HILITE: Doing it like Bellator

[TEWFan]

Blurcat.com

 

 

HILITE Fighting Championships open in Arizona

 

 

Former GAMMA match-maker Matt Tripp has opened his own company based in Arizona. The promotion calls itself HILITE Fighting Championships and will begin running events in February 1998.

 

The format for HILITE seems to be unique, as the promotion will run multi-night tournaments to crown their first champion and then hold tournaments to select the first challengers. Even more curious is that the promotions seems to divide itself in "Seasons" like TV shows, even when they don't have a TV deal in place.

 

Matt Tripp commented that the idea is to create a suitable format for TV and they will work this way even when they don't have a TV deal yet.

 

The first season will crown the company's first Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight and Middleweight champions, but there are plans to create more divisions in the future.

 

The first promotional matchups will be announced in the coming days.

[TEWFan]

Blurcat.com

 

 

HILITE announces Heavyweight Draw, matchups for Feb. 16

 

 

A mixture of young talents and veterans compose the initial HILITE roster and 8 of these men will compete to become the first HILITE Heavyweight Champion.

 

 

GAMMA veteran Norman Pike (16-4) has been seeded No. 1 and will battle the No.8 seeded fighter, another former GAMMA veteran Milton Harvey (32-13). The Canadian Pike, who trains at Animal House, will get into the cage against Harvey riding a 4 fight winstreak ever since he was cut from GAMMA after back to back loses. "Right now I am not thinking about going back to GAMMA" said Pike. "I am thinking about becoming the first HILITE Heavyweight Champion and helping this sport grow. We need more places to fight, GAMMA is not the only game in town."

 

Harvey lost his last bout in GAMMA and was cut after putting a 2-5 promotional record. After he was cut he also left his training camp, Slaughterhouse, and is now training by himself. Curiously, Pike and Harvey were supposed to fight each other last year, but a Pike injury stopped that bout from happening.

 

Former GAMMA and ALPHA-1 contender Christopher Sharp (34-12) is HILITE's second seed. His opponent will be Steve Mason (5-0), considered to be one of the best heavyweight prospects in American MMA. However, this will be a big step up in competition. "They call me the best prospect of the Heavyweight Division" said Mason. "But a few years ago, that prospect was Christopher Sharp. I don't know what happened and why he never achieved his full potential, but I hope to do better than him."

 

GAMMA veterans Russel McPhee (16-6) and Stan Blackheath (20-9) will fight each other at the event, with the 4 & 5 matchup going to GAMMA veteran Marvin Stevens (21-10) and once-bright prospect Fletcher Merman (8-2).

 

More matchups will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

HILITE Season 1 Heavyweight Tournament Round 1:

1 Norman Pike (16-4) vs 8 Milton Harvey (32-13)

2 Christopher Sharp (34-12) vs 7 Steve Mason (5-0)

3 Russel McPhee (16-6) vs 6 Stan Blackheath (20-9)

4 Marvin Stevens (21-10) vs Fletcher Merman (7-2)

[TEWFan]

New Matches Added to Feb 16. HILITE

 

 

The Heavyweight Tournament is the big attraction, but three more Heavyweight bouts have been added to the Feb. 16 HILITE card. The show will be officially called "HILITE Season 1 Heavyweight Tournament Round 1" and will take place in Tucson, Arizona.

 

Former professional wrestler turned MMA fighter Sylvester Collins (3-0) will battle veteran journeyman Barry Strachan (24-15) in a 3-round Heavyweight matchup. The power-punching veteran will be Sylvester's biggest test in his young career.

 

Internet sensation street fighter turned MMA competitor Wilson Franklyn (5-1) will also be in action against journeyman Keaton Spratt (7-4). Franklyn will try to bounce back from his first career loss, a Round 2 TKO loss to GAMMA Light Heavyweight contender Mike Watson in a catch-weight bout. After that loss Franklyn was cut from GAMMA and called "a fad" by GAMMA president Lance Decker. "I am not a fad, I am here for the long haul"- said Franklyn. "It is easy to assume that I am a fad because I lost one fight to a more experienced fighter in a weight class that was not my own. HILITE was given me a chance to redeem myself and I will show Decker what I am made off."

 

Prospect Sly Twinge (3-0) will also make his HILITE debut against GAMMA and ALPHA-1 veteran Vincent Chapin (21-14). The former amateur wrestler turned MMA fighter will try to bounce back from a 2-fight losing streak. Twinge, a self-trained grappler, claims that he is already a level above Chapin. "Chapin is already slowing down, while I am just getting started"- stated Twinge. "I am going to be known as a Top 5 Heavyweight fighter pretty soon and Chapin is going to be the first step".

