Watching The World Go By

Jaded · January 23, 2018

I really enjoy watcher games, and wanted to try another dynasty doing one. I'm not planning on getting things going properly until next week because I'm waiting for the full game, but since I'm assuming the database won't change much I figured I'd get things started with a preview of each fed.

Any thoughts on format/things to change/free agents to keep an eye on would be much appreciated.

The general idea after the fed previews will be to do a monthly round-up of the biggest news etc, main events and title changes, and pick one company each month to look at in detail, with predictions for their event and a more detailed recap of it.

ALPHA-1 (Low Level National, Credibility 75%, Stability 75%, ranked #1)

Divisions/Champions

Super Heavyweight – Palmer Lette

Heavyweight – Hassan Fezzik

Light Heavyweight – Jin Katou

Middleweight – Joaquim Fontes

Welterweight – Noach Van Der Capellan

Lightweight – Sukarno

Best Division – Light-Heavyweight

The Light-Heavyweight division features champion Jin Katou (22-1), an accomplished kick boxer who’s the current Fighter of the Year. 2nd in the rankings is Affonso Villar, the Brazilian ex-FLB star whose explosive debut saw him destroy Tadamasa Yamada and get the Knock Out of the year for 2001. 3rd place is Zvonimir Asanovic, the Croatian Sensation, with a 10-3 record in the company, all 3 losses coming in his challenges for the Light Heavyweight title. Behind him, Yamada himself (23-4) is trying to get back to winning ways after 2 losses to Jin Katou and that stoppage by Villar, with numerous observers suggesting the jiu jitsu master’s is struggling mentally after those three losses in his last five bouts. Ranked 5th, Yamada’s Dragon’s Lair team-mate Sho Kitabatake had his 18-0 unbeaten streak halted by Katou in November of last year, being knocked out in round 4 of a brutal contest. Rounding out the top 6, Dutch kick-boxer Rafael Van Der Moot is 14-0, following up a somewhat disappointing debut victory over Yoritomo Ina with a 191 second demolition of Roberto Aldez in a stunning bout.

Hot prospects in the division include Washi Shiganori (9-0), a 27-year-old kick boxer who has 2 victories since signing for ALPHA-1, Takeshi Yanagimoto (9-0) whose rear naked choke has made 7 of his 9 opponents so far in his career tap out, including Tsurumatsu Inoue and Yoritomo Ina, and Sharaku Kon (7-0), the division’s most recent signing who is eagerly anticipating his debut fight, claiming he’ll show the world that the Snake Temple camp he trains with develops its talent far better than rivals the Tiger Claw Academy could ever hope to.

Other Divisions

The world’s top Super Heavyweight Palmer Lette (24-6-2-2NC) sits back on top of the division after losing and regaining the belt in his two outings in 2001, against Taroemon Abukara. Chasing him are the Egyptian they call Doctor Death, Ali Shivari (11-0) whose 3 first round submission wins have catapulted him into the #2 spot in the rankings, and ex-FLB star Renato (8-0), who has bulked up since the South American federation collapsed and whose ALPHA-1 debut saw him beat Yoshikazu Inamoto via submission.

At Heavyweight, Hassan Fezzik (29-1) regained his belt from Terron Cabal (17-1) early in 2001, avenging his only pro loss to date, and went onto defeat Hiro Arai (21-5) later in the year. Armen Sarkisian (29-4) is ranked #2 but a combination of his GP loss to Arai and his famously boring matches make some observers wonder if he’s likely to get his long-awaited shot any time soon, or whether it’ll be passed over in favour of a third Fezzik/Cabal bout or the last ever FLB Heavyweight champion Murilo Satinho (12-0) getting a chance to take the gold, after a decision victory over Ari Peltonen in his debut. Fezzik’s compatriot Lefter Oktay (16-1) at one point looked likely to be rushed into the title picture when he signed from SIGMA, but was somewhat surprisingly handed his first defeat in a frustrating match (both for him AND the viewers) against Sarkisian.

The Middleweight division is dominated by another ex-FLB champion, Joaquim Fontes (27-3) picking up where he left off in his old federation by beating Carlos da Guia (19-1) via TKO to take the belt on his debut in Japan. The Muay Thai expert da Guia has been making lots of pointed comments on social media about people just turning up and immediately being given a shot, and it would be no surprise to see a quick rematch between the pair. The duo’s compatriot Thais Antonio Taffarel (20-4) is also rising up the rankings after a debut victory over Bambang Sriyanto, while the #9 world-ranked Heiji Endo (16-2) is jostling for a shot having won both his bouts since he challenged da Guia unsuccessfully a couple of years ago.

At Welterweight, Noach Van Der Capellan (29-3), teammate of Fezzik and Oktay in the legendary Mantas Andreyas fighting team, had a great year with victories over Chew Chua and Fukusaburu Hirano taking just 74 and 194 seconds respectively. Former two-time champion Ichisake Miyagi (27-4), the Devil in Blue, has never received a rematch against Noach and has been vocal recently about feeling it’s time for one. Xie Ming (26-7), the veteran Chinese striker, has risen to #3 in the rankings and could potentially benefit from advice from Dojo of Zui Quan teammate Chua on what NOT to do against the current champion, at least. Positioning themselves for a future shot are a whole host of up and comers, including the unbeaten Konosuke Shirahata (10-0), Bussho Maruyama (7-0) and Eiji Masuko (7-0).

Finally, in the Lightweight division, the long-awaited rematch between former KDM FC stars Atep of Indonesia (14-1), #1 contender, and Sukarno (30-0), reigning champion and the only man ever to have beaten him, looks like it should be booked soon. Kickboxer Naizen Hamacho (13-1) is likely to take on the winner of that one, while former champion Go Yamamoto (28-10) looks to bounce back at the age of 36 after a brutal demolition by then-interim title-holder Sukarno saw him lose the belt.

Jaded · January 25, 2018

GAMMA (Low Level National, 75% credibility, 75% stability, ranked #2)

Divisions/champions

Super Heavyweight – George Pickering

Heavyweight – James Foster

Light Heavyweight – Mike Watson

Middleweight – Matthew Dean

Welterweight – Julio Regueiro

Lightweight – Jake Keane

Best Division – Welterweight

#2 ranked in the world, “Spanish Silk” Julio Regueiro (25-1) just regained the GAMMA Welterweight belt, beating Gabriel Gallego (20-5). The accomplished jiu jitsu practitioner has made it clear that he’d be happy to give Gallego a rematch, or to take on #4 ranked Bobby Brubaker (15-4), the tae kwondo expert whose explosive punch shockingly handed Regueiro his only career loss to date. Brubaker dropped the belt to Gallego in his first defense, but bounced back to beat Rufus Stephens next time out. Ahead of both Brubaker and Gallego in the rankings, though, and surely the favourite for the next title shot, is unbeaten Muay Thai/BJJ expert Manuel Silva (19-0). “The Prodigy” was arguably the star jewel of the now-defunct FLB and his move to GAMMA was only possible when the American fed beat out ALPHA-1 in a fierce bidding war, with the American fed offering him nearly $30,000 a fight and a massive 75% win bonus. Two veterans make up the top 6, Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) of Russia who put an end to a three-match losing streak by beating Jack Humphreys in May, and Hawaiian Darin Blood (16-6), who came back from a two year layoff (after losing his last title shot) to beat Callum Henson and Nathan Chambers.

Hot Welterweight prospects include Delroy Rhodes (12-0), the Fight Night Delight, who recently made his debut and gained a Unanimous Decision over Cooper Richardson, and Diego Arteta (8-0). The latter is a staggeringly powerful Mexican kickboxer whose first match in the fed saw him brutalize the previously unbeaten Felix Mattherson Jr, wiping him out with a huge right. Meanwhile former champion Nathan Chambers (18-4), Black Superman, has lost his way recently – he lost 2 out of 3 against Rufus Stephens before being stopped with surprising ease by Blood.

Other Stories:

In the Super Heavyweight division, George Pickering (10-0) has recovered from his unexpected quarter-finals loss in the first Clash of the Titans to go on to have a career which has been significantly better than those of Terry Shakespeare, who beat him, and eventual winner Davey Rushton. The Welsh submission wrestler is a dominant champion. Like Pickering, Hanley Polter (7-0) hasn’t let his COTT quarter-final loss hold him back; the Australian is a popular figure and after grinding out a couple of decision victories since the show ended, his recent submission win over Randolph Gilliver has pushed him to the number 1 contender spot. Boxer Kei Ryan (7-0) was on fire at one point after an upset win over Norbert Vinkus, but has been taken to the limit in his past two matches, both of which were decision victories. He’s currently visiting Rick Stanley’s Bear Pit team and will be hoping that the Philly fan favourite can pass on enough of his knowledge to get the bigger man back into the title picture.

James Foster (37-4-1) continues to dominate the Heavyweight division, most recently claiming his 10th straight GAMMA victory with a successful defense against Raul Hughes. Since winning the belt over 6 years ago in his 2nd match in the company, the King of Ground and Pound has been unstoppable, and GAMMA may be running out of decent challengers for him. Tim Boyer (27-5-2) is ranked #2 but seems unlikely to get a shot soon as the Canadian has twice been outclassed by the current champion, and his recent decision victory over Duke Aiona did little to impress. Slugger Tony McCall (35-12) edged out Gladstone Lopes recently in a split decision to rise to #3, which has probably stopped Lopes (16-2-1) from being in the title picture in the near future, after Lopes himself put a spanner in the huge plans for Rav Kapur (11-1) by handing the former BCF champion his first ever loss. One to keep an eye out for is Sam Hoynes (8-0); the second ever winner of the Clash of the Titans show impressed on TV with both his wrestling skills and his positive attitude, and training with Halvorsen’s is only going to see him improve.

The Light Heavyweight gold finally ended up in the hands of Mike Watson (14-1) when the Calgary Assassin beat Marlon John (14-2) with a second round knock-out in July. World calibre wrestler John doesn’t tend to talk much, but Impact MMA teammates have said that he is training hard in the hope of a rematch soon. Before that, Watson may have to deal with Spencer Rubinstein (18-5), who looked massively impressive in a 79 second demolition of Junior Patinkin recently – although he did little to endear himself to fans OR fellow competitors by landing several hard shots once the bout was over. Still, the Reaper is thought by many to have been robbed of the title when he lost it in a controversial split decision to Lawrence Herringbone, and looks like he is front of the queue for another shot. Recent signing Terry Catt (11-0) has built an incredible record on the indie scene and while it’s early to describe him as a future champion, the wrestler’s debut match will certainly be watched with interest by many.

‘The Anarchist’ Matthew Dean (38-5) sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings as the best not just in GAMMA, but in the world. Undefeated in the last seven and a half years since making his GAMMA debut in the company’s first ever event, he’s proven to be a remarkable Middleweight champion. Braulio Moura (25-3-1 NC) took Dean to the limit in May but the former FLB title-holder was unable to get his hands on the gold, losing a unanimous decision. Tora Mizwar (24-7) is potentially well placed for a shot next, having gone 3-0 since losing to Adam ‘Blitz’ White (12-0) a year and a half ago. The Indonesian is also one of the only two Asian stars in GAMMA (along with Brandon Sugar, born in the Phillippines) and a title match for him may be seen as a sign that the US fed are ready to send a warning shot to ALPHA-1 that they’re not content to stay in North America. White himself would almost certainly have earned a shot with his 5-0 record in the fed if he’d actually managed to finish a couple of the matches rather than constantly grinding out decision victories. Neil Napier’s (18-2) three-year quest for a second shot at Dean seems to have taken a major hit due to his surprise loss to Osmosis Benn (19-2) back in March, while Benn’s own attempt to win the belt saw him tap out to Dean’s rear naked choke for a second time.

