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ITFL Review – Week 4 Pt. 1
Welcome to Hard Knocks Arena here in London, we have another jam-packed weekend filled with fantastic fights in this 4th week of the International Team Fighting League. This was the first week of action where the two groups faced teams from the opposing group, and boy did it make for some great fights. Team Kaiser took on the Aces of Spades, while team Hells Balls took on the Misfits. Team TFP tried to get out of their group’s cellar when they take on Dinooo’s Donkeys and our marquee match-up this week is the leader in group A, Reaper Combatwear as they take on Team Syndicate Nutrition. Let’s have a look at the fight recaps!
Bam Boon (12-9-1) vs. Artie Lange (16-9-1)
The opening fight for our part 1 of our weekend was a match-up between the Misfits and Hells Balls as Bam Boon 1 squared off against Artie Lange. There was a bit of trash-talk leading up to this fight, and the time for talking is over as the bell rang and our 1st round got underway. Artie Lange came out from the opening bell looking like a man on a mission as he set the pace early in the fight by being very active and very accurate. Boon 1 did his best to try to get going in this fight but the constant pressure and boxing of Lange was just too much for him, and after a big cross rocked his opponent, Lange unleashed a vicious uppercut that lifted his opponent off his feet and sent him crashing to the mat where the ref stopped the fight immediately.
Lange def. Boon 1 by 1st round KO
Pete Damato (20-16) vs. Dakota Royer (30-12)
Our next fight is another between the Misfits and Hells Balls as the very confident Dakota Royer takes on MMA legend Pete Damato. Royer’s camp was very vocal going into this fight and he was oozing with confidence to start the opening frame. Damato came out throwing absolute haymakers right from jump-street and his sloppiness early in the 1st round led to him eating several counter shots by his opponent. Damato landed a nice left-right combo that opened an early cut on Royer. These two warriors traded shots for 5 minutes in a very close round that the announcer’s cage-side gave to Damato due to landing the heavier blows and controlling the center of the octagon. The 2nd round started similar to the first with Damato coming out throwing shots with bad intentions, and eating a counter early in the round. Damato moved to the side and landed a nice right hand against Royer moving in and rocked him in the first minute of the round, and moments later after a missed leg kick by Royer, Damato landed a monster right hand that ended the fight with a huge upset victory. Damato turns back the clock and shocks the world!
Damato def. Royer by 2nd round KO
Karl Thomas (20-8) vs. Levi James (4-6)
The 3rd fight between Team Misfits and Hells Balls as Karl Thomas took on Levi James. Karl Thomas came out looking to clinch early in this fight, as he was able to successfully instigate it within the first minute of the round. Thomas held the fight in the clinch mixing in a good dirty-box game with a brutal MT game with knees to the head and body for over 90 seconds of the round before separating and then quickly closing in to clinch again. A failed takedown attempt from clinch separated the fighters, and this time it was James who instigated the clinch. That proved to be a mistake as a big knee to the body moments later had him sucking wind. After a dominant first round by Thomas, the two fighters got back to trading shots in round 2. James came out and instigated the clinch on the first move of the round and the fighters worked in the clinch for most of round 2 as well. At around the 3 and a half minute mark of the round, Thomas separated the clinch and landed a nice cross that rocked his opponent. James was able to survive until the end of the round however, and went into the last round down 2. James again came out and instigated the clinch very early in round 3, and the two fighters went back and forth until the final bell, and a great fight turned in by Karl Thomas.
Thomas def. James by 30-27 Unanimous Decision
Andreas Reinhardt (12-12) vs. Viktor Kafka (20-9-1)
Our next fight is the first between Team Kaiser and Team Aces of Spades, and this was a match-up I was really looking forward to this week as the Aces team was not very happy with Team Kaiser captain and his fight picking strategy. Andreas Reinhardt took place in his last fight in this tournament, and likely his career as he took on the well-rounded Viktor Kafka. Our bell rang, and the opening bout got underway and Reinhardt landed the first shot of the night, opening up a cut on his opponent. That shot just seemed to turn Kafka’s go button however because Reinhardt didn’t land many shots the rest of the fight as Kafka started to let loose with vicious leg and body kicks, as well as a very accurate boxing game. After a big right hand by Kafka rocked Reinhardt 3 and a half minutes into the fight, he quickly followed up with another vicious shot that forced the referee to step in and stop the fight.
Kafka def. Reinhardt by 1st round TKO
Pete Wentz (25-15) vs. Kauno Kaalikorva (29-16)
The last fight in our undercard saw Pete Wentz take on Kauno Kaalkorva. The 1st round got underway and Wentz came out the aggressor looking to use his kick game to back his opponent up in an attempt to get this fight to the ground. Pete Wentz was having scoring early on the feet and then set up a nice shoot takedown into half-guard, and managed to keep the fight in guard for the rest of the round to secure a 10-9 round. The 2nd round started a lot like the first with Wentz coming out and pushing his opponent backwards by staying active with his strikes. He got himself into a little early trouble when he was knocked to the floor with a big head kick from Kaalikorva one minute into the round. After following Wentz to the ground after the big blow, Kauno was able to remain on top for the majority of the first round and secured the round to even the fight going into the final frame. Pete Wentz showed the ability to recover nicely though, and came out and out-struck his opponent over the final 5 minutes of the fight to secure a very close decision.
