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ITFL Review – Week 10 Part 2
After an exciting part 1 of our weekend we came to you live from the Wombley Arena for part 2 of our weekend. Team Reaper brings over a 3-0 lead from our first event and all 3 of their victors secured spots in the individual tournament. Team Kaiser and Team TFP Graphics come into this event tied at 1 fight apiece. The match-up between Team Syndicate and the Misfits team is also tied at 1 fight apiece as is the team match-up between the Replacements team and the Aces of Spades. Let’s take a look at our fight recaps from event 2.
Dynamite Nixon (21-16) vs. Juan Sebastian Veron (14-6)
Our event kicked off with a battle of two high level grapplers when Dynamite Nixon took on Juan Sebastian Veron in the 3rd fight between Team Aces of Spades and the Replacements Team. Veron came out the more effective strikers early in round 1 but both fighters tried to mix in a little bit of grappling as Nixon was trying to get this fight into the clinch and Veron was looking to take Dynamite down. At the 2 minute mark of the round Nixon moved in looking to clinch and gave up a counter takedown. He immediately started to look for submissions from his back but was eating shots from guard in the process. Veron eventually passed to half-guard and started to work more ground and pound from the half-guard, a position he’d finish the round in. Nixon came out missing with a hook early in round 2 and got a counter takedown. Veron worked an effective ground game eventually passing to the mount position at the 2 minute mark of the round. Juan Sebastian Veron finished the round on top of his opponent and had a convincing lead going into the 3rd and final round. Veron got another takedown early in the 3rd round and Nixon threw up a submission attempt allowing Veron to pass into side-control. Veron got landed devastating strikes from mount rocking his opponent late in the fight and eventually poured on the pressure forcing the referee to step in and save his opponent.
Veron def. Nixon by 3rd round TKO
Latka Gravas (25-16-1) vs. Dirk Diggler (24-10)
Our next fight is the 3rd match between Team Syndicate and Team Misfits as two elite kick-boxers squared off in the cage when Latka Gravas took on Dirk Diggler. Both fighters came out very aggressive right from the opening bell looking to dictate the pace of the fight. Diggler was doing a real nice job working behind his jab but it was the kicks of Gravas that seemed to be doing more damage. Latka Gravas attempted to work Diggler over in the clinch on 2 separate occasions but Diggler was having none of it and circled away back to the center of the cage on both occasions. Our 2nd round looked very similar at distance but this time Gravas was able to tackle Diggler to the cage and keep him there a little bit as he tried to work his dirty boxing but was pretty in-effective from the position. Latka Gravas took a 2 round lead into the final round and Diggler’s only chance was to finish the fight. Latka Gravas was the more effective striker though landing a nice uppercut in the first minute of the round that opened up a cut on Diggler. Gravas tacked Diggler against the cage a little over half-way through the round and kept him there until the final bell.
Gravas def. Diggler by 30-27 Unanimous Decision
Bam Boon 1 (12-15) vs. Frank Esposito (38-13)
Bam Boon looks for his first victory of the tournament as he takes on 1 of the early season favorites Frank Esposito as Reaper looks to win their 4th straight fight against Team HB. Boon came out landing a few nice shots early in the round but Esposito quickly closed the distance and pushed his opponent against the cage in the clinch position. From there Esposito really started to open up with devastating strikes landing punches and knees to the head and body of his opponent. At the 3 minute mark of the round Esposito landed a quick right hook in the clinch that sent Boon crashing to the mat, and after a few follow up shots the referee jumped in and saved him.
Esposito def. Boon 1 by 1st round TKO
Andre Toulon (15-16) vs. Luka Beck (22-5-1)
Our next fight was the 3rd between Team Kaiser and Team TFP Graphics and Luka Beck would be looking to secure a spot in the individual tournament with a victory here today as he takes on Andre Toulon. Beck came out really aggressive from the opening bell and it was clear he knew he needed a victory in this fight as he tried to soften his opponent up with leg kicks in an effort to get this fight to the ground. Beck opened up a cut on his opponent with a nice cross, and did manage to get the fight to the ground with a nice trip takedown into half-guard but didn’t leave himself much time to work. Toulon seemed to have more success striking in the 2nd round so Luka took the fight to the ground in the early part of the round. Toulon did a nice job controlling his opponent and forced the ref to step in and stand the two fighters back up. Beck immediately got the fight back to the ground and finished the round on top in side-control. We entered the 3rd and Beck looked like he’d cruise to a decision victory barring a finish from his opponent. Both fighters came out landing in round 3 but after a missed leg kick by Beck, his opponent countered by taking him into the clinch. Luka Beck managed to circle back to the center of the cage but Toulon again tackled Beck against the cage and the two fighters battle it out there until the end of the round.