At Lightweight, Jake Keane (27-4) won the GAMMA title in his 3rd match in the company, getting a unanimous decision victory over Brandon Sugar (29-5). Jiu jitsu black belt Sugar is gunning for a rematch, but Keane is likely to have to defend first against either Russian star Fiyero Lermontov (18-0) whose unstoppable rise continued in November with a decision victory over former champion Sean Morrison (30-6), or ex-FLB champion Helio (19-1-1) who showcased his brutal leg kicks in a debut win over Bruce Steven (29-3). Lower down the rankings, Helio’s fellow former FLB competitor Tarcisio Dantas (8-0) looked good in a dominant first round victory over Gerardo Diez in his first match in GAMMA.

aya_ · January 25, 2018

Good read. I have been tweaking a database so I haven't gotten a chance to look at the new C-verse in detail, reading this is a good overview of the changes.

Jaded · January 26, 2018

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="aya_" data-cite="aya_" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="44633" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Good read. I have been tweaking a database so I haven't gotten a chance to look at the new C-verse in detail, reading this is a good overview of the changes.</div></blockquote> Thanks aya, glad you're enjoying! BCF (High Level Regional, 75% credibility, 75% stability, ranked #2) Divisions (belt prestige)/champions Heavyweight (60%) – Carter Potter Light Heavyweight (73%) – Lenny McFadden Middleweight (65%) – Rob Baines Welterweight (76%) – David Webb Lightweight (58%) – Doug Hansen Best Division – Light Heavyweight A year after losing to Curt Kitson in his first title shot, Lenny McFadden (14-1) finally took the belt last month with a win against Garry McSwegan (23-10) to capture the vacant title after Kitson headed to ALPHA-1. However there’s an undefeated quartet of stars gunning for the gold. Tikhov Diev (11-0) retired George Laurent with a decision victory in April, and is a threat whenever he can get his feared D’Arce Choke on. British fans are high on the Russian, who’s spent his entire career in the company, and a title shot for him would be both deserved and popular. Swiss star Fabian Schar (10-0) impressed with a debut victory over Mick Curran and the 22-year-old all-rounder could have a great career ahead of him. London Kick Boxing Academy team member Danny Akabaro (9-0) trains with big names like Rav Kapur, Stafford Alois and Terron Cabal, and the Nigerian ‘Pretty Boy’ claims to be confident his career can be just as good as those three’s. Matthew Michael Kirby (8-0) – another Scot – follows the lead of Heavyweight champion Carter Potter by affecting a much more arrogant persona in public than in private; despite this the boxer is building up a good fanbase with his trademark explosive starts to fights and having won his first 2 matches looks like a decent shout for a title fight soon even in a division this crammed with talent. Further down the card the big hitter from Oldham, Crow Leddy (7-1) is rebuilding after a surprise loss to Adrian Majoram in 1998, with 4 wins in a row since that bout. Danko Jelavic (7-0), personally recommended to BCF by his trainer the legendary Mantas Andreyev, beat Majoram on his debut in a split decision, and 20-year-old rookie wrestler Stef Lomb (4-0) has made the move from Dusseldorf to London and looked good in his first fight, beating Connor Houghton with a first round TKO. Other Stories: New Zealand boxer/jiu jitsu expert Carter Potter (21-4) has been the Heavyweight champion since September 2000, and the jewel in BCF’s crown for most of that time. Out of the public eye, he’s a friendly guy who’s much-liked by potential opponents; when the spotlight falls on him he turns into a sneering braggart who fans are hoping to see get knocked out every time he sets foot in the cage. Vic Millican and Stafford Alois (28-11) found out that overwhelming support from the crowd means little, though, against a competitor of Potter’s ability. Former champion Alois is somehow still ranked #2 despite following up his losing title shot with a defeat by Dave Lennon, but realistically time seems up for the hard-hitting kick boxer. Fritz Phipps’s (9-1) decision victory over Eddie Whelan, and 94-second stoppage of Reynolds Baer, have potentially put him in the title picture. Lower down the rankings, Middleweight champion Rob Baines persuaded his student Tyke Milligan (8-0) to take a sabbatical from his career as a fire fighter and turn pro; Milligan won his debut match but the victory over Linton Renn was so boring that few fans are currently thankful to Baines. London judoka Quentin Beecraft (8-0) and Potter’s compatriot Morgan Wakarewarewa (5-0) signed recently and await their debuts. Rob Baines (33-11) finally won the Middleweight title, using his deadly rear naked choke to defeat Davis Spyrou (20-7) then beating Hans-Peter Schneider (17-8) in his first defense with a stunning heel hook. Another guy who’s been around for many years is Henning Olsen (18-7); the Danish kick boxer they call The Terminator will be hoping to follow in Baines’s footsteps having finally made it to the title picture after 11 matches, going 8-3, in BCF. Glaswegian Ginger Beaumont (9-0) was handed a spot in the semi-main of McSweegan vs McFadden II, which took place in his home city, and didn’t disappoint. His 7th straight BCF victory came in the second round with a brutal right hook which left Ram Phookan seeing stars, the crowd jubilant, and Beaumont taking home the Knock-Out of the Night bonus. Just behind Spyrou, Schneider and Phookan in the rankings, unbeaten duo Ivor Orr (8-0), an Irish catch wrestler, and Londoner Ollie Castle (8-0) who exploded into the fed with a stunning uppercut victory over Wayne McKellen, will like their chance of a shot in the next year or two. Baines’s team-mate David Webb (19-5) is never going to win any awards for excitement, but on the other hand he rarely loses matches, being happy to grind out decisions. It’s a strategy that’s paid off – he’s gone 7-3 in BCF and last time out, regained the Welterweight belt, defeating Mills Mullally (19-6). After a shock victory over Will Kane, Mullally will be disappointed to have lost the title in his first defense, while the BCF suits are likely to be frustrated that the explosive Irish boxer dropped it given he’s capable of far more thrilling matches than the new champion. A rematch seems likely, especially as #3 ranked Vikram Sithalayan (16-4) is 1-2 against Webb, the leglock specialist never quite managing to get one locked on in two of those bouts. Timothy Latchkey (10-1) had a breakout year in 2001 and wins over Mikey Wallace and Robert Darrell have put him firmly in the title picture, At Lightweight, Doug Hansen (20-5) made an immediate impact after dropping from Welterweight to the division, unseating Seth O’Breen in O’Breen’s last fight before moving to GAMMA. Next up for a shot is likely to be an unbeaten competitor – possibly Coventry kickboxer ‘Mr T’ Tim Oldacres (9-0), maybe Gregory O’Hara (10-0) whose recent spell training at London Kick Boxing Academy has raised his already impressive game, or even O’Hara’s camp mate Rupert Lennox (9-0), the former English Muay Thai national champion who has made the transition to MMA look easy.

Jaded · January 27, 2018

Will go back to posting fed previews tomorrow, but as a break I'm taking a look at some unemployed fighters.

Spotlight on:

We’re going to be highlighting some of the top free agents in the world today in this section, then taking a look back in 12 months’ time to see how their careers are panning out!

It’s no surprise that several of the highest-ranked of the men are ex-FLB stars. At 35, Mario de Souza (24-9) has an impressive record. The jiu jitsu star’s best days are behind him, perhaps, but it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see him get one last run in a ‘name’ fed. Light Heavyweight Pedro Sousa (21-5) is currently training with House of Pain and teammates there say he’s focusing on moving away from South America, potentially to seek employment with either SIGMA or BCF. The man they call Homicide has lost a step in recent years, but the vale tudo fighter is still dangerous. Also likely to be hoping to find a place in one of those 2 organisations, Procopio ‘Porco’ Gollas (16-6) went 5-1 in FLB before its closure, winning submission of the night last time out by forcing Hamilton Foncesca Junior to tap to his rear naked choke.

Moving away from Brazil, Leon Banks (32-15) is looking to bounce back from a disappointing few years. The veteran brawler dropped weight to move to the Light Heavyweight division in GAMMA but things didn’t go to plan, with him being cut after a brutal first round TKO by Guillermo Morales at GAMMA 45. Currently looking for both a new federation and a new training camp, his experience should see him find both at some point, even if the numerous hard head shots he’s taken over his career would suggest it may be time to start thinking about retirement. 33-year-old Trinidadian Collins Lundie (14-5) is in a similar position (although without Banks’s advantage of time in the spotlight, having never found his way to a major federation) – the boxer is a notoriously slow starter, but if he can survive takedown attempts from opponents is an accomplished striker who can duck, weave, and land some heavy shots. At the opposite side of his career to the previous two, Mexican middleweight Joey ‘Hands’ Valdez (10-0), trained by the famous coach Oscar Ortega, is hoping to finally make the step up from local shows and is a hard enough hitter that he could cause problems wherever he ends up.

29-year-old wrestler Matsudaira Saitoh (10-2) is looking to make a name for himself at Welterweight, although there are questions as to whether his gameplan of frustrating opponents by locking on a clinch as soon as possible and holding onto it for dear life is likely to endear him to fans hoping for more action. Fellow Asian welterweight Jonathan Huang (10-0), a legendary jiu jitsu fighter who has surprisingly popped up at local MMA shows over the last 5 or 6 years and always looked hugely impressive, is rumoured to have a deal nearly confirmed to compete on a much bigger stage. Another welterweight who is aiming ton make it to the big time is Vjekoslav Sarich (7-0). The 30-year-old served five years in prison for a violent assault but says his Cro Con nickname isn’t a sign that he’s glorifying his criminal background – rather that he’s turning his life around from an unpromising start, saying the discipline he found through MMA since his release at the age of 27 has helped him control his temper and find inner peace. (You could argue the last three guys who found themselves beaten senseless by the Split fighter aren’t likely to care that much about whether he’s found peace or not, but maybe it makes the fans feel better about cheering him?)

Taking a look at the top women currently unsigned, it’s clear that Indian karate fighter Daljit Samir (10-0) is one of the best prospects in the world of any gender. She has a perfect record on the European indie scene, and will surely be looking to step up to better competition soon. Over in Japan, flyweight Kochiyo Chikamatsu (9-0) has a stunning record of 9 fights, 9 first round stoppages. The judoka has proven far too good for anyone she’s taken on, locking on an armbar with ease in 7 of those fights for quick submissions, and getting TKOs in the other pair. Another hot prospect who’s never been taken to the end of a fight, Leona ‘Dizzy’ Deschanel (7-0) has a fairly simple game plan of “take opponent down, punch hard in face, rinse, repeat” which nevertheless has proven impossible to defend against so far. WEFF stars April Watson and Hester Maclean are apparently big fans of their Dungeon LA teammate and a move to WEFF’s Bantamweight division definitely wouldn’t be a surprise.