Wentz def. Kaalikorva by 29-28 Unanimous Decision
Luka Beck (17-4-1) vs. Rage Blade (29-17-2)
Our main card kicked off with Team Kaiser’s member Luka Beck as he took on Team Aces Rage Blade in the first match-up between these two teams. Blade came out looking to take this fight into the clinch early, but Beck was able to avoid the attempts and drove through with a nice takedown into half-guard. The fight remained on the ground until two and a half minutes into the round, after Blade landed a nice sweep he stood up off his opponent. These two warriors traded shots for the rest of the round but a close first round was awarded to Luka Beck. Beck landed a nice shot that opened a cut on his opponent early in round 2, but Blade countered that by landing two really nice combinations. After missing wildly with a right hand, Luka landed a nice double leg into side control. Blade showed his ability to get up from the bottom this time, and the two fighters began trading once again. Beck landed another takedown before the end of the round, but couldn’t do much with it. He did secure another round however, and going into the last round Blade probably needed to finish this fight. Blade pushed right into the clinch to start round 3, but it didn’t take Beck long to separate and going back to landing heavy shots against his opponent and after the two minute mark in the round, Beck landed a brutal head kick that sent his opponent to the mat. He showed great patience in waving his opponent back to his feet, and then landed a big uppercut that knocked Rage Blade out cold.
Beck def. Blade by 3rd round KO
Dirk Diggler (22-6) vs. Greco Roman (12-9)
The next fight on our main-card is the 4th between the Misfits and Hells Balls as we saw a pure grappler vs. striker match-up when double elite striker Dirk Diggler left the porn career behind for a few hours to take on the former Olympic wrestler with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Greco knew he needed this fight on the ground and he came out with several takedown attempts in the first minute of the fight. Diggler was trying to keep his opponent outside his range using brutal body kicks on his opponent, but a little over a minute into the round Greco Roman got the takedown he needed. Diggler did a great job avoiding damage from guard bottom and eventually forced the referee to stand the fight back up. Knowing he was probably down in the round Diggler really started to unleash vicious shots against his opponent and after a decent looking hook rocked his opponent, he landed an overhand right and some follow up shots on the ground that forced the ref to dive in and protect Roman.
Diggler def. Roman by 1st round TKO
Dragon Slayer (7-3-1) vs. Sir Jecht (13-4)
Up next was the debut of the newest member of Team Syndicate, Sir Jecht as he took on Dragon Slayer. Jecht had a good record coming into this fight and was looking to use his former Olympic pedigree to make a big statement in his first impression here in ITFL. Our opening round got under-way and Slayer came out pushing the pace throwing a majority MT centered game-plan with lots of leg and body kicks. Jecht was able to land a takedown with 30 seconds left in the round but it wasn’t enough to take round 1. Sir Jecht landed a counter takedown right at the beginning of round 2 and was able to hold Slayer down for the first two minutes of the round. Slayer managed to force the ref stand-up after a nice sweep but it didn’t matter as Jecht immediately put him on his ass again and was work his ground and pound until a little less than a minute left in the round. We entered round 3 all tied up and Jecht landed another takedown on the first move of the round. Dragon Slayer was able to force the ref stand-up once again two and half minutes into the round and after a couple nice jabs by Jecht unleashed a brutal head-kick that put his opponent out on his feet.
Slayer def. Jecht by 3rd round TKO
Nick Fury (25-4) vs. D.J. Vickers (8-9)
In our co-main event of the evening we had the 2nd match-up between Team Dinooo’s Donkey’s and Team TFP Graphics. Nick Fury came into this fight our individual points leader and he looked to continue his dominant run so far in ITFL as he took on D.J. Vickers in what would end up being his last fight in the tournament. Fury came out and pushed the fight into the clinch early where he unleashed a fury of strikes on his opponent as he worked him over for close to 3 minutes before a shoulder strike rocked his opponent and then unleashed a brutal uppercut that ended the fight in the first round.
Fury def. Vickers by 1st round TKO
Karl Denke (25-8-1) vs. Richard Lightfoot (20-7-1)
Our main event of the evening saw Karl Denke take on another of our individual point leaders and un-defeated fighter in ITFL so far Richard Lightfoot. The bell rang and our first round got underway and Lightfoot came out very accurate with his strikes as he looked to push this fight into the clinch. After a failed head-kick attempt by Denke his opponent countered by clinching up with him. These two fighters traded shots against the cage for over two minutes before finally separating and trading strikes til the end of the round. Lightfoot landed a really nice combination early in round 2, and again successfully engaged the clinch with Denke before the 1 minute mark of the round. He worked his opponent there for over two minutes before stuffing a takedown attempt from clinch and circling away momentarily, but Lightfoot again decided to close the distance and clinch up and held his opponent against the cage until the end of the round going up 2 rounds to zero. Denke needed a finish in round 3 and landed a nice takedown into side-control in the first minute of the round. The two fighters went back and forth on the ground but Denke’s best chance was after a sweep into full-mount. He did enough to win the final round but not enough to finish the fight and Lightfoot pulled off a close decision victory to close our first event.
Lightfoot def. Denke by 29-28 Unanimous Decision
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