|
 The Syndicate returns to Hula's in Hilo just three days after an outstanding Syndicate 131 card that left the city buzzing. Syndicate 132 is guaranteed to take that excitement to a fever pitch with a fight card chock full of exciting MMA action that includes two huge title fights as well as a super fight between Mitch McDonald, superstar from the most recent League of Leagues tournament in Los Angeles and recent QFC Montreal heavyweight champion Stuart Redman.
The action will start with a light heavyweight match up pairing Jason Eckstein (0-0) making his career debut against Quinton Jackson (14-8). Eckstein enters the cage as a green 18 year old rookie to the sport, looking to shock the world and steal a win from the veteran Jackson who is fifteen years his senior. We frankly know little about Eckstein other than the fact that he has spent the majority of his time training his Muay Thai skills. He comes in under the veteran management of Kelly McGrady, so he could easily turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Jackson scoffs at the notion that Eckstein will test him in any way and is intent on coming out and dominating the youngster. Jackson is a heavy handed slugger who has recorded 12 wins in his career via KO or TKO. The biggest weakness in Jackson's game is his glass chin. He has been on the receiving end of multiple KOs and TKOs over the course of his career. On paper, this fight looks like a squash match, but if Eckstein can weather the storm early and connect with Jackon's jaw, we could be in for a surprise.
The second fight will pit former Reach veteran Ragnar Danneskjold (23-16) against new Syndicate signee, Jeff Spicoli (57728). Danneskjold is a solid boxer and a ground and pound specialist. He beat Spicoli back in April after dropping him with a takedown, mounting him, and pounding him out late in the second round. Spicoli is most comfortable on his feet, putting his boxing skills on display against his opponents. His ground skills are decent, but he's definitely going to want to stay off his back against Danneskjold unless he want to suffer the same fate that he did in their previous meeting.
Piotr Rasputin (26-10) has found little success in his brief stint with The Syndicate, and the whispers are being heard that many pundits feel he's past his prime. Rasputin hits like a freight train as his 23 career wins by KO or TKO will testify. He has traditionally proven himself to have a solid jaw with his biggest weakness often being his ground game. Shane Carwin (17-11) is in the throes of a terrible losing streak and badly needs to perform against Rasputin to prove that he still belongs in The Syndicate. Like Rasputin, Carwin is most comfortable on his feet, going toe to toe with his opponents. The thing that is cause for concern for Carwin's management team is that he has been knocked out in each of his last three fights, causing some to question if he's simply taken too much punishment over the years. This will be a great opportunity to see what these two veterans have left in the tank.
The incredibly gifted Christian Satanmury (23-10) will be looking for his fifth win in six contest when he clashes with Peter Parker (17-7) in our third fight. Satanmury has been on quite a roll of late, with his only recent loss coming when he moved up to lightweight for a single fight back in July. He is an incredibly well rounded fighter who is equally comfortable trading fists as he is dumping his opponent to the canvas and pounding on him or submitting him. His phenomenal skill set gives him the versatility to adapt his game plan based on the skills of his opponent. Like Satanmury, Parker has a very complete skill set but tends to lean mostly on his Muay Thai. With effective kicks and punches and a deadly clinch game, Parker tends to like to dictate the pace of the fight and wear his opponents down, beating them on points. Both men have had recent success and will not want to see their momentum derailed.
Our fifth fight will be a welterweight battle with Alun James (25-11) matching his skills with Vladimir Zenin (20-6). James has found good success of late, winning five of his last six fights. He be stepping into the Syndicate cage for the first time when he fights Zenin. Will nerves get the best of this grinder or will he make a favorable first impression on Syndicate management? James will throw no shortage of punches and does not hesitate to shoot for the takedown and work his ground and pound when the opportunity presents itself. Zenin is a tremendous BJJ practitioner who has no shortage of ways to submit his opponents. James will most certainly want to keep the fight standing. Zenin has the ability to hold his own in the standup game, but given the opportunity to take the fight to the floor, he'll jump at the opportunity. Zenin looked very strong in his Syndicate debut and will look to use that win to propel him to the next level.