Japanese star Kyoko Junna (8-1) has regrouped since her only career loss, joining Team Lotus whose focus on the mental side of MMA has seen her get much better at planning for opponents. The Thai boxer still often seems to take too long to find her feet in matches, but once she gets through the first round is generally too good a striker to stand and bang with, and invariably lands enough shots to impress the judges. German striker Henrietta Stein (7-1) is often derided as someone who has a poor technique, but few of her critics would even dream of saying that to her face. She is hugely dangerous because of the explosive power in her right hand, having been losing several fights badly over the previous couple of years only to hit a massive right hook or uppercut to leave the opponent who was dominating her suddenly seeing stars. Canadian bantamweight Beckie Dexter (2-4) is someone else who loves to stand and brawl, but who has had limited success, being recently cut from WEFF after a quick first-round loss to Rain Richards – she’s looking for a team to join to help her rebuild her career; could there be a fairy-tale comeback story lined up?

Jaded · January 28, 2018

SIGMA (Mid Level Regional, 75% credibility, 75% stability, ranked #4)

Divisions (belt prestige)/champions

Heavyweight (74%) – Aleksander Ivanov

Light Heavyweight (83%) – Niko Soldo

Middleweight (80%) – Oleg Tariverdiev

Welterweight (71%) – Alberto Basora

Lightweight (72%) – Luis Basora

Featherweight (72%) – Lars Bohlin

Best Division – Light Heavyweight

Champion Niko Soldo (19-2-1) continues to dominate, getting the 2-1 lead in his trilogy of fights with Matti Kurri (10-2-1) after knocking out the Finn with a brutal 3rd round head kick. Former champion Kurri is an accomplished wrestler who’s always dangerous, but having lost 2 in a row to the Croatian champion may have to wait a while to be back in the title picture. 27-year-old Russian Valentine Taneyev (11-0) has been on a four-year tear through the division and after seven straight wins in SIGMA it surely has to mean that he’ll be getting a shot soon. Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6) was Taneyev’s last victim, although he took him to a decision – even Soldo couldn’t stop the Scourge of Europe without going to the judges. 32-year-old Aussie Shane ‘The Butcher’ Gilchrist (16-6) has slipped down the rankings over recent years, but the wrestler is always a threat. Since signing just over two years ago, the Swede Dag ‘The Viking’ Krueger (9-0) has constantly impressed, with 4 wins out of 4, and may be nearing the title picture.

Adding to an already impressive division, SIGMA made three signings in the last month or two. Chilean Muay Thai specialist Sebastian Pardo (5-0) has an impressive record at a young age, even if he hasn’t taken on particularly good competition yet. Serbian striker Franjo Topic (4-0) is unpredictable both in and out of the ring; his opponents so far have found his hard-hitting style too much to deal with. And German star Otto Witzke (4-0), another 19-year-old Muay Thai fighter, has 4 brutal knockouts to his name in as many bouts, with 3 coming in the first few minutes of the opening round.

Other stories:

At Heavyweight, Aleksander Ivanov (11-1) rules the roost again, defeating Mugur Boc (10-2) with a massive knock out punch to reclaim the title left vacant when Lefter Oktay headed to ALPHA-1. Moldovan submission specialist Boc came up short in that fight, but will hope for an eventual rematch, and is said to be looking for a team to help him prepare. Veteran – and former champion – Grzegorz Boniek (36-6) may be heading for retirement soon, but ranked #2 could potentially get one last shot before he leaves. The Croat Stjepan Andric (16-7) is recovering from a mixed start in SIGMA and wants to build on big victories over Boniek and Stratos Papaioannou. Rising star Jacco Landeweerd (9-0) is constantly underestimated by the bookmakers, having been the underdog in all 4 bouts he’s fought in the division so far, but taking home the victory in each and every one – perhaps most impressively against Stanislaw Lipnicki.

Russian middleweight Oleg Tariverdiev (10-2) is on top of the division, recently squeaking out Jaromir Grygera (21-6) to take the belt. The jiu jitsu star is a great submissions specialist, but wrestler Grygera is known for his excellent game plans, and with all 3 judges calling in 48-47, he looks like he should be quickly back in contention to try and gain his third reign with the title. Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) is 3rd in the list of the most wins all-time in MMA, and the highest active competitor. The all-rounder from Euro Team Thunder shows no signs of slowing down, despite his age. Striker Enzio Gnochhi (8-2), who many thought might be in some danger of being cut after 2 successive losses, bounced back by brutalising hot prospect Omar Calvert; the English kick boxer finding the step up from the indie scene too much to handle.

Alberto Basora (22-8) beat Kenneth Toadspew (14-3) to step out of younger brother Luis’s shadow and taste gold for the first time. Apparently the brothers – and Euro Team Thunder co-founders – have a friendly bet riding on who can hold onto their title for the longest period. Alberto may have the slightly easier ride when it comes to competition – top contender Jens Halle (18-3) trains at ETT and isn’t quite on Basora’s level, despite being a skilled striker. Toadspew (who’s another ETT member) had shockingly boring fights in his last two outings, which may work against his chances of getting a quick rematch. And the Russian veteran Evgeni Medtner (24-7), the division’s first ever champion, has perhaps lost a step, with his 31 fights in an 11 year career having taken their toll on his legs, in particular. The division looks in need of new talent, although it was still a surprise when Walter May (20-8) was tempted out of retirement after spending 5 years living with Buddhist monks! May’s debut will be eagerly anticipated by people who are fascinated by his story.

At Lightweight, Luis Basora (23-5) is a more popular figure than his elder brother, and an elite judoka whose only two losses in SIGMA come to the now-departed Fiyero Lermontov. He’s taken victories over 3 of the 4 men immediately behind him in the rankings – BJJ specialist Lukas Mellberg (19-5), Greek grappling master Georges Nouri (13-3) and German ground and pounder Lucas Mueller (9-4). Unlike his brother, though, he has several up and coming prospects gunning for him. Wrestler Patrik Pederson exploded onto the scene six months ago with a knock out of the night/fight of the night win over Maurice Braudel, following that victory with an impressive decision defeat of Milenko Rudonja in September. Wrestler Johan Kavli (4-0) has won both his bouts so far in the federation in pretty commanding fashion. Finally, Spanish kick boxer Xavi Castillejo (8-0) has built up a great record on the local scene, and recently signed for SIGMA.

Veteran Featherweight Lars Bohlin (52-7) beat Snorri Gunnarsson (24-6-1-2 NC) in a split decision early in 2001 to take the belt for the second time, then defended successfully against the Icelandic grappler last month in a rematch, third in their trilogy. Both fights were rather boring, and SIGMA fans will be hoping for more action when Jason Dalglish (21-5) gets what looks like an inevitable second shot at the champion. Wild brawler Fernando Perragon (13-3) is the highest ranked in the division yet to be given a title shot, and a win over Manish Khan via first round TKO last time out may have placed him near the top of the list of contenders – even if Khan has made it known that he feels the bout was stopped far too early, just three seconds before the end of round one. Portugese BJJ prodigy Nuno Valentino (7-0) was rumoured to be in SIGMA’s sights from within a few months of his career starting; he finally made it there in October and a quick submission victory over Milovan Ajetovic got him off to an impressive start.

Cyclops · January 28, 2018

These are great! Well written and informative. keep it up!

Sco xY2Jx · January 28, 2018

I'm enjoying this. I was planning on potentially doing something similar but I'm enjoying yours.

I might run mine as well just to see how differently the games pan out.

Very well written and informative. Keep it going.

Jaded · January 30, 2018

Thanks for the kind words, both. Sco, would love to read yours if you did something along these lines!

WEFF (Mid Level Regional, Canada, 75% credibility, 75% stability, ranked #5)

Divisions (belt prestige)/champions

Featherweight (39%) – Hope Lehane

Bantamweight (48%) – Sarah Vaughan

Flyweight (40%) – Daniela Sadorra

Best divison – Bantamweight

Champion Sarah Vaughan (13-2) traded the title with Pamela O’Neill (12-1) in 2001, losing via TKO in June but regaining it just 4 months later with a savage rear naked choke first round submission to inflict O’Neill’s only career loss to date. The Arizona Animal, ranked #1 in the world at this weight and #2 pound for pound, is an accomplished wrestler who seems to be able to escape from even the deadliest holds. O’Neill’s 10-1 record in the fed should ensure the third match in this trilogy is booked soon; the Englishwoman is a top all-rounder who’s only improved since she started training with Femme Fatale Fighting. Her compatriot Monica Masters (11-0) is probably the only fighter who may jump ahead of her in the queue for the title shot, the woman they call Mayhem is ranked just behind Vaughan in both the bantamweight and p4p rankings. Samantha Sachs (10-1) was the focus of a lot of attention this year as she started it coming off her first loss, to Kerry Silverman. First round submission wins against Hester Maclean and Helen Fox showed that she is still a major player. Michelle Addams (10-2), the Black Widow, has been around longer than anyone – indeed, she was the winner of the first ever regulated women’s bout in the States – and despite a decision loss to Masters early in the year bounced back by beating Olivia Sweet in a great fight in October. New signing Serena Hill (14-0), a South African who’s torn up the indie scene in Europe, is a fantastic kick boxer who explodes out of the blocks at the start of her matches, and has won 12 of her 14 fights so far in less than 3 minutes.

Further down the rankings, Helen Fox (7-1), the Maryland Mauler, looks to bounce back from her first ever loss, in which Sachs submitted her with a rear naked choke. Indie veteran Rain Richards (13-1) bounced back from a debut in which her unbeaten streak was ended by Olivia Sweet by beating Beckie Dexter and Alicia Fotherigill. And kick boxer Lula Baker (10-4) looks to build on by far the best win of her career so far, in which she surprisingly stopped Thea Higgins via TKO.

Other stories:

At Featherweight, Hope Lehane (9-0) is a dominant champion; the jiu jitsu black belt was already tough competition before training at Lady Shiva’s and has only improved while there. Last time out, Anna Thompson (7-2) tapped to a knee bar from Lehane; the #4 ranked featherweight in the world is a great kick boxer with serious power, but questions are being asked over whether she has what it takes to get the gold – that was her second shot, and again she couldn’t take the victory. Fellow kick boxer Haley Croft (9-3) is just behind her in the rankings, the first ever Featherweight champion got the chance to reclaim the title against Lehane in August but despite taking the younger woman to the limit, lost out via unanimous decision. Croft earned that shot after an impressive first round knock out win over Kirsten Page (7-1) in April, but Page bounced back with a 100 second demolition of Kerry Silverman in October and may have an outside chance of a title shot this year.

