InsatiableInsanity Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 We begun covering LIONHEART Fighting Championships right here on Grey Dog forums from 1999 onwards. At first, we did weekly updates, in tune with the small cards and lack of regular announcements, but when things really begun to take off from 2000 onwards, we were right there! Well, here’s how it all began… LIONHEART FC is Born! January 4, 1999 For those unaware of the rumblings that have been emanating from Toronto, Ontario for some time now, it may come as a surprise to hear that Texan millionaire Lance Decker has approved funding for a brand new MMA promotion by the name of LIONHEART Fighting Championships. Now LIONHEART FC is the brain child, apparently, of promoter Jon Butterfield, who has been talking about his desire for a company with the primary focus of cultivating Canadian MMA since he parted ways with GAMMA in late ‘97. And now, apparently, the plan is ready to reach fruition… So… What can Canada expect? Well, since the initial rumours appear to be true, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to expect a few more to be confirmed along the way, including word on the weight classes – apparently, LIONHEART FC is set to promote fights between the Featherweight limit (145lbs) right through to the Middleweight limit (185lbs) – initially at least. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Greg Atteveld follow Butterfield to Ontario either, given their long history in the business. No doubt it would be a fairytale ending to Atteveld’s career to retire in one of Butterfield’s promotions, and it would certainly be a good idea for the promotion to forge positive links with numerous fight teams both inside and outside of Canada. Team Desire would be a fine start. So, is LIONHEART FC going to set the world alight? Well, not straight away, certainly. But in time, maybe. Butterfield knows how to promote fights both locally and nationally, and with Decker’s bucks behind him, the promotion should be able to survive the inevitable lean pickings of the early, shaky, years. LIONHEART FC 1: The Master Announced! January 11, 1999 One week on from the announcement that Lance Decker would fund upstart Canadian MMA promotion LIONHEART Fighting Championships, the company has now announced its first show – LIONHEART FC 1: The Master. LIONHEART President Jonathan Butterfield gave the following information: “It is with great pride that I can announce the main event of the first ever LIONHEART Fighting Championships event, and we have a main event that will be of great interest to MMA fans this side of the border, as well as in the United States! It will be Missouri’s favourite son, the legendary Greg Atteveld taking on Edmonton, Alberta’s own Sutton Ripley! With a wealth of experience to draw on, 42 year old Atteveld will not be overawed by his opponent, who sports an impressive 13-2 record. Atteveld, 37-14, is not only a great fighter, but a well-respected jiu-jitsu coach, and should Ripley find himself on the ground, it could be a short night! Canadian Ripley, however, has the chance to become the promotion’s first champion, as the LIONHEART FC Middleweight title (185 lbs) will be on the line! Will Atteveld prove himself ‘The Master’? Or will ‘The Talented’ Sutton Ripley ensure the gold stays right here, in Canada.” Find out all the details of further matches by checking back right here! LIONHEART FC 1: The Master card completed! January 18, 1999 Well, the card is complete, and the once-distant pipedream that was LIONHEART FC is now upon us! LIONHEART FC 1: The Master is now just one week away, and will showcase four fights in total: Main Event for the LIONHEART Middleweight Title: “The Master” Greg Atteveld (37-14) (USA) vs. “The Talented” Sutton Ripley (13-2) (CAN) All Canadian Welterweight fight: Nik “The Minotaur” Minear (9-2) (CAN) vs. Zachary “Manitoba Misery” Gilbert (11-6) (CAN) Lightweight fight: Henry “King” Baldwin (7-2) (USA) vs. Urlington Rogers (4-6) (CAN) All Canadian Welterweight DEBUT fight: Chad “Easy Z” Zoff (0-0) (CAN) vs. Deacon “Eight Ball” Stawford (4-5) (CAN) The co-main event, by all accounts, has the kind of intrigue and name value associated with a title fight, only it appears the Welterweight Title won’t be decided until later – Nik Minear, a fighter with a 9-2 record, is a top Canadian wrestler with a real drive and determination to make it in the world of MMA, and his opponent, Zachary Gilbert, is himself an experienced grappler with a 14-6 record. What’s more, it’s an ALL-CANADIAN affair, as is the card opener, which sees Ontario’s own 18 year old reputed all-rounder Chad Zoff debut at welterweight against Deacon Stawford, a man with a 4-5 record. The word is that Zoff is a real prospect, and if he can get off to a winning start, who knows where he could end up? The other fight, which is by no means less intriguing, features a member of Greg Atteveld’s fight team, Team Desire – Henry Baldwin (7-2) – meet the 4-6 Urlington Rogers in the lightweight division. Baldwin will be looking to upset the partisan Canadian crowd by racking up an eighth career win, while Rogers will need to use his wrestling to smother the jiu-jitsu practitioner in what is (to be fair) expected to be a one sided affair. Tune in next week for the results of LIONHEART FC 1: The Master! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsatiableInsanity Posted August 11, 2010 Author Share Posted August 11, 2010 LIONHEART FC 1: The Master Report January 25, 1999 All Canadian Welterweight DEBUT fight: Chad “Easy Z” Zoff (0-0) (CAN) vs. Deacon “Eight Ball” Stawford (4-5) (CAN) >The fight begins! >Zoff gets Stawford with a nice jab. >Zoff looks to be trying to close the distance between them. >Stawford tries to catch him by surprise with a takedown attempt, but it is blocked. >Stawford switches stances, throws a speculative punch, then switches right back again. >Zoff comes in closer to press the issue. >Zoff catches Stawford with a flurry of small strikes. >Zoff chooses to shoot in on Stawford. >Stawford sees the takedown coming and tries to move. >Zoff has the takedown! Stawford pulls guard. >We move into the second half of this round. >Zoff lies on top of Stawford, basically smothering him. >Zoff looks to pass guard and get side control. >Stawford is ready for the attempt though, and keeps Zoff firmly in guard. >Zoff blocks Stawford as he tries a sweep from the guard. >Zoff smothers Stawford with his body by pushing forward and down. >We're into the final minute of the round. >Time slips away as Zoff successfully keeps Stawford stuck against the ground. >Zoff starts trying to work to get past the guard. >After a struggle, he gets to half guard. >Round one ends as time expires. >That has to go down as a 10-9 round to Zoff. >There's the bell and round number two begins! >Zoff looks to be trying to close the distance between them. >Zoff cannot get close enough to the elusive Stawford to grapple. >Deacon Stawford looks very tired out there. >Stawford circles as he plans his next move. >Zoff doesn't press the issue, allowing Stawford to circle. >Zoff catches Stawford with a flurry of small strikes. >A couple of quick punches are used to set up a takedown attempt from Zoff. >Stawford sees the takedown coming and tries to move. >The takedown is completed, Stawford is on his back and pulls guard. >Zoff begins trying to pass the guard. >Stawford finds his opponent too skilled, and Zoff passes guard into side control. >Zoff starts trying to work to go from side control to mount. >He can't get the mount as Stawford rolls away to stop it, but does take his back instead. >We go past the halfway point of this round. >Zoff tries to lock Stawford in an armbar. >The armbar is fully applied, Stawford has no option but to tap out! >Chad 'Easy Z' Zoff takes the win by Submission! >Official Result: Chad 'Easy Z' Zoff defeats Deacon 'Eight Ball' Stawford (Submission in 3:52 of round 2). The match was rated as being Decent. FIGHT OVERVIEW: Zoff wins his MMA debut, but Stawford, aside from being elusive and hard to get hold of, didn’t really show a great deal here. It’s hard to really judge Zoff off the back of this performance, but his takedowns were solid, and he only tried for one submission and got it. Like they say, you can only beat what’s put in front of you, and the main positive coming out of this fight is that Zoff showed that he can finish – good job, too, because it’s only going to get harder from here. Lightweight fight: Henry “King” Baldwin (7-2) (USA) vs. Urlington Rogers (4-6) (CAN) >And here we go! >Rogers looks to be trying to close the distance between them. >Baldwin is too quick, and manages to hit Rogers with a good clean jab. >Baldwin moves in quickly after a wayward punch and hits a flurry of quick punches. >Baldwin snaps off a jab that catches Rogers stepping in. >Baldwin snaps off a crisp jab. >Baldwin is looking to turn this into a wrestling match, and is getting in closer to Rogers. >Seeing an opportunity, Rogers avoids the grapple and goes straight for a takedown, but Baldwin is equal to it. >Rogers glances a right hand strike off the side of the left shoulder. >Baldwin steps in to put some pressure on. >We are now at the halfway point of the round. >There's a takedown attempt from Baldwin. >Rogers stuffs the takedown attempt, then pulls Baldwin up close into a clinch. >Rogers looks to get some strikes in, but Baldwin seizes the moment and wrestles his way into control of the grapple. >From the grapple, Baldwin tries to pick Rogers up on his shoulder for a slam. >He can't get it though, Rogers defends it and pulls away from the grapple entirely. >We have one minute of the round remaining. >Rogers bobs and weaves. >Baldwin steps in closer to force the issue. >Baldwin uses a combination of three punches to get Rogers to cover up, then shoots in looking for a takedown. >The takedown doesn't work, Rogers stuffed it. >Round one is brought to an end as time runs out. >That has to go down as a 10-9 round to Baldwin. >There's the bell for the start of the round! >Baldwin uses the jab. >Baldwin catches Rogers with a crisp jab. >Baldwin comes in closer, looking to wrestle with Rogers. >He pulls Rogers into a grapple. >From the grapple, Baldwin tries a takedown. >The takedown is completed, Rogers is on his back and pulls guard. >Baldwin looks to get past the guard. >Rogers comfortably blocks the attempt and keeps Baldwin in guard. >Rogers tries to sweep Baldwin but can't do it. >Baldwin attempts to pass guard. >Rogers is ready for the attempt though, and keeps Baldwin firmly in guard. >Rogers tries a sweep from the bottom of the guard, but doesn't budge Baldwin. >We move into the second half of this round. >Baldwin is trying to pass guard. >Rogers comfortably blocks the attempt and keeps Baldwin in guard. >Rogers tries to sweep Baldwin but can't do it. >Baldwin attempts to pass guard and gain a better position. >Baldwin isn't able to pass guard on this attempt. >Rogers tries to sweep Baldwin but doesn't get anywhere. >We have one minute of the round remaining. >Baldwin begins trying to pass the guard. >He finds himself unable to pass guard on this attempt. >Henry Baldwin is breathing very hard. >The time is up, and that's the end of round two. >That has to go down as a 10-9 round to Baldwin. >And here we go, round three! >Rogers switches stances, throws a speculative punch, then