[Photos will be added over the next few days]
We arrived at the Double Tree Hotel and made our way to the arena. We parked on the street this time so hopefully we dont get a ticket! Land of the free!! As in FREE Parking ! Combat Zone has a total of 11 matches tonight. There is 1 kickboxing and 2 grappling matches. The rest of them will be amateur and professional mixed martal arts. The host of the night will be the one and only John Vena. The refs are Alan Lau, Steve Rita and John English. The national anthem was sung by this young maybe around 9 and she did a great job!! Not many kids would have the guts to sing like that in front of a crowd so I got to give her props. Combat Zone is now showing their promo video which means the fights are about to begin. Please follow along as I try my best to keep up with all the action in and around the cage.
We arrived at the Double Tree Hotel and made our way to the arena. We parked on the street this time so hopefully we dont get a ticket! Land of the free!! As in FREE Parking ! Combat Zone has a total of 11 matches tonight. There is 1 kickboxing and 2 grappling matches. The rest of them will be amateur and professional mixed martal arts. The host of the night will be the one and only John Vena. The refs are Alan Lau, Steve Rita and John English. The national anthem was sung by this young maybe around 9 and she did a great job!! Not many kids would have the guts to sing like that in front of a crowd so I got to give her props. Combat Zone is now showing their promo video which means the fights are about to begin. Please follow along as I try my best to keep up with all the action in and around the cage.
145 AM KICK Kyle Adams (1-0) PMA vs. Jordan Roy (0-1) Fusion Training Academy
Jordan rushes in and backs Kyle into the corner. They are swinging away! A hard kick from Jordan before they go back into the center. They clinch and are forced to break. Jordan gets in another good combo but Kyle keeps firing back. They have to break again and Jordan keeps coming forward. Time will tell if they will both be able to keep up with this pace into the next two rounds.
Rd 2: Kyle rushes in with a kick to start the round. Nice combo from Kyle. Jordan rushes in and Kyle gives him a straight right that stuns him. He gets the count and fight resumes. Both fighters miss with kicks and the round is over. I have it one round a piece.
Rd 3: They are swinging away. Jordan is getting in some good shots so far. Jordan has Kyle backed up in the corner. He gets in a knee to the body. Jordan catches a leg and pushes him to the mat. 10 second clapper sounds and Kyle goes high with a kick.
Kyle Adams defeats Jordan Roy via unanimous decision.
170 AM MMA Taylor Mears (2-0) LRVT vs. Zac Lawrence (1-1) Nostos
Zac starts us off with a leg kick. Taylor gets in a right and hip tosses him to the mat with a big slam. Zac scrambles and they are back standing. Taylor scoops him up with a double leg and slams him hard to the mat again. Zac gets some space and is back standing again. Taylor gets another takedown and slams him again right in front of me. As Zac is getting up Taylor grabs his back. He looks to be under and Zac fights it and somehow gets out! They are back standing and Taylor is trying for another takedown as the round ends.
Mears 10-9
Rd 2: Zac gets in two outside leg kicks. Taylor clinches and Zac reverses. Taylor works a knee to the thigh. Zac suplexes Taylor to the mat and is now in half guard. He passes to full mount and has a body lock. He flattens Taylor out and is looking for the rear naked choke. Taylor slips through the bottom and slides out and they are back to their feet. What a fight!!! Zac is pressing Taylor up against the cage and they are both exchanging knees. Taylor swings his way out and they have some space now. Zac clinches and gets in a knee to the thigh and presses Taylor up against the cage as the round ends.
Lawrence 10-9
Rd 3: Zac goes high with a kick that is blocked. Taylor gets in a high kick to the armpit area. Zac gets in a right. Taylor is looking for the takedown. He is getting in some body shots from the outside. Zac reverses and gets in a knee to the body. They break and Taylor gets in a right that sends his mouthpiece flying. Blood is starting to form around the eye area. The doctor comes in and said it is ok and the fight resumes. They are holding each other and Taylor has Zac up against the cage. Zac rips him to the mat as the round ends.
Mears 10-9
Taylor Mears defeats Zac Lawrence via unanimous decision.
145 AM MMA Matt Brady (2-2) Fusion Training Academy vs. Dan Shapiro (2-0) Lauzon
Dan gets in a right that drops Matt. Matt gets back up and Dan gets in a few more rights. Holy hell this guy punches hard. Matt gets stunned again and Dan drops him again. He finishes him off with another punch and ref has seen enough.
Dan Shapiro defeats Matt Brady via knockout at 41 seconds in Round 1.
145 AM MMA Tyler Bourque (0-0) Gate City MMA vs. Tyler O'Doherty (0-0) Defensive Edge
Bourque starts us off with a right. O’D is trying for a takedown. They are both swinging now. O’D gets the takedown and is getting in some hammerfists. He is in guard and gets pushed back. He goes back into guard and Bourque gets an armbar for the tap. Nice job on the submission.
Tyler Bourque defeats Tyle O’Doherty via tapout to armbar at 1:08 in Round 1.
GRAPPLING Mike Zichelle (Zichelle MMA & Fitness) vs. Ryan Ferguson (Nostos)
Mike gets the takedown and is in halfguard. Ryan sweeps and works a submission for the tap.
Ryan Ferguson defeats Mike Zichelle via submission by power choke at 43 seconds.
GRAPPLING Tim Caron (9-2) Burgess MMA vs. Jesse McElligot (Connor’s MMA)
They roll and Jesse has the side. Tim sweeps and they scramble back to their feet. Jesse has the single leg. They roll and Tim has the side. Jesse rolls him and now has the side.