Flyweight champion Daniela Sadorra (8-0) is the undisputed top female star, not just at that weight but at pound for pound too. April Watson and Sarah Vaughan (back in XCC) and Karen Curtis and Jenny DeNeuve (here in WEFF) are just a quartet of the top contenders she’s stopped, with DeNeuve taking it to the judges but none of the other people she’s fought lasting past the second round. She’s on a collision course with Sandy Oliver (12-0), who is coming off a decision victory over Layla Holmes after tapping out all of her previous 7 opponents since joining the federation, although none have been top stars. Honey Due (8-1) was stopped by Sadorra 3 years ago, but is unbeaten apart from that, and the strong all-rounder will look to avenge that sole blemish on her record – a recent win over Curtis may have put her next in line for a title shot. The Flyweight division is the federation’s biggest and includes several undefeated stars – in particular, submission wrestler Jessica Herbig (7-0) belies her innocent features and nickname of Angel Eyes when she forces opponents to tap out to painful holds, as both Tara O’Brien and Lisa Labone found to their cost in first-round losses in her first two WEFF bouts.

Jaded · February 1, 2018

KDM FC (Mid Level Regional, Asia, 75% credibility, 75% stability, ranked #6)

Divisions (belt prestige)/champions

Lightweight (80%) – Teeratep Nutnum

Women’s Featherweight (26%) – Veronika Sablikova

Featherweight (76%) – Tomohiro Takeuchi

Bantamweight (48%) – Kanji Togo

Best Division – Lightweight

The talent raids that have taken Sukarno and Atep of Indonesia from KDM FC to ALPHA-1 have left Teeratep Nutnum (11-6), nicknamed Crazy Monkey, as the undisputed most exciting person in the company to watch. After a mixed career record – the highlight of which was probably the 1st round loss to Sukarno in 1997, in which he absolutely unloaded on the legend-to-be for nearly two minutes, only to miss a spinning kick and suddenly find himself on the ground being brutalised for the TKO loss – he finally captured the Lightweight title with a 2 round demolition of Hoshi Nagai (9-2) in August, with the belt being left vacant after Atep had left the company. (Fans will remember that Atep won the belt originally after Sukarno was poached by ALPHA-1 and vacated, meaning no KDM FC Lightweight champion has ever had an unsuccessful defence. It seems likely Nutnum will bring that run to an end, simply because his hit and miss style always has him looking like he could potentially lose, but we’ll see.)

Nagai’s brutal war with Bunraken Abe on his debut, which he won via TKO with just 2 seconds of the fight left, was enough to get him into that title match; however he will surely slip down the ranks of challengers for Nutnum’s belt now. A pair of veterans seem to be heading the likely contenders – Takahiro Nakamura (25-7), 32 fights into his career with his losses only ever coming via the judges, beat out Taufik Wijaya (46-20-1) in what was surely effectively a number 1 contender’s match recently. However fans seem more interested in a couple of up-and-comers, Thai boxer Min Soo Sik (8-0) and wrestler Masato ‘Heart’ Wai (6-0) having impressed in their first matches in the organisation.

Further down the rankings, Sammi Chan (4-3) is famous for being the first Chinese star to fight for a major MMA title, back in 1999. However the destruction he faced from Sukarno in that bout has left him struggling to find his place in the fed, and he looks in danger of being cut soon. His countryman Cong Kao (4-0), a submission specialist who impressed in his debut bout, may well be a brighter hope for Chinese MMA fans to back. Another rising star like Kao, Japanese kick boxer Shusui Ikoma (3-0) celebrated the 12 month anniversary of his debut in MMA by signing for KDM FC after 3 glorious first round head kick knockouts; his first match for them will be much anticipated.

Other divisions:

There’s a major problem on the Featherweight scene; champion Tomohiro Takeuchi (22-2) is superb and arguably TOO dominant, while he’s also a fairly boring fighter. His 7-0 record includes victories over luminaries like Li-Kong Ho (21-2), Kenji Akita (14-2), Norberto (30-7) and Yoshiro Makamori (11-2), and it’s hard to see where his next challenge is coming from. Ho is a particular issue – the Little Dragon has scythed through all-comers except for the current title-holder, wrapping opponents up in knots. Against Takeuchi, he’s lost 2 fights via unanimous decision without even winning a round. It’s surely hard to justify another shot for him, but he’s clear #2 in the rankings. Wrestler Akita can certainly rouse the crowd, both with his performance in the cage and his trash-talking building up to bouts; he looked great against Norberto in a win last time out, but prior to that had lost a snoozer of a UD to Takeuchi and there’s little appetite for a rematch of an exceptionally boring contest.

Masahiro Maeno (20-5) has been beaten fairly badly by Ho and Yoshiro Makamori since coming to the federation, with a lot of people suggesting he should take advantage of his small stature and drop down to Bantamweight. If he doesn’t, though, his last match – in which he avenged the defeat to Makamori via rear naked choke – may actually have put him in pole position for a shot at the champ early in the year. Outside chance of a shot, as well, for Yagi Jokichi (11-0), the world class karate fighter who’s improving his boxing and kick boxing skills with J1 Circle and has a perfect record in the sport.

At Bantamweight, Kanji Togo (18-5) finally became the champion in his 7th win from 7 fights in KDM FC, tapping out Sophan Sastrowardoya and the jiu-jitsu star is absolutely deadly as soon as he can get the fight to the ground. Filipino rising star Apolonio Redondo Jr (8-0) is a hot prospect at the tender age of 23, and like every other hot prospect KDM FC have had, is said to be tempting ALPHA-1. The taekwondo expert is quick to start, and hits like a steam train. Redondo’s latest victim, Pipop Jakkuprasat (12-2) will aim to bounce back from a 12-fight winning streak being brought to an end in that match; the kick boxer has less raw power than Redondo but is a skilful fighter. Shaolin Kung Fu fighter Supachai Thamsatchanan (6-0) is looking like one of Thailand’s best ever prospects, and could be a major contender in the future.

In the Women’s Featherweight division, sambo star Veronika Sablikova (9-0) appears to have a grip of iron on the belt. Next up for her is likely to be super-hot Saya Ikegami (10-0), who signed for the federation despite having to move up a weight class, having previously fought at bantamweight. A second round victory over Umeka Fuijiwara in her debut suggests that the change has done little to derail her impressive momentum. Hanako Shimizu (10-2) is in a similar position to Li-Kong Ho; beating everyone else in the division you’ve faced is impressive, but getting taken apart twice in two fights by the champion means you’re struggling to make a case for another title shot. Newest signing Feng Chun (3-0), known for her deadly elbow strikes, has ambitions of being in the title mix as soon as possible, although 2001 may be too early for her.

Jaded · February 3, 2018

Wrapping up the set-up here! Coming tomorrow, a preview of three shows in the first quarter of the year, plus prediction contest.

As a heads-up, I THINK I'm going to try and keep to a schedule here, and post 3 months every week. If that goes according to plan, it'll look something like this.

Sundays: Preview of cards from 3 different feds, one per month, prediction contest.

Tuesday or Wednesday: Round-up of those 3 months, top results from other feds, news of interest.

Thursday or Friday: More detailed results of the 3 featured cards, prediction contest standings updated.

How does that sound to people?

XCC (Low Level Regional, America, 75% credibility, 75% stability, ranked #7)

Divisions (belt prestige)/champions

Lightweight (63%) – Bosco Curbeam

Featherweight (72%) – Philip Ziskie

Bantamweight (54%) – Willy Bassett

Best Division – Featherweight

Back on top after defeating Luiz Machado (25-5), Philip Ziskie (22-2-1) regains the belt to go with the ‘poster boy’ status he’s held for years. Since losing it originally to Sammy Gaffigan (14-3) in 1998, Ziskie has improved massively – and his status as a supporting cast member in the popular Angel’s Destiny franchise of films has boosted his name value as well, with legions of teenage girls taking much more of an interest in MMA than anyone would previously have expected. BJJ student Machado – whose legendary main event loss to Ziskie in an incredible match to finish off XCC’s first ever show is still talked about as one of the things which got the federation onto people’s radar more quickly than anyone thought possible – is gunning to regain the belt. However his 0-2 record against the man they call Kid leaves a lot to be desired. Gaffigan, on the other hand, as one of the only 2 men ever to beat Ziskie is probably a win or so away from getting the chance to reclaim the gold he held so proudly until Easton Frye (16-6)’s shock win against him. Frye did well to win the belt, but disappointingly lost it first time out against Machado, and followed that up with a unanimous decision defeat to Shuler Eigenberg. However he bounced back with a recent victory over Rafael Tavares and is training hard with camp-mates at Halvorsen’s at the moment.

Up and comers who are looking to find their way into the title picture – David James Diggle (11-0) is 4 for 4 in the fed at the moment, and while he hasn’t taken on any major stars, the hard-hitting Muay Thai fighter has taken apart everyone put in front of him. ‘Lightning’ Lamont Banner (8-0), trained in boxing by his legendary father Douglas Banner Jr, exploded onto the scene with first round stoppage victories over James Busfield and Marcus Speed. And the super-intense, and massively brutal, Alejandro ‘Lobo’ Laguera (7-0) looks destined for greatness, making an immediate impact with a 91-second demolition job on Jimmy Schott.

Other stories

At Lightweight, Bosco Curbeam (9-0) rules supreme, the massively confident Ohio native living up to his own hype by knocking Ross Smith (8-2)’s lights out with a huge right hand when he finally got a title shot after tearing through the division. Smith scraped his original title win in a split decision, and after getting knocked for a loop by Curbeam may need to wait a while for a rematch. Ahead of him in the pecking order are a pair of other former champions, Darren Southall (9-1) and Duane Weatherly (18-10), while ‘The Coyote Kid’ Floyd Haywood (7-0) may have pushed himself close to a title shot with a stunning 94 second TKO of Kenny Magilton last time out.

And at Bantamweight, Willy Bassett (20-2) is ranked #1 in the world; the fearless Halvorsen’s member takes on all-comers and finally won the belt with a UD over Brian Claremont in February. Submission wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Wickham (12-2) is in the driving seat for the next shot, taking down Dominic Ash in one of XCC’s best matches of 2001. Vicious Muay Thai specialist Zach Steggles (11-1) tasted defeat for the first time recently, Bassett stopping the Shark Tank fighter. Fighting his way up the rankings, Rivertop “R-P-P” Potter-Pirbright (8-0) has a perfect record in four years of MMA, and his aggression both in and outside of the cage does a great job of building up matches.

Jaded · February 4, 2018

Okay, here we go with a preview of GAMMA: Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio, SIGMA: Basora vs Halle and WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams. Prediction keys for the three cards are at the bottom of the post. Results will be up on Thursday or Friday; prior to that there'll be a brief round-up of other events over the first 3 months. Comments and feedback hugely appreciated!

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

In the first ever clash between this pair, currently ranked #2 and #7 in the world respectively, Keane will make his initial defense of the belt he just won from Brandon Sugar. Bookies rank the Brit as a slight favourite to retain, but the South American superstar will be looking to build on the momentum of his debut victory over Bruce Steven.

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

With two of the top five in the world at this weight about to collide, someone’s unbeaten record will come to an end. The Welshman is fairly heavily favoured to defend successfully here, although Polter is a popular figure who will likely have the majority of the fan support in this clash between two wrestlers.

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

While not officially a number 1 contender’s match, this welterweight bout between two former champions in GAMMA will surely see the winner in pole position to challenge Julio Reguiero. Sipatov confounded the many fans who thought he’d lost a step last time out with a dominant decision victory over Jack Humphreys, while Gallego is aiming to bounce back from the title loss vs Spanish Silk and get a rematch for the gold.