 

 

Bouts added to HILITE Season 1 Heavyweight Tournament Round 1:

 

 

Sly Twinge (3-0) vs Vincent Chapin (21-14)

Sylvester Collins (3-0) vs Barry Strachan (24-15)

Wilson Franklyn (5-1) vs Keaton Spratt (7-4)

[TEWFan]

HILITE Season 1 Heavyweight Tournament Round 1 Results

 

 

Pike Outpoints Harvey

 

In a contest that was closer than expected, Norman Pike (17-4) outpointed fellow GAMMA veteran Milton Harvey (32-14) to move on to the semifinals of HILITE's Heavyweight Tournament in the main event bout. Pike dominated the stand-up game with solid striking, dismantling Harvey during the first round. However, Harvey got a takedown on round 2 and held smothering top control for the duration of the round. Both men looked gassed entering the final round, but Harvey was clearly more tired, keeping his hands low and getting tagged with Pike's highly efficient striking.

 

"It was impossible to remove him from the top" said Pike after the fight. "He outweights me by 30 pounds and I felt it. So that second round was all about survival and preventing him from finishing me. It was not pretty, but I got the win".

 

The three judges scored the bout 29-28 for Pike.

 

Christopher was Sharp against Mason

 

 

In the Co-Main Event, the former golden prospect defeated the current golden prospect to move on to the semis. Christopher Sharp (35-12) used his superior wrestling to obtain mount position and finish Steve Mason (5-1) by TKO in just 3:38 of the first round.

 

Mason landed a couple of powerful head kicks that were partially blocked by Sharp. After that early offense, Sharp quickly took down Mason and worked his way towards a full mount, dropping bombs until the ref stopped the bout. It was a picture perfect sequence in which Mason could do nothing to stop Sharp from gaining positions.

 

"His wrestling game is at another level" said a humbled Mason. "He just took me down like it was nothing and from then on I could not prevent him from advancing. I need to go back and work on that."

 

Sharp on the other hand, was thrilled with his victory. "Kids nowadays" started Sharp, drawing a few chuckles from the press. "they think that because they can land some powerful blows and knock out a few bums that they are the next big thing. I have been there before, but with time you learn that you need a lot more than that. He is young, he will get better. Me? I am going to be the next champion".

 

McPhee finishes Blackheath

 

 

Former bodybuilder turned MMA competitor Russell McPhee(17-6) won his fifth straight bout, a Round 3 TKO of Stan "The Man" Blackheath (20-10). It was the biggest win of McPhee's career, a victory over a former GAMMA contender that should silence his many critics.

 

"They have always said that I made my record with "cans", with guys that are not good fighters. They have argued that I am not commited to MMA, they have told me I have no skill. But I just beat a man that has been in the cage with the best fighters in the world, with James Foster and Raul Hughes and Tim Boyer. I wonder what they will say about that?"

 

It was not easy. After a close first round that was spent on their feet, Blackheath took down McPhee in the second round and almost finished him with ground and pound. McPhee's left eye was swollen and his cheeks were puffed at the end of the round. It didnt help that he looked gassed. In other words, he was done.

 

Not so fast.

 

McPhee opened the final round with a nice combination of punches that stung Blackheath and forced him to backpedal. Stan "The Man" went for a takedown, but it was stuffed. In the ensuing clinch, McPhee managed to trip Blackheath and quickly worked into a mount. From there, McPhee's ground and pound finished the fight as the ref stopped it when Blackheath failed to defend himself.

 

"When the second round ended my corner told me to just throw everything I had left at him. I admit it, I was tired. I have to work more on my cardio. But I landed some shots and he felt them. He went for the takedown because he knew he was in trouble and luckily I anticipated the move and set my feet in place."

 

 

 

Stevens Outpoints Merman

 

 

Former GAMMA contender Marvin Stevens (22-10) outpointed Fletcher Merman (7-3) in a largely uneventful contest to move to the semifinals of the HILITE Heavyweight Tournament. Stevens used his bulk to smother Merman for most of the fight, leading to more than a few boo's along the way.

 

"I just did what I felt I had to do to win this fight. It was a strategy and it worked. He was done by the third round, tired of trying to get me off him and that was my chance to finish him. But he is a tough SOB, he lasted until the end"- said Stevens.

 

 

Twinge pounds Chapin

 

 

Sly Twinge (4-0) added another win to his record. One of the heavyweight division's fast rising prospects, Twinge needed only 2:36 to end Vincent Chapin (21-15).

 

A brutal uppercut connected with Chapin's jaw, sending him down to the ground where Twinge followed with blows. The ref inmediately stopped the bout as Chapin's nose was busted open and he was also cut under the left eye.