Beck def. Toulon by 29-28 Unanimous Decision
Karl Thomas (21-13) vs. Dan Leighty (20-7-1)
The first fight on our main-card is a match between Team Misfits and Syndicate Nutrition as Karl Thomas will be fighting for respect when he takes on Dan Leighty who will be looking to secure a better seed in our individual tournament. Karl Thomas came out very aggressive early in round 1 but his sloppiness saw him eat several counter strikes in the opening minutes of the fight. The two fighters traded shots at a distance for the entire 1st round and it looked like Thomas was landing the heavier blows. The second round looked very similar to the first as Thomas pushed forward looking to land a big shot that would finish the fight, but left himself open to some counters by his opponent in the process. Thomas twice pushed his opponent back against the cage but it was Leighty who was more effective there. We entered the 3rd and final round of a close fight but it looked like Leighty was behind on the score-cards. Karl Thomas came out clinching early in the 3rd round but eventually separated back to striking range. With 3 minutes left in the round, you could tell Leighty turned up the pressure because he knew he needed to finish the fight. With less than a minute left, Leighty landed a beautiful hook that rocked his opponent and followed it up with another hook that sent Thomas crashing to the mat. After a few follow up strikes by Leighty the referee was forced to jump in and save Karl Thomas. What a come from behind victory!
Leighty def. Thomas by 3rd round TKO
Colin Hendry (26-11-1) vs. Dan Smith (19-11)
Next on our main-card is a battle between two fighters on the outside of the playoff picture looking in as Colin Hendry of the Replacements team took on Team Aces fighter Dan Smith. Both fighters came out swinging from the opening bell and an off balance right hand by Smith led to a nice counter strike from Hendry that opened up a cut on Smith. Colin Hendry continued to push forward and get inside on the taller opponent landing a high percentage of his punches and using his leg kicks effectively. Hendry landed another big shot in a dominant first round that opened up his opponent’s cut even more. Hendry stalked after his opponent in the 2nd round as well as the two fighters stood and traded on the feet for the entire 2nd round with Hendry being the more effective and more versatile striker in the round. The two fighters entered the 3rd with Smith needing to make something happen if he had any shot at winning this fight. It wasn’t meant to be as Hendry continued to find success on and opening Smith’s cut even more with a big shot. When the bell sounded signaling the end of the fight there was no doubt in anyone’s mind who won this won.
Hendry def. Smith by 30-27 Unanimous Decision
Edward Richtofen (9-4) vs. Katsuro Sato (23-11)
Up next we have an important fight as both fighters could sneak in the playoffs with a win. Team TFP Graphics sends their young striking phenom into the cage to take on Team Kaiser’s grappling ace in Katsuro Sato. Edward Richtofen came out the aggressor early in round 1, but allowed his opponent to land a takedown in the first 30 seconds of the round. Katsuro Sato wasn’t content to sit in guard and quickly passed into half-guard and then mount before the first minute of the round. Sato landed a couple heavy shots including a big elbow that opened up a cut on Richtofen. Katsuro Sato looked for a few submissions from mount but it was the heavy blows that continued to open up a nasty cut. A few hammer-fists from mount rocked Richtofen and the referee called the doctor in to look at the cut and he quickly called this one off. What an unfortunate way to be eliminated for this young fighter.
Sato def. Richtofen by 1st round TKO (cut)
Artie Lange (17-14-1) vs. Tweedle Dee (28-5-1)
Our co-main event of the evening saw Tweedle Dee try to finish with an undefeated regular season as he took on Team Misfits fighter Artie Lange. The bell rung for round 1 and the fight was under-way and Dee landed a good leg kick to open the fight, then after a left hand missed from Lange his opponent landed a nice counter takedown into side-control. Dee pounded on his opponent from that position for the majority of the round while mixing in a few submission attempts. Lange did manage a sweep late in the round but he took a beating before he reversed the position. Lange came out really aggressive in round 2 and was eating a lot of counter strikes for his troubles. Dee landed a nice left-right combo that sent Lange to the canvas and quickly followed it up with a big shot that had Lange covering up until the referee jumped in to save him.
Dee def. Lange by 2nd round TKO
Helio James (27-14) vs. Dennis Wise (30-9)
In our last fight of the regular season Team Reaper looks for the sweep as Dennis Wise takes on Helio James of Team HB. Our first round got under-way and Wise came out the more effective striker early in the fight finding a lot of success while moving forward. James landed a nice takedown into side control in the first half of the round though and did a nice job working his submission attempts from that position until he advanced to mount. Wise quickly landed a reversal and got on top of his opponent but James had an active guard throwing up several submission attempts until the round ended. Wise came out landing most of his strikes again in round 2 but after a missed hook his opponent landed a nice counter-takedown into guard. Wise did a nice job forcing a quick ref stand-up and went back to landing strikes on the feet until he closed the distance and clinched James. The two fighters battled it out in the clinch until the end of round 2. Wise came out the more effective striker in round 3, but he allowed his opponent to land a couple counter takedowns in the round. Helio James just couldn’t do enough with either takedown though and at the end of the 3rd round it looked like Wise pulled out the decision.
Wise def. James by 30-27 Unanimous Decisio
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