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Having lost just once in his career, kick boxer Ballard is not used to going into fights as an underdog, but the unbeaten Blitz has looked unstoppable in his first 5 GAMMA bouts. The fans in the Lone Star state are sure to be firmly behind the Houston kick boxer, but will that support be enough to sway the fight in Ballard’s favour? It’s doubtful.

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

This is likely to go to the ground quickly, and Steven may have less to worry about than usual even if it doesn’t – his notorious glass jaw probably won’t get tested much against Brockett, who’s never been a hard hitter. It’s a close call as to who is the likelier winner here; Brockett has youth on his side but Mr Intensity brings more experience to the fight.

Prelims see a super-heavyweight collision between Teddy Glossop and Peter Windsor, COTT semi-finalist Joey Baddell handed a baptism of fire with a match against Rav Kapur, and two men yet to face defeat clash, as the Fight Night Delight Delroy Rhodes goes against one of Brazil’s finest, Manuel Silva.

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

In the main event, judoka Alberto Basora will defend the title he won from Kenneth Toadspew for the first time. Hoping to finally step out of the shadow of his more successful younger brother Luis, the 33-year-old will be looking to take down Halle early. Norwegian Halle, on the other hand, generally comes out swinging hard. It’s not a subtle gameplan, but it can be a very difficult one for opponents to deal with.

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

At the age of 36, many fighters are considering winding down their careers, but the vastly experienced Fernando Amaro seems to have his sights set on Manol Sirakov’s longstanding MMA record of 65 wins. The veteran, ranked #22 in the world, is certainly the heavy favourite to get to within 8 of that record here – he’s an accomplished wrestler with strong power in his hands – but elite level kick boxer Rekdal, while he fights much less frequently than his opponent, can’t be underestimated. The pair are training partners at Euro Team Thunder, adding an extra dimension of interest to this middleweight bout.

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

The Light Heavyweight division is SIGMA’s most competitive, and this pair of experienced competitors – facing off for the first time – will be looking to get into position for a title shot at Niko Soldo. Ranked #3 in the company and #21 in the world, Mickiewicz, who took Soldo to a decision several years ago, is the favourite here. Indeed, he would almost certainly already have a shot if not for a close decision loss six months ago to Valentine Taneyev. Aussie competitor Gilchrist is too strong a wrestler to be a mere sacrificial lamb here, but it’s The Scourge of Europe who most expect to be walking away with a victory.

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Also at Light Heavyweight, a clash between the most experienced man in the division and its fastest rising star. Smit trains with some of Europe’s top stars at the Basora brothers’ Euro Team Thunder camp; he’s perhaps a little short of that mark himself due to being a good all-rounder with no real stand-out qualities. He could cause an upset here, but the Hand Grenade is 11-0 overall, 7-0 in SIGMA, and the burning question is probably why he’s fighting in this bout rather than just being given what seems an inevitable title shot next time Soldo competes. A great boxer and wrestler, Taneyev has just been too much for every opponent over his 5 year career to date.

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

Opening up the main card, these two welterweights will be looking closely at the result of the main event, as a win here would cement either of them as a top contender for the belt. Jankovic trains with the world’s most famous team, Mantas Andreyev Fighting, and the Bulgarian wrestler tends to go the distance in his fights. He’s ranked #6 in the company, while Crumb is #3. The South African boxer isn’t an especially hard hitter, but his footwork is superb and can quickly pepper an opponent with enough shots to leave him reeling.

The likely highlights of the prelims will be a lightweight bout between devastating head kicker Milenko Rudonja and bare knuckle boxer Rodolphe Gygax, Switzerland’s top (and currently only) MMA star, and fast-improving German boxer Bastian Neske getting a chance to make a name for himself with a fight against company ranked #6 heavyweight Souleymane Ya Konan, who stepped in at short notice after unbeaten Dutch kick-boxer Jacco Landeweerd suffered a strained rotator cuff training to take on Neske.

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Two of the top 5 bantamweights in the world collide in WEFF’s first TV main event, as Englishwoman O’Neill attempts to bounce back from her first pro loss, in which Sarah Vaughan regained the title the exciting star had taken from her four months earlier. O’Neill, who normally thrives under high-pressure situations, is said to be furious with herself for losing the belt in her first defence, but teammates at Femme Fatale Fighting have expressed confidence she’ll be back in the title picture very soon. A win over the Black Widow, the first ever WEFF champion at this weight, would certainly put her into contention. However the 28-year-old Muay Thai striker never got her own rematch after Vaughan beat her for the gold, with Addams surprisingly losing a decision to Monica Masters next time out in what should have been a formality, and will be eager to show that she deserves a shot at the Arizona Animal now.

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Another former champion in action here; Croft was the inaugural Featherweight title-winner in WEFF and despite her sole win in her last 4 matches coming against Kirsten Page, the Hawaiian kick-boxer is still a popular figure, with new friend Monica Masters being vocal about how badly she’s going to beat Andrews in this fight. Andrews is certainly no slouch, though – and with both women standing at six feet, Croft doesn’t have the reach advantage she has over most opponents. Andrews vs Lawson at WEFF 4 is still talked about as one of the first matches to show viewers just what female fighters were capable of; will this fight deliver the same excitement to a new audience of TV watchers?

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

If there was any doubt that WEFF were going all-in on the TV shows, it was dispelled when they booked a match between two of the top 5 flyweights in the world third from the top. DeNeuve was looked brutal against every opponent, her sole defeat coming in an absolute war against champion Daniela Sadorra where she took the world pound-for-pound to the limit in a five-round decision loss. The undefeated Oliver, though, nicknamed The Lady of 1000 Submissions, has her sights on Sadorra and knows that beating DeNeuve would almost certainly mean her next match would be a title fight.

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

McGuinness is looking better than ever since visiting American Cage Fighters; she’s always hit hard but seeing the way fighters like Raul Hughes place their punches seems to have raised her game. Her opponent, the Flame-Haired Phenom, looked set for a title shot last year prior to a surprising loss to Alisha Wood. A big victory over Laura Adair since then has given her some momentum back, and a win over McGuinness would surely break her into the world top 5 at Featherweight.

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

Belle recently avenged her debut loss to Katherine Williams, the only defeat of her career. The striker will hope to build on that, and is always a danger if she keeps things standing, but first ever Flyweight champion Karen Curtis is in the top 25 in the world at pound-for-pound and if she can get the fight to the mat is virtually impossible to shake off.

Likely prelim highlight will be Tammy Westenra vs Serena Hill; Westenra almost certainly needs a win to avoid being cut, but the 14-0 Hill will be out to impress on her debut. Both of these women love to stand and bang, and this should be an exciting fight, even if very few observers think Bam Bam has a chance of avoiding being Hill's 15th victim.

Prediction Keys

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

pawnage · February 4, 2018

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

aya_ · February 4, 2018

I like the format!

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

Patricmy · February 4, 2018

Prediction Keys

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

Sudo_Nym · February 5, 2018

Greatly enjoying the read, Jaded.

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

Dublin Sky · February 6, 2018

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio (Saturday week 3 January 2002, Texas)

GAMMA Lightweight title: Jake Keane (27-4) vs Helio (19-1-1)

GAMMA Super Heavyweight title: George Pickering (10-0) vs Hanley Polter (7-0)

Yevgeni Sipatov (29-9) vs Gabriel Gallego (20-5)

Adam White (12-0) vs Ashley Ballard (14-1)

Bud Brockett (10-2) vs Bruce Steven (20-9)

SIGMA: Basora vs Halle (Saturday week 1 February 2002, Germany)

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (22-8) vs Jens Halle (18-3)

Fernando Amaro (56-13-4-2 NC) vs Thorbjorn Rekdal (10-2)

Shane Gilchrist (16-6) vs Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-6)

Faas Smit (38-17) vs Valentine Taneyev (11-0)

Dominykas Jankovic (13-4) vs Templeton Crumb (22-4)

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Pamela O’Neill (12-1) vs Michelle Addams (10-2)

Haley Croft (9-3) vs Kelly Andrews (5-1)

Jenny DeNeuve (7-1) vs Sandy Oliver (12-0)

Rachel McGuinness (9-2) vs Tabitha Cameron (7-1)

Nina Belle (9-1) vs Karen Curtis (8-2)

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Jaded · February 7, 2018

Shows are coming on Friday; here's what else happened in the first 3 months.

(Note: This went WAY longer than I expected and will probably be trimmed back in future. Feedback very welcome!)

Big matches outside our featured shows.

(All records are AFTER fight mentioned.)

In XCC, Shuler Eigenberg (13-4) took just 100 seconds to end David Diggle (11-1)’s lengthy unbeaten streak with an absolutely massive shot to the body which saw Diggle fold up like origami. Post-match, the Israeli suggested that Frank Romita may be a good next opponent. Also in XCC, another unbeaten streak was at stake, but Lamont Banner (9-0) held onto his, a huge right to the ribs taking care of Easton Frye (16-6), who’d been a fairly heavy favourite. As shown in his post-match interview, Banner combines incredible skills with great marketability and has to be considered one of the brightest prospects in the lower weight classes of MMA – especially given the mainstream interest shown in him by people who have fond memories of his boxer father Douglas. It was a night of great first-round finishes, with Sammy Gaffigan (15-3) beating both those men to knock-out of the night with a massive head kick which left former featherweight champion Luiz Machado (25-6) seeing stars. The big surprise of the prelims on the show was #16 ranked Chuck Brown (6-1) winning his lightweight bout against #5 ranked Floyd Haywood (7-1) to inflict the Coyote Kid’s first loss on him – a huge blow to Haywood, who’ll be heading to GAMMA with much less momentum than he was expecting.

In March in XCC, Bosco Curbeam (10-0) defended against Henry Baldwin (10-6). The ex-GAMMA star was given a title shot in his debut, to the disquiet of many established lightweights, and a first round loss to a big right hook did little to show he deserved it.

In BCF, Percy Catcher (13-4) destroyed ‘The Big Dog’ Dave Lennon (16-8) with an absolutely brutal right hand less than two minutes into their match. Lennon was one of several fighters axed from the fed post-show. In a much-anticipated clash of two unbeaten fighters at light heavyweight, Danny Akabaro (10-0) beat Tikhon Diev (11-1) in a somewhat dubious split decision. Akabaro demanded a match with Fabian Schar post-fight, while David Webb (20-5) ground out a boring win over Vikram Sithalyan (19-5) to retain his Welterweight belt. At the same event, though, Henning Olsen (19-7) scored a shock win over Rob Baines (33-12) with a hard knee strikes then a bunch of punches to take the Middleweight title.

GAMMA’s landmark GAMMA 50 event saw a fairytale debut for Lucius M Banks (3-0). The former pro boxer, who quit the sport in 1993 and hit the bottle, has been sober since 1998 and after two wins on the regional scene, not only attracted the attention of the biggest fed in America but also pulled off a massive shock with a TKO defeat of Irwin Middleton (5-2) via strikes. The main event saw James Foster (38-4-1) beat Tim Boyer (27-6-2) via unanimous decision, in an excellent match which many observers thought could have gone the other way and seen a new champion crowned. Dexter Darling (19-7-1) lost to Neil Napier (19-2) in the co-main; the D-Man was viewed as a future huge star two years ago, but having gone 1-4 in the intervening time was cut post-match.

