and claiming his fourth victory in a row.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Hari Kunwar, Round 1 (SUB)
Fight 8
Hundo “Barracuda” Varga 1-0-0 v Hector “The Spanish Assassin” Diaz 1-2-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 205lbs
Two advanced users of BJJ and amateur wrestling will look to outthink and out-grapple their opponent in what I think will be a sleeper hit for fight of the night. Diaz will be looking to recover from his knockout loss at the hands of Henry Teller, but will be tasked with stopping the highly impressive in their debut Varga, who won via knockout in their first fight. This fight is very even on paper, but I think that Diaz is the more tactical of the two and will be able to manoeuvre his smaller body better in the fight, grab the longer limbs of Varga and tie him up in a submission.
This one could go either way, but my money is on Diaz in round 1.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Hector Diaz, Round 1 (SUB)
Fight 9
Rhys Crowder 0-0-0 v “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler 1-2-0: 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 170lbs
Lawler needs to make an impression on his DFC debut if he is to swim with the sharks in the welterweight division, and to do that he will need to get past highly touted youth prospect “Rhys Crowder” in his first fight. Crowder is set to have incredible boxing ability for a MMA amateur fighter, and will need to use it in full effect against the good boxing ability of his opponent. One skill that Lawler does possess in abundance over Crowder is his wrestling ability, and I think he needs to centre his game plan around this, smother Crowder on the ground and look to send him out there in a flurry of strikes.
As I think Lawler is most likely going to try and fight this standing up however, I think he will be out boxed by the superior striker in Crowder, and could be out cold in the first round.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Rhys Crowder, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
Fight 10
Lucas Niguez 0-1-0 v Shawn “The Immortal” Johnson 0-0-0 (One NC): 3 Rounds of 5 Minutes 135lbs
Johnson will be eagerly anticipating making his professional debut, after being denied the chance when his first opponent, Terry Crews failed to make weight for the fight. He is set to take on Lucas Niguez, who will want to recover after his UD defeat in his debut, and bounce back with a win in his DFC debut.
While Niguez is the more rounded of the two, he really unimpressed me in his debut, and it would have to take a very unspectacular performance from Johnson to not come away with a win here. As Johnson completely outmatches Niguez in striking ability, I think he will KO him in round 1.
Gabe T.S. Gardner’s Prediction: (W) Shawn Johnson, Round 1 (TKO/KO)
A welterweight title fight caps a stacked card here at Mayhem 3, and the 145lbs division could have a new number one contender before all is said and done with both Lindberg and Reealopubo, numbers #1 and #2 in action. This is a must see event, and you can catch it on the 29th of July 2016.
Written by Gabe T.S. Gardner (112290)
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