The bantamweights will electrify the arena in the fifth fight with Michael Benoit (24-7) testing his skills against Johnny McBraddish (31-10-1). McBraddish owns two decision wins over Benoit in his career and will be looking to prove without a doubt that he is the superior fighter. Benoit has a very simplistic formula for success. He relies heavily on his boxing, staying on his feet at all costs and looking for his opponents off switch, which he has had a great deal of success doing. McBraddish has become somewhat of a legend, holding multiple titles throughout his career and proving himself to be one of the most successful bantamweights to ever step into the cage. McBraddish relies more on finesse than power, looking to outpoint his opponents and dish out more punishment than he absorbs. With more than 30 career wins to his credit, McBraddish will be seeking to simply add to his legacy.
Billy Paxton (11-5) enters his fight with Leif Nygard (15-5) with a reputation of a one dimensional fighter. Paxton does need seem to mind as that one dimension has led him to eleven career wins, all of them by KO or TKO. Paxton has twice made failed bids to win the middleweight title and will stop at nothing to get another shot. Nygard does not plan to make the path easy for Paxton. Nygard is still pissed that his Syndicate 128 opponent no-showed the fight and is planning to take it out on Paxton. Paxton scored a 33 second KO of Nygard back in late May, and Nygard plans to atone for that loss. With eight career wins by KO or TKO, you can be sure that Nygard will be swinging for the fences. It would be a safe bet that one of these warriors won't remember his name at the end of this slugfest.
The second featherweight contest of the night will feature red hot veteran and Brutal Deluxe featherweight champion Shinichi Fuujin (28-9) vying for the vacant Syndicate featherweight title against heavy handed opponent Matt Miller (13-3). Fuujin has had his way with six straight opponents and shows no signs of slowing down. He is an incredibly well rounded fighter with all of the tools. He most often will look to take his opponent the distance and steal the win on points, but will occasionally wow the fans with a surprise submission. Miller has suffered two straight losses and will be looking to bounce back in a big way to get his hands on championship gold. Miller makes his money putting his opponents on their backs and pounding them out. He will undoubtedly be looking to use the formula that has been so successful for him in the past to end Fuujin's win streak.
The co-main event will feature two mammoth super heavyweights as Mitch McDonald (16-2) locks horns with Stuart Redman (29-19). McDonald had reeled off 16 straight wins to start his career, all of them by KO or TKO before dropping his two most recent fights. McDonald will be trying to regain his mojo and recapture the magic formula that led him to so much success early in his career. He is a brutal striker with a solid clinch game who can end a fight in the blink of an eye. Redman is a winner of two fights and a veteran with a phenomenal 48 career fights under his belt. Redman has scored a KO or TKO in 26 of his 29 career wins and has no shortage of power. Like McDonald, Redman is a fearless striker who is comfortable banging away from a distance or from the clinch. If you are a fan of punishing strikers, then this fight will be right up your ally.
Fans are in for an electric main event when current Syndicate and CFC welterweight champion Antonio Montana (22-7) climbs into the cage to defend his Syndicate belt against Ultimate Vale Tudo welterweight champion The Rhino (29-5). Montana took the Syndicate title from Rhino back in late June and following a loss in Gold Standard in Montreal, he has picked up two straight wins, including a victory over Kimble Cho to add the CFC title to his collection. Arguably one of the top welterweights in the world, Montana bring and exceptional stand up game into the cage along with a healthy dose of power. Rhino has picked up two straight wins of his own since his loss to Montana and he has been chomping at the bit to get another crack at the champ. With a style much like that of his opponent, Rhino will be looking to use his effective standup and exceptional power to bring Montana back down to earth. Fireworks are guaranteed when two of the top ten welterweights in all of MMA clash in Hilo.
Article views:
265
» Donate to this author |
