I would like to take this time to note that Steve gave me a t-shirt with a Norwegian saying on the back that his Norwegian friend would not translate for us. However, he did laugh at us a lot. Can one of our Norwegian readers get in touch with me to translate so that I know exactly who I am offending when I wear the shirt? Thanks. OK, on to the battle tales!
Fighting was in there air at the Greater Newark Boys' & Girls' Club in Newark, Delaware. I’m not quite sure when they removed Newark from New Jersey and placed it into Delaware but I’ve been to Newark New Jersey and I’m not so sad to see it go. The drive was about 3 hours from Queens NY to Newark DE.
It felt like 2.5 of those hours were spent getting through the Lincoln Tunnel. I was accompanied by Freddie “Bad Intentions” Barfield, a.k.a. Fred Nice. Fred came to take photos of the fights and of course, the women!
We were in Delaware for a night of mixed martial arts (MMA) at Combat in the Cage: 9th Strike. This event was the best event that I have been to in the Combat in the Cage series. The line went around the building and the parking lot was packed out. Thanks to the promoter Ed Hsu, I was able to skip the line and get my press pass. It’s good to know people!
There were 21 fights in all and I have to go on a date later so I can’t write them all up today. This will be the Part 1 of 3 and you’ll get the other two parts over the next few days. And yes, my date is very hot! See below:
Bout 1
Bantamweight (135 lbs)-MMA
Philip Jean
vs.
Andrew Ham
Ham opens with a superman punch and then a throws a good knee. Jean gets a takedown. Jean gets off a slam. On the ground, Ham attempts and arm bar. Phil gets a reversal and gets a takedown. Ham throws on a tight kimura lock that forces Jean to tap out.
Ham wins by Ude Garami (a.k.a. kimura lock) at 1:54 in round 1.
Bout 2
165 lbs-Muay Thai
Suneagle McNeely (Choice MA)-blue
vs.
Malik Kamara (Daddis FC)-red
Kamara came out in full Thai garb; a Thai headband, music, and traditional "Whai Ko" ceremony around the cage. I don't know what that translates too but I'm pretty sure its "one who is about to get his teeth knocked into the front row." First round was pretty uneventful. A Weird thing happens right before end of round one; Kamara goes down, gets up holding leg and limps cage side. Must have been a cramp or something.
Round 2 starts with McNeely's friend screaming "punch him in the face Sunny." McNeely lands vicious shots, bullying him all over ring, gets a big knockdown. Crowd goes crazy. McNeely stands back up, Kamara gets battered and "Sunny" knocks him out sending Kamara flying across the cage.
McNeely wins KO in round 2.
Bout 3
150-Muay Thai
Mark Caserta (Jacks Kickboxing)-blue
vs.
Jackson Galka (Daddis FC)-red
Galka comes out with the same Thai headband that Malik Kamara was wearing. We all know how that went. I immediately predict he gets abused like one of those contestants on The Moment of Truth. I note to myself that this Thai dance should probably be replaced by a Hulk Hogan like ring entrance to get a better crowd reaction. As the fight starts, I notice something that I've never seen before. Caserta is wearing headgear and Galka is not. I immediately switch my prediction to Caserta.
To open round 1, Caserta takes a powerful kick to head. He is so lucky for that headgear. The rest of the round is slow.
In between rounds, A "Sponsored by Thaisportgear.com" announcement is made. The guy who owns Thaisportgear.com was sitting right behind me and I give him props for supporting this great event.
Round 2 has a lot of Thai clinching going on and is also kind of slow.
Round 3 begins with both fighters coming out swinging. Mark gets the better of the exchange. Galka delivers a series of hard knees. Caserta answers with a flurry of hard punches and kicks. As round ends, Galka slams Caserta... Too bad it’s a Muay Thai fight and slams don't count.
Caserta wins by split decision.
Bout 4
Bantamweight (135)-Muay Thai
Akil Walker (Semper Fi MMA)-blue
vs.