Over in ALPHA-1, The Baddest Man in MMA, Terron Cabal (18-1) got an unanimous decision win over Mason Archer (22-7) in a good brawl. In the main event, Hassan Fezzik (30-1) got his 30th MMA victory with a first round rear naked choke submission of Armen Sarkisian (29-5), taking fight of the night and submission of the night. The show was well-received, taking ALPHA-1 up to Mid Level National.

In KDM FC’s February event, four top featherweights collided in the main and co-main. Greg Chiang (18-6) dominated the first two rounds against Li-Kong Ho (22-2) but the Little Dragon, huge favourite going in, showed why the bookmakers had such faith in him when he locked on a body triangle and gained a victory via rear naked choke. Post-match, Ho said that he felt he was finally ready to beat the only man ever to defeat him, Tomohiro Takeuchi, who has done so twice in title bouts. Takeuchi (23-2) looked for several rounds as if he might lose his precious Featherweight title, with Japanese wrestler Kenji ‘Star’ Akita (14-3) appearing on top, but despite Akita’s showing overall being far stronger than it was back last year when he first got a shot at the man they call Samurai Spirit, he was taken down in round 5 and forced to tap – also to a rear naked choke. Lower down the card, Chan Kim Huat (6-1) got the submission of the night bonus, and almost certainly moved into title contention, with a win over Indonesian veteran Taufik Wijaya (46-21-1). This would prove to be Wijaya’s last fight for the organisation.

In March, in the organisation, Ang Dong (7-0) extended his unbeaten streak with a mild upset over former champion Sophan Sastrowardoya (7-3). This was a rematch from July, when most neutral observers disagreed with Dong’s split decision victory. This time around, though, he didn’t need to go to the judges, make Sophan tap to a kimura in less than 2 minutes of round 1. In an excellent co-main, ‘The Beast from the East’ Veronika Sablikova (10-0) withstood an assault from Saya Ikegami (10-1) to lock on a rear naked choke and defend her Women’s Featherweight title. And in the main, Apolonio Redondo Jr (9-0) managed to survive a first-round beating from Kanji Togo (18-6) and hit the Bantamweight champion with a devastating right uppercut to knock him out and take his belt, in a huge upset! Post-match, Redondo Jr thanked his family, sponsors, fans, and “Most of all everyone who DIDN’T believe in me; you spurred me on to show you how little you know!”

At SIGMA: Basora vs Mellberg II, Fernado Peragon (14-3) pulled off a minor upset win over Jason Dalglish (21-6) with a vicious TKO, while in a brutal main event brawl which went the distance, Luis Basora (24-5) came back from losing the first two rounds against Lukas Mellberg (19-6) to retain his belt via split decision. With Basora heading to GAMMA after the match, he thanked Mellberg for a tough contest and the fans for their support over the years in his post-match interview. The Lightweight belt is now vacant, with grappling master Georges Nouri (13-3), undefeated wrestler Patrik Pedersen (8-0) and Swiss veteran Rodolphe Gygax (24-16) likely to be three of the top stars being considered for a title match. Pedersen is a potential superstar but could probably spend more time training and less time trolling people; Twitter comments for then-Gothenburg Submission Fighting team-mate Francesco Marazzina, taunting the Italian for being cut from SIGMA following his loss to Snorri Gunnarsson, led to him being asked to leave the camp.

On the indie scene, John Rivero (13-6) tapped out journeyman veteran Frank Analysis (39-21); the sambo star is clearly aiming to find his way back to GAMMA, having moved up to heavyweight since he left the fed. Analysis used a post-fight interview to confirm that rumours he was quitting were true, saying this would be his last fight. Rivero's fellow Puerto Rican Jericho Stewart (8-0) may be looking for the place Rivero vacated at light heavyweight; his 11-second win over Titus Mostel surely has to be attracting attention from the federation. Barrett Fforde (10-3) pulled off a shock UD victory over the previously unbeaten Nick Detroit (11-1).

Up north in Canada, Allen LaFleur (8-0) continued his winning streak with a two minute knockout victory against Trevion Chymes; a really impressive performance. That match was perhaps overshadowed on the same show by Nik Minear (13-5) demolishing Urlington Rogers (10-7), beating him so badly in a unanimous decision that Rogers was taken to hospital overnight as a precaution, with some fears – which thankfully seem to have proven unfounded – of internal injuries. On a different show, former male model Craig Hulme (6-0) showed he has brawn and brains as well as beauty, with a quick rear naked choke win over Curtis Boucher.

Over in England, purple-haired lightweight Jazz Snide (4-0) dropped William Powell (12-10) with a huge right hook in round 1 for the knock out of the night on the biggest British indie show of the first quarter of the year. Despite fighting in his hometown, Snide was NOT popular with the fans, although it didn’t look like that fact worried him one bit. On another card, bare-knuckle boxer Michael Dali (1-0) made his debut, and brutalised Harry Tanner in a match which, had it been on the street rather than in the ring, would surely have seen Dali facing a heavy prison sentence yet again. There’s no question this was an assault, and Tanner consenting to it by signing for the match didn’t make it too much easier to watch.

In Japan, two of the top 25 bantamweights in women’s MMA collided, Junko Yamada (9-1) getting the Unanimous Decision over Setsuko Henmi (7-1) to end her long winning streak. That show was also notable for the retirement of veteran Gu Ueda (22-11) who bowed out on top after demolishing Taizoh Chung Man in round 1 with strikes, and former KDM FC star Ayame Kondo, who surprisingly announced her retirement after a first round submission victory of Emiri Fueki.

Ins and Outs

Niko Soldo (19-2-1) quit SIGMA for BCF, leaving the Light Heavyweight title up for grabs. SIGMA were left reeling by the departures of two of their champions – as mentioned earlier, Luis Basora also said farewell – but at least finally completed the signing of Saul Cervantes (4-0), the Spanish show man whose high kick knock out victories are earning him a lot of buzz in Europe. Cervantes said goodbye to the indie scene at the end of March, with a kick to the skull of Ramon Marin which people said could practically be heard outside of the arena, it landed so hard.

The most surprising signing of the quarter came when Jethro Munter (17-8), the injury-plagued light heavyweight, grabbed a GAMMA contract off the back of a 3 and half minute win against Petey Barnum. The veteran wrestler’s glass jaw had kept him out of the major leagues until the age of 31; he will look forward to his debut when it occurs.

Motoki Takagawa (0-0), the national level kick boxer, announced in February that he’d be making the move to MMA and immediately got given a contract by ALPHA-1 to bolster their Light Heavyweight division. Another potential star to make it to the top fed in the world was Sorai Yoshizaki (1-0); the humongous man they call the Japanese Hulk was signed after a 1-round destruction of Norogumi Nemoto in his MMA debut at a local show. They also picked up exciting veteran Washichi Kobyayashi (16-7), and unbeaten karate fighter Thoki Murasaki (9-0).

Bantamweight KT ‘The Flash’ McManamara (3-0) headed to WEFF, a right hook which knocked out Maude Garner on a local show sealing the deal for her.

19-year-old Guy Moss (0-0), who many believed was seeking a GAMMA contract, has said that he intends to put his MMA career on hold even before it’s begun. The Detroit wrestler will focus fully on making the US squad for the next Olympic games, although he’s stated he will be aiming to compete in mixed martial arts after 2020.

Drug Tests

XCC were hit with bad news as not one but TWO of their fighters failed drug tests after what had appeared to be a successful Curbeam vs Baldwin show. Ray Bellinger (11-3-1 NC), who lost to Gus Waters, tested positive for recreational drugs, as did Jimmy Schott (5-4) after his UD loss to Ivan Bokhour. While Schott has been silent, Bellinger was quick to protest his innocence. Both fighters have been suspended for a year; it’s also far from certain they’ll have jobs to return to – the brass at XCC are said to be furious about the bad publicity coming from the pair of announcements. SIGMA suffered a similar problem, with Ralph Kohl (19-10) testing positive for TRT after his loss to Osi Lewis. Kohl tearfully confessed his guilt in a press conference, saying he had no excuses, but vowing to be clean from now on.

Camp Changes

Halvorsen’s gained serious prestige when Matthew Dean (38-5), the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, announced he’d be visiting the camp to work on his preparation. They did lose David James Diggle (11-1), though, with the featherweight saying that his first ever loss had shown him he needed a different approach to future matches. He would appear in Impact MMA a few weeks later as a visitor. Over in Japan, super heavyweight Jutaro Homma (7-1) let it be known he was visiting Snake Temple, while Kenji Akita quit Top Team Japan. In another big departure, Helio (19-2-1) stormed out of Brazilian Estrela Academy after a huge row with Roberto Aldez, while in Britain, Dave Lennon (16-8) quietly moved on from Leamington Spa Muay Thai following his loss to Percy Catcher. The space opened up by Lennon leaving was quickly filled by fellow veteran Phil Verdigree (25-16-1-2 NC).

Challenges and Call Outs

Yoshiro Makamori called out Masahiro Maeno, saying the two should have a deciding match after splitting their previous two contests one each. Maeno would reply in a phone interview with Blurcat, saying that he was confident he would win such a bout, and suggesting KDM FC should set it up as soon as possible, then added fuel to the flames with a video mocking his possible opponent.

Also in KDM FC, Tomihiro Takeuchi said that he’d be happy to give Li-Kong Ho his requested 3rd shot, if matchmakers approved it.

Violet Benes built up to her match with Katherine Williams by trash-talking not just Williams, but also numerous fans – getting into an argument with several teenage girls on social media, and making some seriously ill judged comments. Management of WEFF are said to be less than pleased. In other heated disputes between WEFF fighters, Kelly Andrews and Haley Croft clashed via Twitter prior to their match, while Alison Beattie took numerous shots at Hazel McClay, who stayed silent.

Spotlight on…

Mario de Souza (25-9) picked up a local show win over Jorge Hormazabal, and made it back into the top 25 of the middleweight rankings, although needed a split decision from the judges to do so. Pedro Sousa (22-5) impressed with a UD win over Leandro Piquet, also at a local show. The third of our featured Brazilian fighters, Procopio ‘Porco’ Gollas (17-6), was the only one of the trio to finish a match without it going the distance, tapping out Wilson Semler.

Leon Banks (33-15) looked strong at a local show, demolishing Jasper Osmond via TKO in under 5 minutes. Collins Lundie (14-5) is yet to fight, but will take on wrestler Fletcher Merman (13-3) next month. Joey ‘Hands’ Valdez (11-0) extended his winning streak at a Mexican local show, dropping Carlos Cortes with a massive uppercut.

Vjekoslav Sarich (7-0) hasn’t fought yet this year; however Cro Con made it a step closer to the big time by earning a SIGMA contract. Fellow welterweight Jonathan Huang (10-0) also got himself a deal, this time with GAMMA, and will face Diego Arteta at GAMMA 51: Watson vs Rubinstein. Wrestler Matsudaira Saitoh (10-3) was tapped out by BokKai Iida (21-15) at a local show last month.

