|
NFC: 171 Jokinen versus Taalasmaa
This Fight is going to be one of the biggest events in NFC history as the number 1 and number 2 heavyweights face off in the world. The last event will be tough to beat as it was the highest rated event in NFC history! But this event is sure to turn heads too and we have a huge card planned for you… The fans
Main Card Fight: Welterweight Division(170) Dirk Zeldenthuis(25-7) versus Tauno Palo(35-20-1)
These two fighters are the definition of veterans. Palo has 56 career fights and has fought in 4 organizations. He has been a champion in 2 orgs and a contender in all 4. His career is on the tail end though and he is now 31, but he still has gas left in the tank as he is 5-2 in his last 7 at NFC. His overall record in NFC is 7-7 and he is coming off a title loss to Doc Chillum who is still champ. Palo is very aggressive standing and in the clinch and likes to stand and bang but has shown vulnerability with his chin and ground game. His attack is superb and his defense is mediocre at best. He will look to attack Zeldenthuis and have him reeling backwards. Zeldenthuis has won two straight and a couple more wins should give him a title shot. Both Palo and Dirk were both formerly TKO’d by Doc Chillum, reducing the fan’s eagerness to see these two take on the champ again. Zeldenthuis was champ though and defended it four times before losing the belt to Chillum. Zeldenthuis is 13-6 in NFC and has beaten Palo before by a dominating decision in which Palo was controlled. Zeldenthuis has an amazing gas tank with 16 wins by decision and he wants to take this to the ground and control Palo. Whether he can get him down is the question though. Palo’s strategy will be to use his reach advantage and try to pick off the former champ.
Prediction: Zeldenthuis repeats what happened last time and gets an easy unanimous decision and he moves to 26-7
Main Card: Lightweight (155) Takanori Gomi(24-5-1) versus Sven S Svensson(15-8)
Svensson is one of the toughest fighters to beat ever. He is not the fighter who is most talented and will dominate in victories, but boy is he tough to beat. Svensson in 23 fights has not been finished or even wobbled! Gomi wants to change that on the 17th though at NFC: 171 and he has the credentials to do it. Gomi has 14 TKO’s and 2 submissions for victories and he can get fights on the ground or keep it standing. Gomi even has a victory over champ Jokinen even though he has lost the last 2 against him. Gomi is 5-4 in NFC and a former title holder and former top 10 fighter.. In the world. Svensson has his hands full here against a more talented fighter, but Svensson has the heart and chin to take it too him. Gomi can take this fight anywhere and why not the mat as Svensson is taken down 44 percent of the time! It would be tough to KO Svensson there though but a controlling victory could give him the decision. For Svensson to win he needs to go in guns ablaze and hope he can meet with Gomi’s chin who has only been TKO’d twice in 30 fights. Gomi is even a former number 1 lightweight in the world but is 3-4 in his last 7 and has struggled a bit more than people thought he would in the legendary NFC. This fight is between two guys on the outside looking in on a title fight, but it’s sure to be a absolute battle and the question for this fight is “Can Gomi be the first to finish Svensson?”. There is no significant reach advantage and both fighters prefer to be at striking range rather than in the clinch. Gomi can get it to the ground though and I expect him to use this to his advantage.
Prediction: Gomi doesn’t get the finish but gets a solid 30-27 decision in my eyes over Svensson who just can’t handle the tough Japanese MMA legend of Gomi
Main Card: Light Heavyweight: Billy Batts(21-6) versus Marko Torturo(25-8-1)
Batts is another top Convicted Inc fighter, this time for manager Soyster Eighty-Nine, another top manager in the world with a top NFC light heavyweight in Batts. Batts is 7-1 in his last 8 and this is his DEBUT performance in NFC. We have yet to see if he can handle being in the top org in the world and it’s competition but he has fought in top orgs like Ascension and Gold Standard Fighting. He was a champ in the now extinct RHOE and Cult of Violence LA. Torturo has 15 wins by decision and 10 by TKO so he can go either way. He has fought all of his career in NFC and Fire FC the former to NFC. He is the current 205 champ and while this isn’t a title match he still has a lot to prove seeing how he has not defended it yet. He is 9-2-1 in his last 12 though and is really hot right now and is looking tough for Batts to stop. Batts though has some pop in his punches with 14 TKO victories but it all changes against the champ in Torturo who is among the hottest fighters in MMA right now in the world. These guys are both top 100 though pound for pound in the world but Torturo is top 5 in the Light Heavyweight division in the world and a win can only rise him up in the ranks. In terms of competition these guys have faced the best. Batts recently had a win over Taj Al Din- an alliance mate and top 25 fighter in the world, and Torturo has faced everyone and their brother in NFC- which is the most competitive fight organization in the world. This one is evenly matched and will be quite the entertainment for fans.
