COMBAT ZONE 73 LIVE REVIEW 1/17/2020

Warchild made the trip north to the beautiful Double Tree Hotel for Combat Zone 73.  There are a total of 11 matches for the night with a hybrid type event.  There will be 5 grappling, 1 kickboxing and then 5 mma fights.  John Vena is the host for the night in his new white sparkly suit.  Starting off 2020 with a bang Vena!!  I love the set up of Combat Zone as they have two big screens so no matter what is happening fans will not miss the action.  The grappling matches are reffed by Tyson Chartier and the rest are reffed by Kevin MacDonald, Alan Lau and John English.  The fights are about to start.  Please follow along as I try my best to keep up with all the action.

GRAPPLING GI Ryan Ferguson (Nostos) vs. Shawn Melanson  (Gate City)

Melanson wins armbar at 1:13 seconds

​GRAPPLING GI Rick Hawn (PMA) vs. Brett Oteri (The Lab)

Draw

GRAPPLING NO GI Rory Connor (Connors MMA) vs. Alex West (Bernardo Faria BJJ Academy)

Draw

GRAPPLING NO GI Christos Papadelos (Defensive Edge) vs. Schuyler Vaillancourt (Nostos)

Christos Papadelos by heel hook at 1:53 seconds.

GRAPPLING NO GI Ty Ham (Renzo Gracie NH) vs. Jaice Griggs (Triumph)

Ty Ham wins by rear naked choke at 1:19

​125 AM KICK  Ebrahim Aziz (Connors MMA) vs. Cole Labonte (Nostos)

Aziz wins unanimous decision.

​130 AM MMA Erin Johnson (0-0) Lauzons MMA vs. Crystal Nadeau (0-0) Boston BJJ Woburn

Erin is working her combos.  Erin is pressing Crystal up against the cage.  They fall to the mat but get right back up.  They fall to the mat again and Crystal is in guard.  Crystal is working her ground and pound.  Erin gets some space and gets an armbar for the very quick tap.

Erin Johnson defeats Crystal Nadeau via tapout to armbar at 2:30 in Round 1.

Combat Zone is having a brief intermission.  During the intermission they gave away the amateur fight of the night award to Erin Johnson.

​145 PRO MMA Shaquan Moore (0-2) No Limit vs. Lorram Esteves (2-0) 617 Fight Sports

Shaquan gets in an inside leg kick.  Lorram with a 1-2 combo.  Shaquan is doing a good job at working his kicks.  Lorram ducks under a punch and presses Shaquan up against the cage.  They break and are back to the center.  Lorram eats a kick and takes Shaquan down to the mat.  Shaquan works his way up.  

Esteves 10-9

Rd 2:  Lorram eats a kick and goes for the takedown.  He gets the double leg but can’t keep Shaquan down.  He climbs onto his back and has the body lock.  He falls off and Shaquan is back to the center.  Shaquan with a good combo.  They are both swinging away.  Shaquan with a good combo and follows it up with a high kick.  Lorram gets the takedown and as Shaquan gets up knees him in the head and the mouthpiece goes flying.  

Esteves 10-9 but real close

Rd 3:  Lorram with a left that connects.  Kick to the body from Shaquan.  Lorram goes for a takedown and Shaquan stuffs it.  Shaquan with a snapping leg kick.  Good combo from Shaquan and Lorram counters.  They clinch and exchange knees to the body.  Shaquan with two elbows from the clinch.  He connects with a few more and Lorram dives for a takedown.  Shaquan connects with another right.

Moore 10-9

Shaquan Moore defeats Lorram Esteves via split decision.

​140 PRO MMA Chris Caterino (2-3) Gate City MMA vs. Joey Sanchez (0-3) B&F Gym

Chris gets the takedown and escapes the guillotine.  Chris passes to full mount and postures up.  He is getting in some heavy hammerfists and elbows.  He stands up and goes for the armbar and gets the tap.

Chris Caterino defeats Joey Sanchez via tapout to armbar at 2:43 in Round 1.

​165 PRO MMA Nick Fiore (0-0) Renzo Gracie NH vs. Jay Ellis (15-91) Ellis MMA

Nick starts us off with leg kicks.  Jay gets in a high kick.  Nick picks up Jay and slams him to the mat.  He grabs his back and works a rear naked choke for the tap.  

Nick Fiore defeats Jay Ellis via tapout to rear naked choke at 50 seconds in Round 1.

155 PRO MMA Brendon Marotte (5-1) PMA vs. Dan Dubuque (8-4) Golden Falcon

Dan starts us off with two leg kicks.  Brendon fires right back with a kick of his own.  Dan rushes in with a combo and Brendon tries for a takedown.  Dan gets out and gets in another combo.  Brendon tries for another takedown but can’t get it.  Brendon with a high kick.  Brendon is pressing Dan up against the cage and they break.  Brendon with a good combo.  Dan gets in some knees to the head.  He lets out a barrage of strikes.  Dan gets Brendon to the mat as the round ends.

Dubuque 10-9

Rd 2:  Dan gets in a combo.  He tries for a takedown but can’t get it.  Dan rushes in with a knee and Brendon connects with a body shot.  Dan is pressing Brendon up against the cage.  They break and are back to the center.  Brendon with a kick to the body.  Brendon gets the takedown and takes Dan’s back.  He has his back and Dan bucks off the cage and turns into it.  Dan is now on top in guard.  Brendon uses butterfly and pushes Dan off and they are back up against the cage.  Brendon with a nice swinging backfist.  They are both exchanging short elbows.  Brendon gets Dan to the mat and has a rear naked choke as the round ends.

Marotte 10-9

Rd 3:  Dan goes right after Brendon.  They are both swinging for the fences.  What a war!!!  Brendon has Dan’s back briefly but Dan reverses.  Brendon gets the double leg takedown and is on Dan’s back.  Dan is back up and looking for a takedown of his own.  They break and are back to the center.  Brendon takes Dan down and is high on his back and falls off.  Dan is pressing Brendon up against the cage.  Brendon with a jab.  They are swinging away as the round ends.

Marotte 10-9

Brendon Marotte defeats Dan Dubuque via split decision.  Fight of the Night!!

FIGHT OF THE NIGHT:  Brendon Marotte and Dan Dubuque
KO/TKO OF THE NIGHT:  None!
SUB OF THE NIGHT:  Erin Johnson quick armbar
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:  Curl up into a little ball!

What a fun night at Combat Zone.  I got to see lots of my buddies like Domenico, Chris Kersch, Joe Leonard and Greg from Team Kaze!  They added some new more lights to the cage so hopefully our photos will come out better this time!  The sound was on point and the refs did a great job.  Combat Zone returns on April 10th for Combat Zone 74 so mark your calendar.