Daljit Samir (10-0) hasn’t competed this year, but will clash with Helena Broderick in April. Kochiyo Chikamatsu (10-0) hit double figures in wins, and #5 in the flyweight rankings, by tapping out Tsukiyama Baisotei, only to surprisingly announce her retirement to start a family post-match. Leona ‘Dizzy’ Deschanel (8-0) showed far too much skill for Marion Reynolds at a February local show, getting an easy UD.

Striker Kyoko Junna (8-1) is training hard for her first match of the year, coming next month against Mao Fukuda. Kick boxer Henrietta Stein (8-3), on the other hand, has stepped into the cage for the final time, retiring after a loss to Stella Massey, as has Canadian bantamweight Beckie Dexter (2-4) who decided to call it quits when it became obvious she was unlikely to make it back to WEFF any time soon.

Jaded · February 9, 2018

<div style="text-align:center;">GAMMA: Battle Lines 6</div>

In the prelims, Delroy Rhodes coped surprisingly well against Manuel Silva for four and a half minutes, before Silva sidestepped a big right hook and landed a huge spinning kick to send Rhodes to the ground. The Prodigy pounced from there, unloading on his opponent with hard strikes for a first round TKO to go 20-0. Post-match, he talked about the tremendous heart shown by the Colorado fighter, and the two shook hands.

Joey Baddell proved to be little more than target practice for Rav Kapur, the much bigger man taking the first round 10-8 after unloading with shots, and opening a cut on the face of the Texan. Baddell managed to go the distance, but all 3 judges saw him as being outclassed, Kapur getting the unanimous 30-25 decision victory. After the bout, the Beast of Birmingham was generous in his praise for the home state fighter, saying that he was one of the toughest competitors of his age he’d seen.

Much to the delight of the Texas crowd, Teddy Glossop brutalised Peter Windsor, knocking him down halfway through the first round with a vicious right cross and then unloading with punches, causing the referee to call a halt. Glossop followed the fight with an interview in which he called out Frank Paul. After the show, it was announced that Windsor would no longer fight in GAMMA, having gone a disappointing 1-3.

Former reality TV show contender ‘Horrible’ Harv Dennis won a number of fans, and the knock out of the night bonus, with a crunching straight right which wiped out fellow COTT cast member Sylvester Collins, in a mild upset. In a post-match interview backstage, Collins praised Dennis but said that he hadn’t prepared well enough for the other man’s wrestling – it sounds like he’s in need of a training team.

In the first main fight of the night, Bud Brockett took down Bruce Steven in both rounds 1 and 2, doing little damage in the first (and drawing scattered ‘boring’ chants from the crowd) but locking on a rear naked choke for the victory in the second.

With Adam White and Ashley Ballard standing for most of the first round, Ballard landed enough strikes to take the 10-9 lead in the eyes of most observers. Heavy favourite White looked like he may have underestimated the man from Houston, and growing excitement built in the crowd as Ballard seemed to shade the second round too. A right cross in round 3 opened a cut under White’s eye, and while he came back to take down the Texan he couldn’t finish him. With the fight going to the judges, there was a real buzz around the place – only for the California native to be given a 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 split decision, with both Edward Wilde and Benjamin Milligan III seeming to disagree with the majority of observers. White got his 14th win in as many bouts, but Ballard will feel justifiably aggrieved by that judging.

Former champions Yevgeni Sipatov and Gabriel Gallego brawled it out in a real slugfest, with Sipatov taking the first round but being hit so hard in the second that he sustained cracked ribs. With the scores looking even heading into the final round, the Russian smothered Gallego against the cage and opened up a cut near his eye with a brutal elbow. While Gallego valiantly tried to carry on fighting, a minute or so later the referee called on the ringside doctor to take a look at the gash, and the medic shook his head – this one was over.

In a brutal beatdown, George Pickering retained his Super Heavyweight title, knocking Hanley Polter down just a few minutes into round one with a devastating right hook, then unloading with punches. Referee Leo Behan had seen enough, calling an end to this one.

And in the night’s main event, challenger Helio started explosively, knocking Lightweight champion Jake Keane down in the first minute, only to be unable to capitalise and finding himself turtled up after a scramble for position. Floating over, Keane locked on the rear naked choke and while Helio refused to submit, the referee was forced to call a halt after the Brit sent the South American star to sleep. Fight of the Night, and a great way to end the first major MMA show of the year. The good news continued for Keane, with rankings released a few days after the event showing that he had finally overtaken Sukarno to take the #1 spot in the world rankings for the division.

GAMMA Battle Lines 6: Keane vs Helio

Attendance: 866 in Texas

Critical/Commercial ratings 74%/58%

GAMMA Lightweight Title: Jake Keane (28-4) beat Helio (19-2-1), technical submission, Great.

GAMMA Super Heavyweight Title: George Pickering (11-0) beat Hanley Polter (7-1), TKO, Great.

Yevgeni Sipatov (30-9) beat Gabriel Gallego (20-6), TKO, Good.

Adam White (13-0) beat Ashley Ballard (14-2), split decision, Decent.

Bud Brockett (11-2) beat Bruce Steven (20-10), submission, Average.

</div>

<div style="text-align:center;">SIGMA: Basora vs Halle</div>

Souleymane Ya Konan beat Bastian Neske in the prelims in a fairly forgettable bout, getting a unanimous decision victory after winning all 3 rounds 10-9 in the eyes of all of the judges. Post-match, Ya Konan talked of his respect for Stepjan Andric and said he’d love to face him next time out.

Opening up the main show, Dominykas Jankovic took Templeton Crumb down almost immediately, and spent the entire first round on top of him, dominating although doing little damage. The second round saw a near perfect repeat of the first, while in the third Crumb was clearly behind at the start so came out swinging. Jankovic went for the takedown but got stopped by a couple of quick punches, and from there Crumb unloaded with lefts, leaving the referee with no choice other than to call a halt to the bout!

The Hand Grenade, Valentin Taneyev, barely broke sweat in his 12th professional outing. He took just 50 seconds to drop Faas Smit with a hard right hook to the ribs, and then to pound away with strikes until the referee pulled him off. This would be the last match in the federation for both men, with Taneyev signing an exclusive contract with ALPHA-1 shortly before the event, and Smit perhaps surprisingly cut the following morning.

In a yawner of a match, Shane Gilchrist took Nicolai Mickiewicz down to the ground 3 rounds in a row, doing little damage but getting a 30-27, 29-28, 30-27 win. LOTS of questions to be asked about Edmundo Jimenez’s judging there; there seemed no way to give any of that trio of rounds to the Belarussian. In an interview, Gilchrist said that he’d be interested in taking on Faas Smit, who he has a lot of respect for. Obviously, that’s not going to happen after Smit’s shock release.

In the co-main, Fernando Amaro took down Thorbjon Rekdal midway through round 1 but again did little damage. The crowd warmed up a bit in the second round, as Amaro hit some hard shots, and found their voice in round 3 with the excitement stepping up a level. Amaro shot in on Rekdal, who sprawled brilliantly, then left the veteran reeling with a massive knee strike to take him down. Following up with a barrage of hard right hands, Rekdal took the TKO victory over his Euro Team Thunder teammate, and gained both fight of the night and knock out of the night bonuses. Post-match, he requested Jaromir Grygera next time out.

In the main event, Alberto Basora took Jens Halle into the cage wall early on and the pair remained there for much of the first round, to the frustration of the fans. The same thing happened in round 2, and while the Welterweight champion clearly took the lead he was hearing boos from the crowd. A couple of big rights from Halle brought him – and the spectators – back into the match in round 3, with one of them opening up a cut under Basora’s eye. Basora then went on to drive him into the cage again, but fairly clearly lost the round. Round 4 seemed to be pretty similar to rounds 1 and 2, leaving most neutral observers with the scores on 39-37 going into the final round, in favour of the title-holder. With Halle looking for a finish, and his corner screaming for him to be more aggressive, he swung hard several times only for Basora to dodge him and then force him into the cage again. The fight went to the judges, who ruled 50-45, 49-46, 50-45 in favour of the defending champion.

<div style="text-align:center;">SIGMA: Basora vs Halle

Attendance: 635 in Germany

Critical/Commercial ratings: 66%/44%

SIGMA Welterweight Title: Alberto Basora (23-8) beat Jens Halle (18-4), UD, Average

Thorbjorn Rekdal (11-2) beat Fernando Amaro (56-14-4-2 NC), TKO, Great

Shane Gilchrist (17-6) beat Nicolai Mickiewicz (22-7)

Valentine Taneyev (12-0) beat Faas Smit (38-18)

Templeton Crumb (23-4) beat Dominykas Jankovic (13-5)

</div>

WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

In the prelims, Serena Hill destroyed Tammy Westenra, as most people expected, in under two minutes to get her 15th straight win. As expected, Westenra was cut post-event, along with Alisha Wood and Alison Beattie who also lost. In a big shock, Tara O’Brien pulled off a split decision win over Roz Wareing which few would have predicted.

In a couple of boring rounds, Nina Belle got taken down early on in round 1 by Karen Curtis, but managed to keep the fight upright in the following one and land some tough shots. With the scores looking tied, Curtis took her opponent down in the third round and basically smothered her – but two of the judges surprisingly gave the first round to Belle, who earned the 29-28, 29-28, 28-29 split decision!

In a decent brawl, although one with few really big shots landed, Rachel McGuinness took the unanimous decision victory over Tabitha Cameron, praising The Flame-Haired Phenom post-match as a really tough competitor.

Sandy Oliver dominated the first round of her contest with Jenny DeNeuve, driving the other woman into the cage before taking her down. In the second round, she scored another takedown, only for the referee to stand them up due to a lack of action, then scored a third a minute or so later. In the third, yet another takedown, and she locked in a kimura for the win to get her 13th victory in as many matches. Post-match, she requested Honey Due next up.

Kelly Andrews opened up a cut under Haley Croft’s eye early on in the first round of their bout, although two hard right kicks to the head from Croft put the Hawaiian in front in most viewers’ eyes. In the second, the pair exchanged lots of strikes, with Andrews perhaps landing slightly more and harder punches. The third was pretty much a toss up, sending the fight to the judges, who ruled 30-27, 29-28, 28-29 in favour of Croft for a split decision. Post-match, Croft called out Anna Thompson.

For the main event, Pamela O’Neill was the huge favourite against Michelle Addams, and showed why the bookmakers were so confident in her – it took her just 107 seconds to lock on a guillotine and get The Black Widow to tap! The Englishwoman took a double bonus for this match, winning fight of the night and submission of the night. Post-match, O’Neill thanked her trainers for working on the choke with her.

<div style="text-align:center;">WEFF Uncut Action 1: O’Neill vs Addams (Saturday, week 2, March, Quebec)

Attendance 260

Critical/Commercial Ratings 69%/43%

Nina Belle (10-1) beat Karen Curtis (8-3), Split Decision, Average

Rachel McGuinness (10-2) beat Tabitha Cameron (7-2), Unanimous Decision, Good

Sandy Oliver (13-0) beat Jenny DeNeuve (7-2), Submission, Decent

Haley Croft (10-3) beat Kelly Andrews (5-2), Unanimous Decision, Decent

Pamela O’Neill (13-1) beat Michelle Addams (10-3), Submission, Good</div>

Predictor - GAMMA,SIGMA,WEFF,Overall.