switches right back again. >Baldwin seems to be waiting for Rogers to make a move. >Rogers looks to be trying to close the distance between them. >Baldwin finds himself pulled into a grappling contest. >Rogers is trying to push Baldwin so that his back is up against the cage. >Baldwin ends up backed against the cage. >Rogers tries to take Baldwin down. >Baldwin does his best to fight it off, but Rogers eventually succeeds with the takedown. >Baldwin is controlled against the ground, unable to shift Rogers off of him. >Rogers begins trying to pass the guard. >Baldwin is ready for the attempt though, and keeps Rogers firmly in guard. >Baldwin tries to pull Rogers into a guillotine choke from the bottom of the guard. >The guillotine is locked in, tight enough that Rogers has to tap out! >By Submission, the winner is Baldwin! >Official Result: Henry 'King' Baldwin defeats Urlington Rogers (Submission in 3:16 of round 3). The match was rated as being Average. FIGHT OVERVIEW: Well that was what it was – a very average showing from these too. No doubt about it, Urlington Rogers was in there to make up the numbers and pad Baldwin’s record, and to be fair, it worked out – in the end. But the most damning thing about this fight is that Baldwin managed very little on the feet or on the mat, particularly when he was on top. When Rogers was on top? Different story. It didn’t take long at all for Baldwin to slap on a fight-ending guillotine choke, and that was that. And what do you expect from someone who trains with “The Master” Greg Atteveld? Put it this way: you do NOT want to lay on top of Henry Baldwin, because he’ll end you. Anywhere else? Well, even Urlington Rogers looked comfortable. All Canadian Welterweight fight: Nik “The Minotaur” Minear (9-2) (CAN) vs. Zachary “Manitoba Misery” Gilbert (11-6) (CAN) >And here we go! >Minear shoots in for a takedown. >The takedown is unsuccessful, Gilbert blocked Minear. >Minear throws a jab but Gilbert avoids it. >Minear circles as he plans his next move. >It seems that Gilbert is happy to let Minear circle for the moment. >Minear comes in with a couple of jabs, using them as cover so that he can shoot in. >Gilbert tries to avoid Minear. >Minear doesn't get the takedown, Gilbert avoided it. >Gilbert moves in quickly after a wayward punch and hits a nice punch. >We are now at the halfway point of the round. >Gilbert snaps off a jab that catches Minear stepping in. >Gilbert hits a jab. >Gilbert steps in but an exchange of strikes goes nowhere. >Not letting Gilbert settle, Minear moves in closer. >Minear throws a couple of jabs, then chooses to shoot in on Gilbert. >Gilbert attempts to avoid Minear as he shoots in. >Minear doesn't get the takedown, Gilbert avoided it. >We're into the final minute of the round. >Moving in closer, Minear looks like he may want to wrestle Gilbert. >Strikes from Gilbert keep Minear from stepping in too close, and he is forced to step back. >The time is up, and that's the end of round one. >I have to give that round to Gilbert, but only a 10-9. >And here we go, round two! >Gilbert snaps off a jab that catches Minear stepping in. >Gilbert counters a jab by hitting a clean jab. >Minear tries for a series of strikes but Gilbert moves out of range. >Gilbert slips out of the way of a jab. >Gilbert scores with a jab. >Gilbert snaps off a crisp jab. >Gilbert avoids a jab. >We pass the halfway mark of this round. >A straight punch from Minear fails to land. >Not letting up, Gilbert quickly steps in closer to attack Minear. >Minear tries for a series of strikes but Gilbert moves out of range. >Gilbert slips out of the way of a jab. >Gilbert steps back to avoid a flurry of punches. >There's under a minute left in this round. >Gilbert slips out of the way of a jab. >Gilbert avoids a jab and scores with a clean punch. >The time is up, and that's the end of round two. >I have to give that round to Gilbert, but only a 10-9. >We are back underway! >Minear moves in closer but takes a crisp jab to the face. >Minear chooses to shoot in on Gilbert. >Gilbert attempts to avoid Minear as he shoots in. >The takedown doesn't work, Gilbert saw it coming and got out of range. >Minear slams a crisp punch into the gloves of Gilbert, but can't follow up. >Time slips away as Gilbert doesn't press Minear, allowing him to circle. >A quick one-two combination from Minear only finds gloves. >The fight slows as Gilbert sits back and allows Minear to circle. >We pass the halfway mark of this round. >Minear chooses to shoot in on Gilbert. >A counter punch catches Minear above the eye. >Gilbert explodes on Minear with a barrage of big punches! >Minear has to cover up and back off after a barrage of big punches! >Gilbert uses a jab to keep Minear back. >There's under a minute left in this round. >Minear throws a couple of jabs, then chooses to shoot in on Gilbert. >Gilbert attempts to avoid Minear as he shoots in. >The takedown is unsuccessful, Gilbert avoided Minear. >Minear looks to be trying to close the distance between them. >Gilbert uses his strikes to stop Minear from getting close enough to grapple. >The time expires on round three, and that is the end of the fight. >I think Gilbert took that round, 10-9 on my score card. >The ring announcer is now giving the official scores. >Judge #1 has given 30-27 to Gilbert. >Judge #2: 30-27 Gilbert. >Judge #3 scores the match as 30-27 to Gilbert. >Making Zachary 'Manitoba Misery' Gilbert the winner by unanimous decision! >Official Result: Zachary 'Manitoba Misery' Gilbert defeats Nik 'The Minotaur' Minear (Unanimous Decision in 5:00 of round 3). The match was rated as being Average. FIGHT OVERVIEW: Oh boy… surely I wasn’t the only one that kinda figured Minear was