Steve and the Tank! - 4/01/07: Extreme Challenge Trials "Mayhem in Mahwah"

Thursday, April 05, 2007

4/01/07: Extreme Challenge Trials "Mayhem in Mahwah"

Steve and the Tank are proud to begin our coverage of Extreme Challenge Fighting. We turn it over to Steve’s MBA buddy guest blogger Jason Nocco. (Editors note, Jason will post some photos shortly, so come back soon.)

The night started off with a bang… almost. For a Long Island guy, Mahwah NJ is in the middle of nowhere. GPS could not help me find this place. I pulled over to ask a lady for directions and she ran across the street, nearly getting clipped by a car, and got on her knees to talk to me. She looked like a desperate housewife, the ugly one, so don’t get too excited. Anyway, another car pulls up to ask me how to get to the middle school where the fights were being held. The girl was a 10! She had two friends in the car and so did I. I also had a lot of Coors Light! The night was shaping up.

When I finally found Ramapo Ridge Middle School where the event was being held, the 10 got out of her car and said “I noticed from your license plate you are from New York.” BOOYOW BABY! How could I possibly F that up? You will find out the answer in 3... 2… 1… That was the last time I talked to her all night. No, I’m not kidding you and no I’m not proud of it.

Like I said, I had beer anyway so I was able to move on. I got my pass and went in the building when much to my surprise I saw one of the event staffers asking the lost wench that I rescued to be a ring girl. I got to watch her walk around for 14 fights. I’m still horny. If you are reading this and you are her, try to get in touch with me directly. I don’t trust Steve or the Tank with your contact information.

Now on to the fights. There were a lot, so I’m going to stick to the three that got the best crowd reactions.

Anthony Abatelli of the talented Militech N.Y. camp came out to Du Hast by Ramstein. I’m not sure what Du Hast translates to in English, but my guess is going to be “I’m going to get in the cage and slam you on your head.” The first textbook slam came quickly in round one and they kept on coming. It was a totally dominating performance by the rising young star that fought in only the second fight of his career.

Rick Barany’s undefeated (never even lost a round) streak came to an end via the only knockout of the night after dominating and almost ending the fight via submission in an earlier round. Eventually the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert traded punches with the massive Pedro Gonzolez and got the worst of the exchange in haymakers. I feel bad for the next guy Barany fights because this man is a real bad ass and he’s probably going to be extremely pissed off. The crowd erupted with chants of “Pedro” in the biggest crowd pop of the night by far.

Al Iaquinta brought home the Extreme Challenge Trials Super Welterweight Championship belt by defeating Nick Mauriello. Team Militech N.Y. ended its night with another dominating performance. Iaquinta put the pressure on early and maintained a high level of intensity throughout the fight. Mauriello was taken down almost at will. Iaquinta did not sit down after the bell in any round and looked as fresh in round 5 as he did when the first bell rang. I have never seen stamina like that before. This kid could have went 10 rounds and slept with the ring girl and still would have been able to blow balloon animals to scale of Wrigley Field. Hey, even Vince Vaughn couldn’t do both! Look out for this 19 year old, he is only getting better. I have a feeling if striking to the head was allowed on the ground; Mauriello would have gone to a steakhouse after the fight… for an eye patch.

As a side note, Team Rhino had enough guys in their corner to start their own football team (offense and defense). If you are at a bar and you see them, deflate your beer muscles and hide your girlfriend.

David Martucci is building an army in my hometown of New Hyde Park, N.Y. I recently started going down to his after I passed by and noticed an octagon in the window. This is a true MMA school and I expect to see some of these guys in UFC one day. I’m going to get their autographs now before they make a lot of money and have their security guards usher me away.

After watching this fight, I went out to the XL Lounge, danced and made out with a hot chick, got a friend drunk and locked him in my car for 15 minutes (he looked like a redneck on cops in the back seat of a police vehicle) and then fell asleep driving home about 40 times. Best night ever (minus all the hot chicks without the sex stories).

Speaking of hot chicks, there were a lot at this event. I would have gladly fought at least 10 or 15 of them… at one time... naked… but I digress.

Thanks go out to Promoter Ed Hsu who put on a great show. I can’t wait for the next event.

Featherweight (122-125.9 lbs)

Nick Buff (Eclectic MA) def. Kyle Jergensen (Team AFS-The Asylum)

Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds

Light-Heavyweight (167-174.9 lbs)

Shawn Forman (Rhino Fight Team) def. Joel Nott (Bloomsburg MMA)

Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds

Super Lightweight (135-139.9 lbs)

Samad Mobley (Ninja University) def.Will Smith (Team AFS-The Asylum)

Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 0:10 Rd 3

Light-Heavyweight (167-174.9 lbs)

Ted Grimonus (Jerry Jones) def. Tony Mills (Rhino Fight Team)

Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:44 Rd 3

Super Middleweight (160-166.9 lbs)

Anthony Abatelli (Militech N.Y.) def. Justin Porter (Team AFS-The Asylum)

Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds

Super Middleweight (160-166.9 lbs)

Joe Camacho (NJ Pride) def. Jamie Crowder (Renzo Gracie)

Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:00 Rd 3

Super Heavyweight (210-249.9 lbs)

John Incledon (Hudson Valley BJJ) def. Dave Eckert (Team AFS-The Asylum)

Submission (Choke) at 1:05 Rd 3

Super Light-Heavyweight (175-182.9 lbs)

Cody Vidal (XFC Fight Club) def. Michael DeLeon (Modern MA)

Submission (Guillotine) at 1:42 Rd 1

Heavyweight (195-209.9 lbs)

Pedro Gonzolez (Modern Army Combatives) def. Rick Barany (Militech N.Y.)

KO 0:10 Rd 2

Middleweight (154-159.9 lbs)

Joe Volpe (Rhino Fight Team) def. Chris Miele (Team AFS-The Asylum)

Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:35 Rd 1

Super Heavyweight (210-249.9 lbs)

Ryan Contaldi (Jerry Jones) def. Gino Terranova (Thai Shudo MA Academy)

Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds

Middleweight (154-159.9 lbs)

Lester Caslow (Rhino Fight Team) def. Marco Cheung (Jericho MA)

Submission (Choke) at 2:40 Rd 1

Cruiserweight (183-189.9 lbs)

Brandon Mullien (Team AFS-The Asylum) def. Fred Neukum (Washington MA) Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds

Main Event

Extreme Challenge Trials Super Welterweight Championship (147-153.9 lbs)

Al Iaquinta (Militech N.Y.) def. Nick Mauriello (NJ Pride)

Unanimous Decision after 5 rounds

Posted by Jason Nocco in the middle of nowhere.

Extreme Challenge

Thursday, April 05, 2007 7:26:04 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2] |

Friday, April 06, 2007 11:24:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

That's a great article, makes me wish I went to the fights, but I spent the previous weekend in Jersey and two weekends in a row in Jersey is way too much for me.