Karyn Wesch and The Premier FC have carved out a perfect piece of the market in the New England fight world. While a dozen or so organizations vie for the top spot on the fancy side of the 495, there is no doubt that Premier has earned it’s moniker as the number one fight organization in central and western Massachusetts.
Matchmaker Jason Franklin may have to consider changing his title to talent scout. Bringing together amateur fighters with little history and having them put on some of the best fights time and time again is no easy task yet he does so time and time again.
This is Premier’s sixth show overall and their second to include pro fights. I’ve become a big fan of their outdoor venue and if you’ve never checked it out before, the extended weather is looking perfect for their show on Sunday. The event takes place within a large system of tents for the off chance of rain while the outdoor experience creates a very unique vibe for an MMA event.
Amateur
Leon Campbell (Sityodtong) vs. Elijah Paolilo (Vitor Shaolin MMA) 155lbs.
Brian Barry (Precision MMA) vs. Justin Marcoccio (Guardian) 135lbs.
Chris Chartier (Team Kaos) vs. Nicolas Pallini 140lbs.
Nick Pallini is one of the most talented amateurs I’ve seen that’s not affiliated with any school or fight team. There are guys who jump in the ring without a team for the fun of it. Then you’ve got a guy like Nick who’s destined for a bright future. Hopefully he can join up with a good team now that he's just finished high school...
Chartier’s last fight ended in a draw. No matter how you look at a draw, you know a guy has to be game to match up that closely with another fighter in the ring. Coming out of Kaos, you know he’s going to be prepared.
Will raw talent be enough for Nick to pull off the win or does a disciplined fighter out of a legit school have the better chance for victory?
Brian Moylan (Team Black Dragon) vs. Josh Lopez (American Fight Team/Gladiator BJJ) 145lbs.
Dave Proulx (Tri Force MMA) vs. Elysee Sanon (Blue Devil) 170lbs.
John Cumper (Sityodtong) vs. Sam Nadeau (American Fight Team/Gladiator BJJ) 145lbs.
Sam Nadeau is flat out, one of my top ten favorite local fighters to watch. I’ve seen him lose a fight while fighting harder in defense than the guy beating him to an eventual submission (figure that one out) and I’ve also seen him flash knockout a guy with an opening punch. A stellar athlete with a heart big enough to function in a blue whale, Sam’s fights are always some of the most exciting of the night. This is why Sam is fighting…
…John Cumper. Sityodtong. 2-0. 2 first round TKO’s.
If I even have to explain why a 2-0 guy out of one of the best schools in the nation is good and that this fight will be one of the best of the night, you probably can’t read in the first place.
Jeff Perez (Nexus) vs. George Wilson (American Fight Team/Gladiator BJJ) 155lbs.
Matt Tuthill (Renegade Kumite) vs. Steven Carr (CTMMA) 155lbs.
Matt Tuthill was recently a featured fighter on WesternMassMMA. He’s a very level headed guy with a great work ethic and the drive to make any fight an entertaining one. He’ll be stepping into the ring against Steven Carr. While Steven is only 2-2, his first fight was back in 2000! Based purely on the fact that Steven has been around the game for so long, you know he’s going to bring a lot to the table.
It’s not that often you get to see a young up and comer face off against a grizzled vet in an amateur fight so you know this is going to be a unique and entertaining bout.
Pro
Kurt Calash (Bash MMA) vs. Barrington Douse (American Fight Team) 140lbs.
This is a fantastic pro fight that any true local MMA fan would be excited to see. While their records may not scream "superstars", these two fighters have had more fight experience between the two of them than some schools have out of their entire stable of fighters! Both guys have been fighting locally for four years and with Kurt at 2-6 and Barrington at 7-11; these guys have seen it all.
Barrington has just come off two decision losses to arguably two of the best 140ish fighters in the North East. These are guys who put people away hard and fast yet Barrington went the distance with both. Barrington’s jiu jitsu skills are complete and his chin has withstood the violent test of time. He too is considered to be one of the best fighters in his weight class even with his sub .500 record.
Kurt has won by KO and submission, lost some to decision and has been caught with a late KO and submission. This tells us he could be going for anything against Barrington and having never lost a fight early or given up easily, it’s going to be a hard fought battle.
While Barrington is the smart favorite, it may have been difficult for him to have game planned against a guy like Kurt Calash. If he starts the fight slow and smart, he should be able to figure Kurt out soon enough. If Barrington presses his luck too quickly, Kurt may surprise him with an early and sudden KO or submission.
Justin Switzer (Allaire MMA) vs. Damien Trites (American Fight Team/Gladiator BJJ/Wai Kru) 155lbs.
What can I say about Damien Trites that hasn’t already been said? He’s fought a who’s who list of top local talent, beating some and giving the other’s hell even in his losses. He’s the kind of guy who you could watch walk across the room and hug a guy like a long lost Brother or punch him in the stomach like his most vile enemy; neither of which would surprise you as you looked on. Damien has always been a very prominent character on the local fight scene. He likes to talk but he likes to back it up in the ring. He’d probably punch me in the liver for telling you this, but deep down inside, he’s a softy for his kid and a life long friend to most people he crosses paths with.
Justin has been choked out three times and knocked another guy out in the first round. At 1-3 he may not seem like the best match up for the well traveled Trites but having watched him fight personally, I know he’s going to give Damien a bit more than he may be expecting. In his first three fights, he was the guy sent in to let some big names take a few more steps up the ladder. On all three occasions, he gave them hell before finally succumbing to a choke. He’s a true fighter and will have even more to offer in fights like this one with Damien, when he’s more evenly matched.
Damien is the favored variable and Justin is the stable underdog. I know exactly what Justin is going to look like in this fight. He’ll be very well rounded with good athleticism and a solid chin. Damien should be able to deal but we will see if he’s got his mind right and the cardio down for a fight that could easily make it’s way into the third round.
Mark Hoxie vs. Pat Menzie - Heavyweight
This fight isn’t happening because,
“Menzie no showed. No application. No medicals. No return call. No return emails.”
Some guys like to fight, some guys like to pretend to fight.
TITLE FIGHT
Dat Tran (Sityodtong) 3-2 vs. Jeremy Reipold (Ravenous) 3-0 135lbs.
Dat Tran has managed to put together a 3-2 amateur career even though he’s never fought a single slouch. All of his fights have been against tough opponents and win or lose, it’s always been a battle. With a Sityodtong pedigree, hard fought fight experience in the ring and a previous title fight for another organization, Dat is the perfect headliner for this event.
Jeremy “The Boss” Reipold, or as I lovingly call him, “REEEP” has risen to amateur stardom in less than a year. I remember watching him step into the ring for his amateur debut against the massive Fred Mandracchia. I felt so bad because I knew what a good guy Jeremy was but I also knew his was going to get his head pounded in by the guy who had him 2:1 in the muscle department. Jeremy got into the ring like he was getting in line at Subway for a sandwich and quickly dispatched “Drach” with a guillotine early in round one… With the two additional decisive wins that followed, Jeremy has earned his first title shot.
Nine times out of ten, I am not a fan of fights that go to decision. However, I have a strong feeling that this may go there, on the heels of the fight of the night. Both guys are warriors and neither one is going to turn this into a boring wrestling/chess match. Both can and will bang. Both know and display great jiu jitsu. But both have the determination to keep this going til the bloody end. Jeremy may have a slight edge in the talent department but Dat may have the slight edge in experience. Either opinion could be a decisive factor but either way it’s going to be a great fight.
The doors open Sunday afternoon at 2:30 at the 350 Grille Complex in Springfield, MA. Visit ThePremierFC.com for tickets and more information.
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