supposed to win this one? Instead Gilbert came out with a near-perfect game plan, and he stuck to it. Minear’s takedown attempts were stuffed time and time again, and that jab of Gilbert’s was employed with huge success. I’m having real trouble right now recalling ANYTHING that Minear actually managed to pull off, and that’s not a good thing! In the final round, Gilbert finally started to push the pace himself, landing some good shots, but this always felt like going the distance, and it did. Main Event for the LIONHEART Middleweight Title: “The Master” Greg Atteveld (37-14) (USA) vs. “The Talented” Sutton Ripley (13-2) (CAN) >Round one begins! >Ripley looks like he might be trying to get in close and wrestle with Atteveld. >Atteveld moves in too, and they start to grapple. >Atteveld tries to wriggle free, but Ripley controls him well and gets in a few close-range punches too. >Ripley uses dirty boxing and gets in a few crisp punches on Atteveld as they grapple. >Atteveld tries to wriggle free, but Ripley controls him well and gets in a few close-range punches too. >Ripley uses dirty boxing and gets in a few crisp punches on Atteveld as they grapple. >Ripley uses dirty boxing and gets in a few crisp punches on Atteveld as they grapple. >Ripley uses dirty boxing and gets in a few crisp punches on Atteveld as they grapple. >Ripley hits Atteveld with some short strikes to the side of the head while grappling. >Ripley hits Atteveld with some short strikes to the side of the head while grappling. >The grappling doesn't last long, as they soon break away from each other. >We move into the second half of this round. >Ripley avoids a straight right and hits a jab to the cheek. >Ripley avoids a quick jab and hits a jab. >Ripley eats a jab as he steps in. >We have one minute of the round remaining. >Ripley looks like he might be trying to get in close and wrestle with Atteveld. >Atteveld seems happy to grapple with Ripley. >Ripley uses some dirty boxing as he grapples with Atteveld. >Atteveld gets caught with a couple of nice short punches as Ripley uses his dirty boxing to inflict some punishment. >Round one ends as time expires. >I have to give that round to Ripley, but only a 10-9. >And here we go, round two! >Atteveld chooses to shoot in on Ripley. >Atteveld eats a stiff counter punch and almost goes down! >Atteveld throws a flurry of punches but Ripley steps back and avoids them. >Atteveld tries for a series of strikes but Ripley moves out of range. >Ripley avoids a flurry of punches. >Ripley throws three punches in quick succession, but Atteveld was out of range. >Atteveld presses in closer to attack. >Atteveld gets knocked out cold after taking a sudden huge punch from Ripley! >The winner, by Knock Out; Sutton Ripley! >Official Result: 'The Talented' Sutton Ripley defeats 'The Master' Greg Atteveld (Knock Out in 2:21 of round 2). The match was rated as being Great. FIGHT OVERVIEW: Wow! Now I knew Sutton Ripley hit hard, but that punch was SICK! Atteveld, and lets face it, he’s 42, does NOT want to take too many more shots like that! That aside, Atteveld really struggled to deal with Ripley’s stand up game, but what surprised me is that in the 7 minutes and 21 seconds this fight lasted, he only tried to get it to the ground once. What’s that about? Atteveld, “The Master”, the jiu-jitsu expert and coach! Had it gone to the mat, he’d have wrapped Ripley up and mailed him home. Instead, he spent the majority of the first round happy to grapple at close quarters, generally losing out and getting roughed up, before I assume his coach told him to screw his head on straight. Second round, Atteveld went for the takedown and got caught flush – you tell me how he stayed up! But he wasn’t up for long, because one right hand later, and we’ve got ourselves our first LIONHEART Champion – and he’s a Canadian! Future opponents better take a long hard look at this fight, because if you try and stand with this guy, he’s gonna hit you, and he’s packing DY-NO-MITE! Sutton Ripley – Middleweight Champion! SHOW-VERVIEW: Official statements say the company took just over $3k on the gate, drawing 221. Not bad for a first outing, but let’s face it: totally unsustainable. I’d imagine Atteveld took home close to half the gate on his own. But, this is why LIONHEART needs someone like Lance Decker – this is an INVESTMENT, it’s a risk. Lose money now, to make money later. Will it happen? Well, they’ve got the talent, and they’ve got the vision, but do they have the star power? Canadians are certainly gonna be drawn to guys like Sutton Ripley, I mean, hell, who isn’t? You throw bombs like that, I’m gonna wanna watch you fight! And as much as Butterfield would’ve liked Atteveld to get the win for old time’s sake, perhaps the first champion being a native son is a better story in the long run. Elsewhere, ‘Manitoba Misery’ advanced to 12-6 – not quite the record, OR the performance of a champion, but he thwarted Nik Minear time and time again and deserved the decision. Henry Baldwin grabbed a win for Team Desire, so that’s something for Atteveld to be pleased about, but the guy MUST work on his all round game, because like ‘The Master’, he looked out of his depth anywhere other than off his back. Chad Zoff, well, he did what he had to do, and he did it with complete assurance and control. His takedowns were solid, he passed guard (in the end), and he got the armbar. Sure he needs a tougher challenge next time, but hey! He’s got time. The kid is 18! Word is LIONHEART FC 2 will be announced VERY SOON, so stuck around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsatiableInsanity Posted August 11, 2010 Author Share Posted August 11, 2010 LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders Announced! February 1, 1999 Following a local independent victory over Canadian fighter Todd D’Abruzzo (now 5-2), Mexican fighter Esteban Vega has been signed to fight at LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders! LIONHEART FC President Jonathan Butterfield had this to say: “I was scouting (Todd) D’Abruzzo in truth, he’s a fighter that definitely interests us, but it was Vega’s night, and I mean, he DOMINATED D’Abruzzo for fifteen minutes. I thought, I gotta have this guy! He’s 3-0, he’s Mexican, and he’s just beaten one of our own boys right here in our own backyard! I thought, I gotta get in on this, so I went to the back and spoke to him, and he’s agreed to fight for us at (LIONHEART FC 2:) Contenders! I’ve got a few possible opponents for him, but right now I’m looking at either a rematch with D’Abruzzo or maybe someone like (Bradley) Dixon. I think Dixon would be a good test, he’s as experienced as they come, and he’s pretty popular up here. He’s from Ontario.” Current rumours making the round also suggest that lightweight fighter H.M. Menzel (10-3) has been approached to fight on the show, but no opponent has yet been named. Rumoured LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders lineup: Main Event Middleweight Fight: Esteban Vega (3-0) vs. TBA Lightweight Fight: H.M. Menzel (10-3) vs. TBA LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders takes shape! February 8, 1999 LIONHEART Fighting Championships today confirmed that Mexican rookie Esteban “The Canuck Killer” Vega (3-0) has signed to fight Ontario’s own MMA veteran Bradley “The Hunter” Dixon (17-9). The fight will be the main event of LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders, which will take place February 22. The company is also in talks with American hybrid boxer Ian “The Colorado Cobra” Linderman (7-1) as an opponent for lightweight H.M. Menzel (10-3). Menzel, a well-rounded vale tudo fighter, is seen as major player in LIONHEART FC, so an opponent with the kind of record as Linderman will be something of an acid test. Butterfield has said he had considered making the fight a Lightweight Title fight, but at this time that doesn’t appear to be the plan: “H.M. Menzel is the kind of guy I can see holding one of our belts. I like him, he’s got all the tools, he’s young, consistent, eager. He’s got a good look, and he talks straight. He can go a long way. I was thinking of making his fight against (Ian) Linderman a title fight, but I think it’s too early for that. Linderman isn’t on board yet, and we don’t know how long he plans on sticking around for, so I’m thinking we just do a standard lightweight fight - it’ll be fireworks, we’ll get a finish. I believe that, someone’s gonna get stopped in that one.” Rookie kickboxer Roy Arnett (1-0) is also in talks about facing young striker Braxton Price (1-3), and the card may also feature Manitoba native Tuck Durdell (1-0), though no opponent has been named at this point. LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders complete! February 15, 1999 In seven days time we’ll see LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders. The final line up, as clarified this morning, is as such: Main Event Middleweight Fight: Bradley “The Hunter” Dixon (17-9) (CAN) vs. Esteban “The Canuck Killer” Vega (3-0) (MEX) Lightweight Fight: H.M. Menzel (10-3) (CAN) vs. Ian “The Colorado Cobra” Linderman (7-1) (USA) Middlweight Fight: Tuck “The Everlasting” Durdell (1-0) (CAN) vs. “The Doctor” Wayne McKellen (3-1) (ENG) Lightweight Fight: Roy “Trigger” Arnett (1-0) (CAN) vs. Braxton Pryce (1-3) (CAN) Once again, LIONHEART bases its show around two strong fights, with two up and comers given tests lower down the order. Vega, a well-rounded Wing Chun fighter, will be an irregular and awkward test for Canadian wrestler Bradley Dixon in the night’s main event, though experience will no doubt play a huge role in this fight – Dixon will want to take Vega to the mat and smother him, and the chances are the winner of this will go on to big things here in LIONHEART! H.M. Menzel is given a tough fight against Ian Linderman, a man with only one blemish on his record – from what we hear, Linderman is a very solid striker with a boxing background who will test Menzel on the feet, so it would seem Menzel’s best strategy would be to take this one to the mat. If Linderman can keep it standing, though, he could become a very unpopular man with the pro-Canadian crowd! Tuck Durdell is a powerful local wrestler who has been given an awkward second opponent – British kickboxer Wayne McKellen. McKellen will know he has to avoid those big takedowns of Durdell and keep the fight standing, though word is Durdell won’t be afraid to stand and trade. Keen to shrug off the tag of being a “1-D wrestler”, Durdell is eager to show that he has many aces up his sleeve. Roy “Trigger” Arnett, however, has been given a more straight ahead test. Like his opponent Braxton Pryce, Arnett looks to keep things standing, and this one has ‘TKO’ written all over it. Braxton Pryce has been keen to speak up to anyone who will listen lately, saying he is NOT simply fodder for young Arnett in this fight, and he will go out there to take “Trigger’s” scalp. Time will tell on that count, though both these young Canadians will be eager to make their name here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsatiableInsanity Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 LIONHEART FC 1: The Master Report January 25, 1999 Lightweight Fight: Roy “Trigger” Arnett (1-0) (CAN) vs. Braxton Pryce (1-3) (CAN) >We are underway! >A straight punch from Arnett fails to land. >Time slips away as Pryce