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 Hi there, viewers, welcome back to the second edition of GAMMA Gossip with me, your host - AC Jimbo, and what a packed show we have for you. First of all we'll take a look back over GAMMA 277 and then we'll turn out attention to the double-header weekend coming up, GAMMA 278: Colossus v Grimes and GAMMA 279: Juste v Barker.
First of all, let’s remind ourselves of the main happenings of the GAMMA 277 show that just took place.
As predicted last time on GAMMA Gossip, Nick Thompson snapped his losing streak by comfortably putting away The Dutchie in a two round demolition job, where it was a real relief that the referee stepped in when he did. In the other main card fight previewed on our last show, the GAMMA debutante, Cormac Gutz did indeed get his career with the organization off to a winning start. It was, again, a one-sided encounter and I think there will still be plenty more to come from Gutz, who improves his overall record to 8-3.
Of much more interest, though, were the two biggest fights of the evening. In the co-main event we witnessed a classic display of mixed martial arts fighting from Usain Watts. This was Watts’ first victory inside a GAMMA cage so he will, no doubt, be pleased to throw that monkey off his back. Whilst Nalle Puh managed to open up a cut on Watts inside the first minute, that was the last time that Watts was effectively challenged that evening and from then on it was one-way traffic. He landed takedowns virtually at will, and although he didn’t manage to get too much done on the ground he was always clearly in the dominant positions, which combined with getting the better of the striking on the feet meant it was one of the easier fights for a judge to come to a decision on.
The main event of the evening, pitting the current GAMMA heavyweight champion, Fidel Duberry, against the former TTFC champion, Cole Jamison, was a much more explosive affair. Pre-fight it was thought that the smart money was on Duberry to emerge the victor, as he had the better past record, trains in a better regarded camp, and was fighting on home turf.
For the first couple of minutes it looked like the fight was following this script, with Duberry clearly getting the better of the striking at range and opening a cut on Jamison’s face following a fierce head kick. However, the fight changed course completely when Duberry engaged Jamison in a clinch. Whilst Duberry has been very successful in the clinch in the past, he found himself against a higher quality fighter in the clinch that night. After some early battling for control of the positioning, Jamison first managed to land with knees to the body, before quickly following it up with a couple of stiff punches to the liver of Duberry and from that moment onwards the fans who were closest to the action could see that the fight had been turned on its head and Jamison had gained a decisive advantage. The final two minutes of the first round continued in the clinch, but Jamison was by now managing to land at a far greater rate of success than Duberry and he returned the favor to Duberry by busting him open just over his left eye after a knee to the head in the dying seconds.
When the call came for the second round to commence, it was clear to the onlookers that Duberry was still feeling the effects of the punishment that he took in the first round and this turned the stand-up to Jamison’s favour also. A little over a minute into the round, Jamison felled Duberry with a right hook that seemed to catch him by surprise. Duberry was able to get to his feet but this only delayed the inevitable, as Jamison continued to move forwards and finished the fight in style just seconds later.
A disappointing performance from the GAMMA champion, Duberry, whose record worsens to 16-3 and has now lost each of his last two cross-promotional fights, sandwiching the most recent defense of his title against Neekis.
So, that was GAMMA 277, but what lies ahead in these next two events? Well there are no super-fights lined up, but there are a few fights that could have a significant bearing on the domestic affairs of the organization.
First, at GAMMA 278 there are a collection of fights amongst some of the top names from the heavyweight scene, featuring a past champion and others who have consistently filled the top ranks of the division in recent times.
The main card includes former champion, Trent Pope (24-10, 7-2 GAMMA) facing long time contender Mark Makers (12-6, 6-5 GAMMA). All of Pope's wins within GAMMA were actually for the heavyweight title, before he faced Antonio Chigurh and fell to a crushing second round KO loss. Thereafter followed a four year hiatus from GAMMA competition where instead he fought in GSF, before returning recently. However, his comeback fight didn't go as well as his original debut in the organization, as Pope slipped to defeat against Chazz Michaels. He'll be hoping for better from this fight, and as no Sanger to the big occasion it would take a brave man to bet against him despite his advancing years although he will need to be mindful of Makers' world class boxing ability.