Prediction: Torturo by decision, he is a beast and will continue to carve his way through the LHW division in NFC
Co Main Event: The Welterweight(170) Champ: Doc Chillum(23-6) versus Alan Bundy(30-11)
Chillum is the champ at 170 and has really concreted his spot in the 170 pound division in NFC. His domination has proven how good of a fighter he is 11-2 in his last 13 with 1 loss coming to Jokinen- the best fighter NFC has to offer and the top lightweight in the world. Alan Bundy comes over from GAMMA where he had won his last 3 fights in a row. He was and is still champ of the welterweight division in GAMMA and won the belt on two separate occasions and defended it 12 times.. That MUST be a record right??? If anyone has a chance to topple Chillum for the belt it’s definitely the experienced and hardened Bundy. Chillum has defended his belt three times now and Bundy is looking to get his second belt. Bundy is four years older and has 12 more fights of experience but a lower winning percentage. Bundy though is very diverse with 11 TKO victories, 3 by submission, and 16 by decision. He can take this fight to the ground where Chillum does not like to be at all as proved in the Jokinen fight. Chillum likes to let his hands fly with 15 TKO victories but he is more about winning fights then dominating them, and that’s not bad at all. Chillum likes to pick apart guys and if he see’s them get wobbly he attacks and finishes, but it is better to be safe then sorry and he prefers to stay outside and let his shots hit home over and over. Bundy is a type of opponent though Doc has only faced a couple of times and has struggled with. Chillum is the favorite at the casino but I think that Bundy should be with his excellent wrestling and defense.
Prediction: Bundy get’s some takedowns and wins a decision victory
The Main Event: The Top Two Light Weights in the world: Otso Jokinen(31-5) versus Seppo "Suppo" Taalasmaa(37-16)
Jokinen has won the NFC Lightweight belt twice and has defended it 12 times but he won’t need to worry about losing it here in this non-title match. His record in NFC is 25-3! He is a legend and Hall Of Famer and has been ranked number one in the world pound for pound, he has 22 TKO victory’s and throws hard punches and kicks and even has a solid clinch game and can fight on the ground proficiently as well. In the other corner he faces another veteran of 53 fights, Taalasmaa. Taalasmaa has won 7 straight in IMMA but has lost to Jokinen before by being TKO’d in the 4th round in NFC. This fight is non-title but is 5 round so we will have some championship rounds which was a struggle last time for Taalasmaa against Jokinen. Taalasmaa landed takedowns but wasn’t successful when finally on the ground, and Jokinen just picked him apart on the feet in the stand up game. Taalasmaa needs to get more work done on the ground and try to put Jokinen away. Jokinen has only been finished twice so this is no easy task but Taalasmaa has 10 TKO victories and 13 submission victories so he has no trouble putting guys away. Jokinen is a different talent though, he is the BEST lightweight fighter in the world. Taalasmaa is only 10-6 in Fire FC/NFC and has struggled a bit at times in the world’s top fighting organization. Taalasmaa will have a decent experience advantage and small reach advantage but Jokinen likes to get up in his face and throw rockets for punches. Taalasmaa has beaten 7 straight but none of them were as good as Otso Jokinen. My money is with Jokinen this fight.
Prediction: Jokinen wins by TKO… But earlier this time, in the 2nd or 3rd round
Article views:
237
» Donate to this author |