doesn't press Arnett, allowing him to circle. >Arnett comes in closer, looking to wrestle with Pryce. >Pryce keeps himself moving out of range, not wanting to grapple. >A couple of quick punches are used to set up a takedown attempt from Arnett. >Pryce stuffs the takedown attempt, then pulls Arnett up close into a clinch. >Pryce is trying to muscle Arnett up against the cage. >Pryce can't move Arnett at all though, and finds himself being out-wrestled. >Arnett uses dirty boxing and gets in a few crisp punches on Pryce as they grapple. >Pryce tries to wriggle free, but Arnett controls him well and gets in a few close-range punches too. >Arnett is looking to get Pryce in a Muay Thai clinch. >Arnett manages it, and now controls Pryce by the back of the head. >We move into the second half of this round. >Using the clinch, Arnett hits a vicious knee to the face! >From the clinch, Arnett drives a knee into the face of Pryce! >Using the clinch, Arnett blasts Pryce with a powerful knee to the cheek! >Using the clinch, Arnett blasts Pryce with a powerful knee to the cheek! Pryce is knocked out! >Roy Arnett takes the victory by way of Knock Out! >Official Result: Roy 'Trigger' Arnett defeats Braxton Pryce (Knock Out in 3:40 of round 1). The match was rated as being Great. FIGHT OVERVIEW: This fight was expected to be a gimme bout for young Roy Arnett, and that’s pretty much how it turned out, but not for lack of effort on Braxton Pryce’s part. Arnett, a reputedly talented kickboxer, came in with a gameplan to get in close to Pryce and nullify the chance of a one-shot upset, and within minutes he had Pryce hooked up in a Muay Thai clinch. Four knees later, and it was good night Braxton Pryce. Impressive start to Arnett’s LIONHEART career, though quite clearly, he’ll be needing (and getting) far more dangerous opponents in the future. Middleweight fight: Tuck “The Everlasting” Durdell (1-0) (CAN) vs. “The Doctor” Wayne McKellen (3-1) (ENG) >There's the opening bell! >McKellen attacks Durdell with a series of quick jabs. >McKellen avoids a jab. >McKellen steps in and unloads with a nice sequence of jabs. >Durdell throws a couple of jabs as a set up, then shoots in for a takedown. >The takedown is successful, McKellen pulls guard. >Durdell attempts to pass guard. >He does excellently, getting past the guard and into side control. >Durdell tries to put McKellen into an americana. >Durdell gets the americana fully applied and McKellen has to tap out! >The winner, by Submission; Tuck Durdell! >Official Result: Tuck 'The Everlasting' Durdell defeats 'The Doctor' Wayne McKellen (Submission in 2:33 of round 1). The match was rated as being Fantastic. FIGHT OVERVIEW: Well if Durdell had any plans to stand and trade, they went out the window pretty fast when he felt a series of stinging jabs from his opponent! McKellen looked comfortable on the feet, but he knew he had to avoid the takedown, and he still couldn’t do anything about it. Durdell ran through McKellen like a bull through a red rag, made a mockery of “The Doctor’s” defensive ground game passing guard at will, and then locked in an Americana before you could say “hey, where’s the ground and pound?!” This was a real test for Durdell on paper, but in reality McKellen looked distinctly one-dimensional, and like a fish out of water on his back. Lightweight Fight: H.M. Menzel (10-3) (CAN) vs. Ian “The Colorado Cobra” Linderman (7-1) (USA) >And here we go! >There's a takedown attempt from Menzel. >Linderman attempts to avoid Menzel as he shoots in. >Linderman cannot stop the takedown, and has to pull guard. >Menzel starts trying to work to get past the guard. >He finds himself unable to pass guard on this attempt. >Menzel doesn't let Linderman pull him in close to be smothered. >Menzel tries to pound on Linderman with elbow strikes, but all the blows are comfortably dealt with. >Menzel doesn't let Linderman pull him in close to be smothered. >Menzel starts trying to work to get past the guard. >Menzel isn't able to pass guard on this attempt. >Menzel doesn't let Linderman pull him in close to be smothered. >Menzel looks to pass guard and get side control. >He passes the guard well, gaining side control. >We go past the halfway point of this round. >Menzel pounds away from side control, but is unable to land many clean shots on Linderman. >Menzel pounds away with punches from side control, but doesn't really do a great deal of damage. >Menzel throws a few half-hearted punches as he takes a moment to plan ahead. >Linderman tries to sweep Menzel but can't do it. >We're into the final minute of the round. >Menzel fires off a handful of punches, each easily being blocked with gloves. >Menzel blocks an attempted sweep. >The time runs out on round one. >A tight round, but definitely 10-9 in favour of Menzel. >We are back underway! >Menzel grabs a slow leg kick and goes straight for a takedown, getting it! Linderman manages to pull guard. >Menzel pounds away from the guard with elbows, but Linderman isn't troubled by them. >Linderman tries to get double underhooks on Menzel so that he can get some control, but can't get them. >Menzel tries to pass the guard. >Menzel isn't able to pass guard on this attempt. >Menzel doesn't let Linderman pull him in close to be smothered. >Menzel tries to pass the guard. >He passes, but only to half guard. >Menzel attempts to pass half guard. >He can't quite manage to get past half guard on this attempt. >Linderman tries to sweep Menzel but doesn't get anywhere. >We pass the halfway mark of this round. >Menzel looks to pass half guard and get side control. >Menzel gets past the guard, but doesn't go for side control after all, instead shifting straight into a mount. >Menzel