Also on the card is the experienced Kuiskaaja Rajantakaa (18-8, 6-3 GAMMA), who graduated as part of a highly talented group from GAMMA Contenders in recent times, facing the a fore-mentioned Chazz Michaels (17-5, 2-1 GAMMA). Michaels' solitary GAMMA loss came the first time these two met, at GAMMA 268, so it will be fascinating to see whether he will have learned from that meeting and be able to square the head-to-head or whether Rajantakaa will continue to assert his dominance.
The co-main event on the card features Jorge Cruz (26-17, 7-3 GAMMA) versus Livingston Barclay (11-5, 5-0 GAMMA). This certainly has all the makings of a potential fight of the night award winner, with both of these guys on a hot streak currently: Cruz having won his last five outings, and Barclay his last 6.
Cruz is a giant of the Las Vegas MMA circuit, in more ways than one. He previously fought for many years at EUFC before it was closed down, but also stands at 7 feet 1 inch – providing a considerable reach advantage over virtually all opponents. He possesses tremendous power, having 23 knockouts among his 26 career wins and this will definitely pose a stern test for Barclay’s chin. Likewise, Barclay has won 9 out of 11 by knockout, so it will be a surprise if this fight goes the distance. Neither of them have any submission victories, and are not hugely skilled in ground and pound tactics, so this is sure to be action-packed, toe-to-toe brawling from the first minute.
Both of them are on the cusp of the world pound-for-pound top 1000, and whoever emerges the victor from this bout may only be one or two further wins away from a shot at the GAMMA heavyweight title.
Before either of those two can take a shot at the belt, though, it’s likely that the winner of the main event’s fight will have something to say about that. This fight sees Jt Colossus (29-18-1, 3-2 GAMMA) take on Buster Grimes (19-7, 7-2 GAMMA). An interesting style match-up, where pundits are predicting that Colossus holds the boxing and jiu jitsu advantage, but Grimes has greater ability in Muay Thai and wrestling. Both are more highly ranked than either of the evening’s co-main event contenders, so would argue that the winner of this bout should be closer to the front of the queue to take a shot at the champion. We’ll see what GAMMA management think of that in the aftermath of this event, or whether the winners will take each other on before any possible title shots.
Colossus has had a mixed bag of results since signing with GAMMA, unable to put together any sort of winning streak. The pattern of beating on a lower ranked contender, followed by defeat when making a bit of a step up in competition, but I wonder whether he may have turned a corner in his last fight by knocking out the big-hearted Rajantakaa. This fight will provide a better indication of whether he really has what it takes to make it all the way to the top.
On the other side of the cage will stand Grimes, who – in stark contrast to Colossus – has thus far enjoyed a very successful spell with GAMMA. Reportedly something of a troubled soul, he has moved from one group of partners to another during his career. He started out within the Convicted Inc. stable, but his most recent change of surroundings has led to him being taken under the wing of Nicholas Wolfwood, one of the most successful MMA camps around today. Whilst he dropped competitive, unanimous decision loss on his first appearance for Wolfwood he has since gone on a three fight winning streak, with the fights ending increasingly early.
Colossus has the edge in experience, and probably the greater power, but I think Grimes – who also enjoys exhibiting the powerful side to his game – has the better skills to handle what is thrown at him. I expect Grimes to be able to wear Colossus down with strong kicks and within the clinch, to take another knockout win.
Once GAMMA 278 is done and dusted, we won’t have to wait long before we see more GAMMA action, as GAMMA 279 will follow hot on its heels. This time it will be the turn of the welterweights to headline the show.