 

"That's how you make a statement" said Twinge. "I think that there's a lot of old guys in that tournament and some of us, the younger generation got snubbed. Well, if there is a second tournament I better be in it. Line then up guys and let me chop them down".

 

Collins flattens Strachan

 

 

The prospect finished the veteran in one round. That seemed to be the theme that Sylvester Collins (4-0) set when he clearly dominated Barry Strachan (24-16) by TKO in just 1:36.

 

Collins was fast and efficient in his approach. He ducked under a couple of blows, pushed Strachan to the cage and then slammed him to the ground with the force of a professional wrestler. He then quickly found his way around the bulky Strachan, got a rare Crucifix position and pounded Strachan's head with blows until the ref stopped the bout.

 

"I have being practicing that" said Collins about the Crucifix "It's something that you can't rely on, but it comes in handy when you can get it. The man weights a ton, but I didnt feel it when I slammed him down and I think I knocked the air out of him. He didnt offer much resistance after that".

 

Franklyn KO's Spratt

 

 

In another quick bout, Wilson Franklyn (6-1) knocked out Keaton Spratt (7-5) in just 1:09 after a series of punches to the head culminated with a powerful right hook to the chin. Spratt's legs melted under the force of the blow and he fell down face first.

 

"If there is something I can do is punch" said the former street fighter and internet sensation. "I expected him to try something different, but if he wants to stand and bang, well, it was his choice. Now he see's the mistake he made."

 

 

 

 

*EDIT* I had an issue with the save file and had to restart. Luckily, most of the fights ended the same way, but two of them changed, which is why I altered the write-ups. Next up, the first round of the LHW and MW tournaments.

[majesty95]

Interesting! I'm following!

[Paatero]

This seems like a start of a quality dynasty. It's been inactive here lately, I'll surely follow. All the while trying to come up with an idea for one of my own .

[Rebby]

The descriptions are great, but your dialogue is really flat. You'd do well to include accents, foreign languages, slang and emphasis in your speaking. I don't want to preach too much, because you didn't ASK for critism, but I'd be happy to provide examples of what I mean.

 

Anyway, it DOES look like an awesome start. Your description is great, your creative knowledge is on-point and the format is very interesting, to the point that I'm tempted to do one myself in a game.

[TEWFan]

HILITE's Light Heavyweight Brackets Revealed, Dated

 

 

HILITE Fighting Championship revealed the brackets and dates for the first round of their Light Heavyweight Tournament.

 

 

The HILITE Season 1 Light Heavyweight Tournament Round 1 event will be held in Tucson, Arizona and will take place on March 12th, 1998. The eight man bracket willl see the #1 seed, Trevor Murray (21-11) taking on fast-rising prospect Rupert Dreck (4-0). The GAMMA and ALPHA-1 veteran Murray has seen better days, having lost 4 straight bouts, which led to his release from ALPHA-1.

 

Veterans Glen Pimm (30-11) and Petey Barnum (21-13) will face off in the 2 vs 7 matchup. Both men have competed all over the world, including GAMMA and ALPHA-1. It will be an interesting clash of styles between former Pro Boxer Barnum and former Illinois University wrestling standout Pimm.

 

Pete Shilton (6-2), a former ALPHA-1 contender that was cut after back to back losses, will meet undefeated prospect Jon Silvers (6-0) in the 3 vs 6 matchup. Known for his dangerous hands, Shilton will meet one of the brighest North American prospects in the Light Heavyweight division, a former Golden Gloves amateur boxer in a fight that promises fireworks.

 

The final matchup in the first round will see two undefeated prospects fight each other. It will be the fight for New Jersey as Jerry Bognodovich (5-0) will face fellow Jersey City resident Terry Catt (4-0). Catt, a wrestling standout from St. John's University will test his chin against the dynamite street brawler Bognodovich.

 

However, Matt Tripp said that Terry Catt wasnt the first choice. "We had signed former GAMMA contender Jethro Munter (11-6) to compete in the tournament, but he got injured in his last fight and won't be ready in time". Munter defeated Milton Paris in a local show in New York by 2nd round TKO, but injured his elbow in the fight.

 

HILITE Season 1 Light Heavyweight Tournament Card:

 

1 Trevor Murray (21-11) vs 8 Rupert Dreck (4-0)

2 Glen Pimm (30-11) vs 7 Petey Barnum (21-13)

3 Pete Shilton (6-2) vs 6 Jon Silvers (6-0)

4 Jerry Bognodovich (5-0) vs 5 Terry Catt (4-0)

[zackufc]

This is a good start and at first i thought Bellator was a strange promotion but the tournament idea is pretty cool and I learned to like the promotion. I shall be reading.