tries to ensare Linderman in an armbar. >The armbar is fully applied, Linderman has no option but to tap out! >The winner, by Submission, is H. M. Menzel! >Official Result: H. M. Menzel defeats 'The Colorado Cobra' Ian Linderman (Submission in 4:24 of round 2). The match was rated as being Decent. FIGHT OVERVIEW: I don’t know what Ian Linderman’s cornerman told him at the end of Round One, but I’m assuming it was something along the lines of, “for the love of God, DON’T let him take you down”. And just like at the start of Round One, “The Colorado Cobra” lasted roughly 10 seconds on his feet. H.M. Menzel, meanwhile, seemed to have this one figured, and he used his pronounced advantage on the ground to ensure he took the minimum amount of damage possible in this fight. Round One saw him struggle to pass Linderman’s guard, but in Round Two, he managed it – and once he had mount, this one was over. A tremendous tactical display from a very talented fighter in H.M. Menzel – but I’m sure Linderman will look back on this fight with more than just a touch of regret that he let himself get caught, twice. He needs to work on his takedown defence, and fast. Main Event Middleweight Fight: Bradley “The Hunter” Dixon (17-9) (CAN) vs. Esteban “The Canuck Killer” Vega (3-0) (MEX) >We are underway! >Vega counters a jab by hitting a solid punch. >Vega scores with a series of quick punches. >Dixon bobs and weaves. >Vega quickly gets in closer, looking to attack. >Vega is looking to turn this into a wrestling match, and is getting in closer to Dixon. >Vega cannot get close enough to the elusive Dixon to grapple. >Vega bobs and weaves. >It seems that Dixon is happy to let Vega circle for the moment. >We move into the second half of this round. >Vega comes in closer, looking to wrestle with Dixon. >Dixon keeps himself moving out of range, not wanting to grapple. >Vega slams a crisp punch into the gloves of Dixon, but can't follow up. >Dixon doesn't press the issue, allowing Vega to circle. >Vega avoids a jab and scores with a crisp punch. >We have one minute of the round remaining. >Vega scores with a jab. >Vega looks like he might be trying to get in close and wrestle with Dixon. >He pulls Dixon into a grapple. >The time is up, and that's the end of round one. >A tight round, but definitely 10-9 in favour of Vega. >And here we go, round two! >Moving in closer, Vega looks like he may want to wrestle Dixon. >Dixon finds himself pulled into a grappling contest. >Vega is aiming to get Dixon into a Muay Thai clinch. >Vega manages it, and now controls Dixon by the back of the head. >Using the clinch, Vega hits a vicious knee to the face! Dixon crumples to the ground, out cold! >The winner, by Knock Out; Esteban Vega! >Official Result: 'The Flying V' Esteban Vega defeats Bradley 'The Hunter' Dixon (Knock Out in 1:15 of round 2). The match was rated as being Good. FIGHT OVERVIEW: Two LIONHEART main events, two brutal knockouts! Esteban Vega picked up where Sutton Ripley left off last month by brutalizing Canadian veteran Bradley Dixon with the second Muay Thai clinch finish of the night. I’m still not sure what Dixon’s strategy was here, but for a wrestler, he didn’t seem very keen on getting close to Vega, and he certainly wasn’t winning the stand up, so how he intended to win, I simply don’t know. What I do know is that this partisan crowd HATED “The Canuck Killer”, and by ‘hated’, I do of course mean they thoroughly enjoyed booing the crap out of him every shot he landed. As you might expect with a nickname as incendiary as his, though, Vega seems to thrive on the attention, and he looked poles apart here. This plucky Mexican rookie, I would bet, is here to stay, and now both Todd D’Abruzzo and Bradley Dixon would attest to his skills in the cage. SHOW-VERVIEW: The company say they take close to $4k on the gate for LIONHEART FC 2: Contenders, and the 260 in attendance (up from last month’s 221) thoroughly enjoyed the show. Esteban Vega may just be one of the most astute acquisitions the company has made so far, and whoever came up with the “Canuck Killer” nickname seems to have hit gold as far as crowd reaction is concerned. The fact that the ring announcer even went and cited his recent victory over Canadian Todd D’Abruzzo in his introduction did nothing but add fuel to the proverbial fire. Bradley Dixon, a solid enough wrestler with 17 wins to his name, did nothing to threaten Vega in any serious sense, and for a guy with only three professional fights prior to this, the Mexican put in an amazing main event performance. He even topped Roy Arnett’s similarly vicious knee-to-the-jaw KO in the fact he only had to throw ONE knee! Speaking of Roy “Trigger” Arnett, he did exactly what he was supposed to do, as did Tuck “The Everlasting” Durdell. Both these young Canadians put away their opponents with decisive first round finishes, and both of them move up to 2-0. Both will require sterner examinations soon, but it’s easy to see why LIONHEART President Jon Butterfield was keen to put them in the cage as soon as possible, because the two of them exhibited a killer instinct not usually found in rookies with just one prior fight on their resume. As for H.M. Menzel, he’ll be forgiven for waking up tomorrow wondering where all the bumps he was supposed to take are, because Linderman managed NOTHING in the way of offense. In fact, this whole show was basically four very one-sided fights, even with a main event and a co-main event very clearly intended to be competitive affairs! LIONHEART 3 will come next month, and apparently there WILL be a title on the line! Stay tuned for all the breaking news as far as that one goes, and I can promise you this – LIONHEART is just getting started! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsatiableInsanity Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 LIONHEART FC 3: Versus The World Concept Announced! March 1, 1999 LIONHEART FC 3 is going to be something a bit different, we were assured today by President Jon Butterfield: “If you saw the reaction Esteban Vega got last week, you’ll have already guessed my next step – LIONHEART FC 3: Versus The World. I’m gonna go out there, I’m gonna find some contenders from all over the globe, and I’m gonna match ‘em up against some of our own guys. I’ve already got one match sorted, but you’re gonna have to wait for that, but I’ll tell you this: it’s gonna crown our first ever LIONHEART FC Welterweight Champion! Not good enough for you? I just spoke to Todd D’Abruzzo’s (5-2) agent, and he’ll be there. Who’s he facing? Wait and see, that’s all I’m saying. But no, it won’t be [Esteban Vega]. Not yet anyway.” Main Event Welterweight Title Fight: TBA vs. TBA Middleweight Fight: Todd D’Abruzzo (5-2) vs. TBA LIONHEART FC 3: Versus The World Gets Some International Flavor! March 8, 1999 It seems LIONHEART FC President Jon Butterfield has been a very busy man, securing the talents of Brazilian duo Grande Silveira (4-0) and Ruy Mendes da Rocha (8-3). Both BJJ practitioners, da Rocha is the better known of the two, and he’s expected to contend the vacant Welterweight Title, whilst Silveira will fight at lightweight. Butterfield said: “Yeah, Ruy Mendes (da Rocha) will fight for the belt. He’s super-talented, I mean I’ve seen some of his fights, and he can tap anyone, literally, any time. He’s probably gonna fight (Zachary) Gilbert (12-6). A lot of our fans kinda think of Gilbert as ‘honorary’ Welterweight Champion after his win over (Nik) Minear, but this is gonna be his chance to ACTUALLY get the gold. Who do I think will win? Well what’s interesting about this is Gilbert’s the wrestler, so he’s gonna wanna be on top, but that’s gonna suit Ruy Mendes down to the ground. He’s BJJ, he’s gonna love fighting off his back. So it’s kinda probably gonna be a case of can Gilbert rock Ruy Mendes and avoid those sub attempts, or is he gonna get caught. That’s like a proper clash of styles, it’s gonna be interesting, man.” About Silveira, Butterfield commented: “Oh yeah, I like this kid too. He’s slick. I mean, he’s had, what, four fights, but I’m not treating him as a rookie, he deserves more respect than that. He’s asking me for someone good, he wants to make an impact, and you know what, if that’s what he wants, I’ll find him someone. Trust me, I’ll find someone, and it’ll happen.” LIONHEART FC 3: Versus The World complete! March 15, 1999 In seven days time we’ll see LIONHEART FC 3: Versus The World. Here’s what’s on tap: Main Event Welterweight Title Fight: Zachary “Manitoba Misery” Gilbert (12-6, 1-0LH) (CAN) vs. Ruy Mendes da Rocha (8-3) (BRA) Middleweight Fight: Todd “The Bruiser” D’Abruzzo (5-2) (CAN) vs. “Young Gun” Owen Hyde (2-0) (CAN) Lightweight Fight: Henry “The King” Baldwin (8-2, 1-0LH) (USA) vs. Grande Silveira (4-0) (BRA) Featherweight DEBUT Fight: “The Prince of Darkness” Beau LuPone (0-0) (CAN) vs. “The Bruiser From Belfast” Liam O’Donnell (5-2) (IRE) Well, Zachary Gilbert will be a very definite crowd favourite in his fight against Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Ruy Mendes da Rocha, but if Esteban Vega is anything to go by, favouritism doesn’t mean a thing! Da Rocha comes in with a bit of fanfare from the BJJ world, and his record is marginally superior to Gilbert’s, but Gilbert picked up something of an upset one in his LIONHEART debut when he basically evaded Minear’s entire offence. That was all it took to ensure Gilbert was in line for a title shot, but you’ve got to wonder how he feels about someone like da Rocha turning up fresh off a plane from Brazil and fighting in Canada for the first time for the gold he had to work his butt off for for 15 minutes! If there is any bad feeling on Gilbert’s part, I’m sure da Rocha will be made quite aware of that very quickly indeed! Todd D’Abruzzo, who had the misfortune of being the first Canadian Esteban Vega ever defeated, tries to get back on track against compatriot kickboxer Owen Hyde. Hyde, a rookie with two wins from two fights, will be keen to test the iron jaw of D’Abruzzo, but WON’T want to test “The Bruiser’s” heavy hands. Henry “The King” Baldwin, a member of Atteveld’s Team Desire camp, made a successful start to his LIONHEART career with a submission win (unsurprisingly) over Urlington Rogers, but now he gets a far stiffer test. Grande Silveira will not be overawed by the prospect of grappling with Baldwin, and this will a fight to determine who has the best jiu-jitsu in the lightweight division. Silveira, who makes his Canadian debut, is said to be supremely talented AND supremely confident, so this really could go to the wire – though if it’s on the mat, it could equally end at any given moment! Elsewhere, Beau LuPone will not only make his debut at the event, but will also be part of the first ever LIONHEART featherweight fight. His opponent, the tough and rugged Irish boxer Liam O’Donnell, is said to pack some power in his fists, and that’s something LuPone needs to avoid if he is to be successful in his first ever fight – though as a talented young kickboxer, I wouldn’t expect to see him running away, but rather throwing down! Be warned: this one COULD be fireworks! Ladies and gentlemen, as always, we will BE THERE, and if you can’t make it, tune in for all the results from LIONHEART FC 3: Versus The World! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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