Tim Van Duyke(Jacks Kickboxing)-red
Walker mean mugs Van Duyke in the center of the cage and refuses to touch gloves. He looks like someone stole his lunch money when he was 6 and he’s been holding it in inside for all of these years. My moneys on him. The round opens with Van Duyke slamming Walker. Van Duyke throws kick and punch combos. Van Duyke slams him again. Again, keep in mind slams don't count in a Muay Thai fight. Van Duyke has a shirt on and I'm reminded of a fat kid in a pool. What’s up with that? Another first.
Van Duyke is doing some dirty boxing when the round ends.
Round 2 starts with Van Duyke slugging it out. Both guys look very tired.
Round 3 begins with a good leg kick by Walker. Van Duyke gets a Thai clinch and lands three vicious knees and a flurry of punches to the head. The ref steps in citing fighter safety.
Van Duyke wins at 36 seconds in round 3. TKO by ref stoppage due to strikes.
Bout 5
Featherweight (145)-MMA
Anthony Losorelli (Bushi Karate)-blue
vs.
Kyle Jacoby (XFC)-red
Anthony comes out to More Human than Human by White Zombie. Kyle comes out to Rage, Killing in the Name... I am all fired up and I want to fight everyone in the event center at the same time.
Round 1 opens with Jacoby attempting three takedowns and gets pushed aside like a bull in a bullfight going for the matador and getting the red blanket waved in his face. Jacoby finally gets a takedown. Losorelli throws on a triangle. Losorelli wins! Jacoby gets up with blood pouring out of his nose.
Losorelli wins at 1:27 of round 1 by triangle choke.
Bout 6
Featherweight (145)-MMA
Josh Rudinski (Primal Fighting)-blue
vs.
Jerome McLane (Simrell MMA)-red
McLane comes out to Eminem and gets a huge crowd pop. He lands a flurry of vicious shots to open round 1. The two go down and they fall McLane puts Rudinski in a guillotine and pulls guard. Rudinski has an arm in but the choke is very deep. Josh goes to sleep. It takes him one full minute to wake up with the ref holding him up because he was completely limp.
McLane wins at 32 seconds of round 1 by guillotine choke.
Bout 7
175-MMA
Charlie Joseph (Renzo Gracie)-blue
vs.
Joe DiFranco (Daddis FC)-red
Joseph's nickname is "Fight Monkey". If you think that is funny, go see him and let him know. Wear a helmet, elbow and knee braces, and bring a weapon. Actually, it probably still wouldn't matter. This guy has devastating power as you'll find out in a second.
Round 1 is one of the most entertaining rounds I've seen in an MMA fight. "Fight Monkey" Joseph fights with his hands totally down, continuously taunting DiFranco. This is usually not a recommended practice as you leave your chin susceptible to being punched out like Glass Joe in Mike Tyson’s Punch-out. It is very easy to get knocked out like that unless you are extremely talented or extremely luck. Joseph is bobbing and weaving at angles that would be hard to duplicate by most fighters and he kind of reminds me of the boxer Prince Nassim Hamed when he was in his hay day. Joseph keeps knocking DiFranco down, picking his punches with devastating power and accuracy. These are "one and dones" as in after you take one of these punches to the chin, you’re done for the night. Joseph lets DiFranco get up after he knocks him down four times by four separate bombs and Joseph is really swinging for the fences here. Joseph keeps waiving his fingers at DiFranco like Morpheus in The Matrix (fast forward the following link to 1:02)"... Video Here
Joseph slips on a guillotine and cinches it in from the guard position. DiFranco taps and afterwards gets up bleeding from his nose.
Joseph wins at 1:23 of round 1 by guillotine choke.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of 3 to find out who the crowd hottie of the night was and to see what happened to see “Ill” Al Iaquinta, who defended the lightweight belt that he won during my initial fight blog foray.
Posted by Jason Nocco in the water gap as he awaits Johan Santana’s cy young award ceremony later this year.