Draw
125 PRO MMA Jeff Silva (4-4) PMA vs. Dan Cormier (7-9) Tri Force MMA
Dan starts us off with an inside leg kick. Dan gets in a solid combo that makes Jeff smile. Dan with another nice right. Jeff is starting to work his jab now that finds a home. Nice leg kick from Dan. Dan with a good combo that connects.
Cormier 10-9
Rd 2: Dan with a good combo. Jeff counters with a solid right. They are starting to loosen up now. They clinch briefly and Jeff gets in a knee to the body. Dan with a leg kick that turns Jeff. I think Jeff is starting to feel those. Dan with two quick jabs. Jeff with a quick jab that connects. What a stand up war!! Dan with another stinging leg kick. Dan with a superman punch that has Jeff grinning. Dan connects with a spinning back fist before the round ends.
Cormier 10-9
Rd 3: Right back where we left off and these guys are swinging away. Dan gets in two leg kicks. Dan gets in another leg kick and Jeff goes down to one knee. He is definitely sore. Dan backs off and lets him up. Dan connects and Jeff goes down to the mat again. Jeff is tough as nails. Jeff gets up and gets in a counter. Jeff gets a takedown and Dan is working a d’arce I believe as the round ends.
Cormier 10-9
Dan Cormier defeats Jeff Silva via unanimous decision.
135 PRO MMA Ken Murphy (2-2) Team Link Hooksett vs. Andres Rodriguez (3-0) NEMMA
Kenny gets in the first strike with a right. Not much action for a bit as they are trying to get their timing down. Kenny counters with a right. Andres is definititely looking to counter. Andres gets in a kick to the side. Ken works an outside leg kick with a quick in and out. Andres just misses with an uppercut. Andres connects with a jumping knee. He clinches and gets a few more punches before the round ends.
Rodriguez 10-9
Rd 2: Kenny gets the takedown and the crowd roars. Andres is trying to use the cage to stand back up. He stands halfway up and Kenny rips him back to the mat. This is the type of fight Ken needs right now. Andres gets back to his feet Kenny has hold of the single leg. He gets him to the mat once again. Andres won’t stay down and pushes him off and they are back standing. Andres connects and drops Ken to one knee. He gets back and up and they are swinging away. The crowd is going nuts as they should, they are seeing a hell of a fight!
Murphy 10-9
Rd 3: Ken closes the distance and is looking for the takedown. He trips him and gets the takedown. Andres is fighting is way back up and he gets to his feet. Andres has Ken up near the cage and gets in a knee to the head that rocks him. He is wobbly and Andres gets in one more punch and ref stops the fight.
Andres Rodriguez defeats Ken Murphy via ko at 2:31 in Round 3. What a war!
145 PRO MMA Jake Pilla (0-0) Speros MMA vs. Shaquan Moore (0-2) Fusion MMA
They are both working their leg kicks. Moore gets a leg kick to the body and Jake gets a loud takedown. The crowd is going nuts. Shaquan is looking for a takedown and Jake grabs hold of the neck. He works his way up and they are back to the center. Jake gets in a snapping leg kick. Shaquan closes the distance with a jumping knee to the body. Jake is firing uppercuts from the clinch and Shaquan gets in a knee to the cup. He is in major pain. He takes the full 5 minutes and is unable to continue. Doomsday shows the cup to everyone and it is split in half. Holy Moly!!
The right has resulted in a No Contest.
185 PRO MMA Dennis Olson (14-11) Triumph BJJ vs. Aaron Jeffrey (6-2) Para Bellum MMA
Aaron gets the first jab in. Dennis gets in an uppercut from the clinch. Aaron with a good right. Aaron gets in another right and Dennis counters. Dennis is cut near the eye. Dennis pulls guard with a guilliotine. Dennis tries for an armbar but Aaron pulls his arm out. They are swinging away. It was a miracle I didn’t get blood on me there!! Dennis drops to the mat to get Aaron in his guard. Aaron obliges and getes in some elbows before the round ends.
Jeffrey 10-8
Rd 2: Dennis closes the gap and is looking for the takedown. Aaron connects with a cracking right that sends Dennis to the mat. He tries to bait him down but Aaron wants one of it. Aaron connects with another right that drops Dennis and he is eating more shots. His corner throws in the towel. Dennis is a warrior and you knew he was never gonna quit.
Aaron Jeffrey defeats Dennis Olson via tko to strikes at 1:43 in Round 2.
WesternMassMMA.com Awards:
Fight of the Night: Dan Cormier vs. Jeff Silva
Ko/TKO of the Night: Andres Rodriguez and Kenny Murphy.
Submission of the Night: Tyler Bourque and his armbar.
Best Walkout Song of the Night: Dennis Olson with Lamb of God slightly beats out Barbie Girl and Stone Cold Steve Austin Theme LOL.
Just as I suspected, it was another great night of fights at Combat Zone in Manchester New Hampshire. We did not receive a parking ticket so that was good as well! My buddy Chris Kersch did an excellent job with the lighting. After having a seizure with the strobe lights with the first fighter walking out he toned it down. The fog was on point and everything went great. All of the fighters brought it and I saw two mma firsts. I have never seen a cup split in half and I have never seen in MMA the corner throw in the towel. I have not heard the next Combat Zone fight night date yet but keep in mind Calvin Kattar will be fighting on the UFC card coming to Boston this October so don't miss that!