In the co-main event, Justin Bieber (15-8, 3-2 GAMMA) faces Vladik Fedotov (19-7-2, 7-2-1 GAMMA). Don’t expect me to go sticking my neck on the line trying to predict who’s going to take this one. Having seen them in action, Fedotov’s boxing is definitely sloppy by comparison to Bieber and can’t compete with his jiu jitsu black belt, but there is a nagging feeling that Fedotov might still be the favourite to be leaving with a smile on his face.
Bieber has been knocked out in all eight of his defeats, and has been ejected by a couple of different camps in the past (reports that this was due to his incessant desire to sing during training are unsubstantiated). Add to this that Fedotov has a reasonable reach advantage, experience of fighting top competition and carries better form into the contest and it looks rather more difficult to call which way this one will go.
The evening’s main event features Renan St Juste (19-6, 4-2 GAMMA) and William Barker (22-10, 4-1 GAMMA) in what appears to be a straight shootout for the next opportunity to fight for the 170lbs strap.
St Juste is an exciting prospect, perhaps about to enter the prime of his career now at 27 years of age, and already with a string of fight and KO of the night awards to his name. He has held titles at a couple of smaller organizations in the past, even being honored in the EFC Hall of Fame where he first came to be noticed. With relatively little interest in rolling around on the floor, St Juste can often be found trying to find a highlight reel finish to a fight and boasts 14 knockouts in his 19 wins to date. He has also been given one opportunity already to take the GAMMA welterweight belt, but came up well short against then champion, Alan Bundy. This fight confirmed again, though, his good chin as he withstood a significant barrage of strikes from the highly experienced Bundy.
Barker is a jiu jitsu black belt, and has a very strong all round game. He also has some heavy hands, but has also a tendency to bleed quite a lot – if St Juste brings his A-game then we could see Barker leaving the arena wearing a crimson mask. He will be hoping to avert such a possibility, though, and brings significant cage-craft to the table, honed in a well-travelled career facing stiff opposition. In just his sixth professional outing he faced the legendary Alpha Male, where he first tasted defeat (perhaps unsurprisingly due to the doctor having to step in and prevent any worsening of a very nasty cut), and his resume includes a win over Hard Puncher whilst fighting in Synchronicity, a convincing second round knockout after schooling him on the ground.
This is my prediction for the fight of the night award, as we watch to find out whether St Juste can avoid being taken to the floor and taken apart by the blend of devastatingly relentless ground and pound attacks and slick submission game of Barker, to instead make a mess of Barker’s features and line him up for a night in hospital being stitched back together.
Defending champion, Forest Gump will no doubt be taking notes on how these two get on in preparation for the possibility of facing either of them in the future in defence of his title.
Before I go, there’s just time to answer a couple of viewers’ questions that came in this past week. The first asks where the next challenger for Fidel Duberry’s heavyweight title is likely to come from, and the second queries whether we have now seen the best of Alan Bundy following his two recent defeats. Well I’ll take that second one first, and tell you unequivocally – no! He may be 32 now, but I don’t see any reason to suggest that Bundy is over the hill and sliding out of view. Sure, he lost his last two fights, but they were against top competition, Doc Chillum is a former under-21 world championship MMA champion and so has excellent pedigree, and Forest Gump now stands proudly atop the GAMMA welterweight tree.
As for the potential next challenger for Duberry at heavyweight, that is perhaps less clear. Neekis remains the top ranked challenger currently signed to GAMMA, but that could possibly change after this weekend’s fights. Much will also depend on the outcome of Anton Chigurh’s global super-fights and his pursuit of regaining his mantle as the world’s most feared MMA fighter. If he slips up in that attempt then it is feasible he may return to GAMMA to avenge his defeat to Duberry at GAMMA 258 last year.
I’m afraid that’s all we have time for today, I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have. I’ll bring you more next time, when we review GAMMA 278 & 279, hopefully including some post-fight reaction from the main men involved, and look ahead to GAMMA 280. Until then, adios!
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