Dublin Sky - 4/5, 4/5, 3/5, 11/15

Sudo Nym - 1/5, 4/5, 3/5, 8/15

Patricmy - 4/5, 3/5, 4/5, 11/15

Aya - 4/5, 2/5, 2/5, 8/15

Pawnage - 3/5, 4/5, 3/5, 10/15

Points system - winner(s) on each event gets 1 point, winners(s) overall for the month get 2 points.

GAMMA winners (4/5) - Dublin Sky, Patricmy, Aya

SIGMA winners (4/5) - Dublin Sky, Sudo Nym, Pawnage

WEFF winner (4/5) - Patricmy

Overall winners (11/15) - Dublin Sky, Patricmy

Standings

Dublin Sky 4 points

Patricmy 4 points

Aya 1 point

Sudo Nym 1 point

Pawnage 1 point

Jaded · February 11, 2018

Unfortunately we only have two cards to predict, due to an injury forcing the cancellation of the ALPHA-1 Grand Prix in April.

The show that never was - ALPHA-1 Light Heavyweight Grand Prix

I wrote this preview 2 days (in-game) before the Grand Prix, only for Ina’s injury at the last minute to result in the entire event being cancelled! With the already-featured GAMMA being the only other company to hold an event in April, there won’t be a featured card this time – sorry.

Zvonimir Asanovic (32-4) vs Yoritomo Ina (24-11)

Kick boxer Asanovic, ranked #3 in the company and #5 in the world, is an absolutely massive favourite for this one, and hotly tipped to win the entire tournament. He is expected to use his overwhelming power to make short work of the journeyman from Hokkaido.

Roberto Aldez (46-13) vs Inejiro Chiba (18-9)

The Brazilian veteran left ALPHA-1 to return home and join FLB when he was in his prime, and you have to wonder if he regrets that. He had a brief run as Light Heavyweight champion there, winning it from and losing it to Affonso Villar in successive matches, but hasn’t entered the title picture here since returning to Japan. Could a Grand Prix win be a memorable way to end his career? It would certainly be a surprise if he exited to Chiba, who is capable of having incredible fights but somewhat less capable of coming out on top in them.

Ryosei Sakamoto (14-2) vs Hyun-Shik Lim (15-2)

The Dragon’s Lair fighter – who grew up on the same street as fellow competitor Ina – racked up 13 wins in his first 13 fights in ALPHA-1, making it as close to the title as a number 1 contender’s bout against Asanovic, only for the Croatian to simply knock his lights out with a brutal head kick just half a minute into round 1. Since then he’s stuttered, and Blood Spirit’s hard-hitting hands are likely to be too much for him.

Washi Shiganori (9-0) vs Naozane Yamaguchiya (10-1)

This match-up guarantees us at least one Japanese star in the semi-finals, with most observers giving wrestler Yamaguchiya a very slight advantage despite his opponent’s unbeaten run. The man they call Big Baby is a powerhouse who loves to get his opponents to the ground, although from Shiganori’s point of view the bigger fighter at least doesn’t hit hard enough to damage the kick boxer’s notoriously weak chin. Training with J1 Circle, Shiganori is fast improving, and if he can keep the fight on his feet then he may pull off a mild upset, although surely would be unlikely to get past the semis.

KDM FC 23: Takeuchi vs Ho III (Sunday, week 3, May 2002 South Eastern Asia)

KDM FC Featherweight title: Tomohiro Takeuchi (23-2) vs Li-Kong Ho (22-2)

The third in this trilogy between this pair gets main event status despite their previous contest, in June last year, being something of a snooze. Takeuchi has dominated both fights against the otherwise-unbeaten Ho, but the Indonesian fighter says that since visiting the Dojo of Zui Quan he has added enough to his game to get him the win this time around.

KDM FC Lightweight title: Teeratep Nutnum (11-6) vs Ahmed Farag (7-1)

The hugely-exciting Crazy Monkey aims to make his first defence of the belt he won in August, but Egyptian grappler Farag is more consistent and the bookies have him down as a favourite here. He tapped out Kazuya Chano back in February to get this shot, and if he can take the fight to the mat may well had an advantage.

Masahiro Maeno (21-5) vs Kenji Akita (14-3)

This evenly-matched pair face off in what’s surely effectively a number 1 contender’s bout, with the winner likely to get a shot at Takeuchi or Ho. Maeno is coming off a submission victory over Chan Wan Wah, while Akita will try to bounce back from his unsuccessful attempt to unseat the champion in February.

Yoshiro Makamori (12-2) vs Chan Wan Wah (9-2)

Two of the top 7 featherweights in KDM FC, both of whom have struggled slightly in recent years, aim to get back to winning ways. Submission specialist Makamori is an overwhelming favourite here.

Chan Kim Huat (6-1) vs Muhammad Hamzah (20-13)

Huat attempts to continue the comeback since his unsuccessful shot at Atep in April 2000, having recently tapped out Taufik Wijaya. It’s likely to be a baptism of fire for the Indonesian, finally picked up by a major federation at the age of 36.

ALPHA-1: Fontes vs Endo (Sunday, week 3, June 2002 Kanto)

ALPHA-1 Middleweight title: Joaquim Fontes (27-3) vs Heiji Endo (16-2)

The BJJ black belt, who stunned the world by beating fellow Brazilian Carlos da Guia in his ALPHA-1 debut to get the Middleweight belt, makes his first defence. Wrestler Endo, who was on fire in the division until 2000 when da Guia beat him, has bounced back with decision victories over Bambang Sriyanto and Fjodor Kanchelskis.

Heikichu Shimizu (8-0) vs Naizen Hamacho (13-1)

Living legend judoka Shimizu fights rarely, but has never been taken close to a loss in his 4 years with ALPHA-1. Kick boxer Hamacho, though, is tougher competition than most of his countryman’s previous opponents have been.

Tomoji Takaoka (4-1) vs Taroemon Abukura (8-1)

The former sumo star they call HULK is looking good, coming back from a debut loss to Palmer Lette to win 2 in a row. World #5 Abukara, though, is a huge roadblock – in more than one way – having defeated Lette for the title, although he lost it back in a rematch.

Ieyoshi Yamashita (28-10) vs Carlos de Guia (19-1)

Two of the top 6 in the world at Middleweight, both former champions, collide here. Yashamita’s wrestling is better than ever, although there are slight questions about his chin strength at the age of 37. Muay Thai star da Guia, who took 19 fights in a row before the loss to Fontes, aims to get back to winning ways here.

Gyokusho Fujimoto (11-2) vs Ari Peltonen (28-10)

Hard-hitting kick boxer Fujimoto is a rising star, who has massive knock-out power in both hands and feet. Peltonen has rarely been knocked down in a storied career, but is perhaps something past his prime now.

Prediction Keys

KDM FC: Takeuchi vs Ho III (Sunday, week 3, May 2002 South Eastern Asia)

KDM FC Featherweight title: Tomohiro Takeuchi (23-2) vs Li-Kong Ho (22-2)

KDM FC Lightweight title: Teeratep Nutnum (11-6) vs Ahmed Farag (7-1)

Masahiro Maeno (21-5) vs Kenji Akita (14-3)

Yoshiro Makamori (12-2) vs Chan Wan Wah (9-2)

Chan Kim Huat (6-1) vs Muhammad Hamzah (20-13)

ALPHA-1: Fontes vs Endo (Sunday, week 3, June 2002 Kanto)

ALPHA-1 Middleweight title: Joaquim Fontes (27-3) vs Heiji Endo (16-2)

Heikichu Shimizu (8-0) vs Naizen Hamacho (13-1)

Tomoji Takaoka (4-1) vs Taroemon Abukura (8-1)

Ieyoshi Yamashita (28-10) vs Carlos de Guia (19-1)

Gyokusho Fujimoto (11-2) vs Ari Peltonen (28-10)

aya_ · February 11, 2018

Good lineup on that GP, shame about it. I wish you could have alternates specifically designated for the GP.

KDM FC: Takeuchi vs Ho III (Sunday, week 3, May 2002 South Eastern Asia)

KDM FC Featherweight title: Tomohiro Takeuchi (23-2) vs Li-Kong Ho (22-2)

KDM FC Lightweight title: Teeratep Nutnum (11-6) vs Ahmed Farag (7-1)

Masahiro Maeno (21-5) vs Kenji Akita (14-3)

Yoshiro Makamori (12-2) vs Chan Wan Wah (9-2)

Chan Kim Huat (6-1) vs Muhammad Hamzah (20-13)

ALPHA-1: Fontes vs Endo (Sunday, week 3, June 2002 Kanto)

ALPHA-1 Middleweight title: Joaquim Fontes (27-3) vs Heiji Endo (16-2)

Heikichu Shimizu (8-0) vs Naizen Hamacho (13-1)

Tomoji Takaoka (4-1) vs Taroemon Abukura (8-1)

Ieyoshi Yamashita (28-10) vs Carlos de Guia (19-1)

Gyokusho Fujimoto (11-2) vs Ari Peltonen (28-10)

Dublin Sky · February 12, 2018

KDM FC: Takeuchi vs Ho III (Sunday, week 3, May 2002 South Eastern Asia)

KDM FC Featherweight title: Tomohiro Takeuchi (23-2) vs Li-Kong Ho (22-2)

KDM FC Lightweight title: Teeratep Nutnum (11-6) vs Ahmed Farag (7-1)

Masahiro Maeno (21-5) vs Kenji Akita (14-3)

Yoshiro Makamori (12-2) vs Chan Wan Wah (9-2)

Chan Kim Huat (6-1) vs Muhammad Hamzah (20-13)

ALPHA-1: Fontes vs Endo (Sunday, week 3, June 2002 Kanto)

ALPHA-1 Middleweight title: Joaquim Fontes (27-3) vs Heiji Endo (16-2)

Heikichu Shimizu (8-0) vs Naizen Hamacho (13-1)

Tomoji Takaoka (4-1) vs Taroemon Abukura (8-1)

Ieyoshi Yamashita (28-10) vs Carlos de Guia (19-1)

Gyokusho Fujimoto (11-2) vs Ari Peltonen (28-10)

Dublin Sky · February 12, 2018

Man those are some tough fights to pick lol.

Sudo_Nym · February 12, 2018

KDM FC: Takeuchi vs Ho III (Sunday, week 3, May 2002 South Eastern Asia)

KDM FC Featherweight title: Tomohiro Takeuchi (23-2) vs Li-Kong Ho (22-2)

KDM FC Lightweight title: Teeratep Nutnum (11-6) vs Ahmed Farag (7-1)

Masahiro Maeno (21-5) vs Kenji Akita (14-3)

Yoshiro Makamori (12-2) vs Chan Wan Wah (9-2)

Chan Kim Huat (6-1) vs Muhammad Hamzah (20-13)

ALPHA-1: Fontes vs Endo (Sunday, week 3, June 2002 Kanto)

ALPHA-1 Middleweight title: Joaquim Fontes (27-3) vs Heiji Endo (16-2)

Heikichu Shimizu (8-0) vs Naizen Hamacho (13-1)

Tomoji Takaoka (4-1) vs Taroemon Abukura (8-1)

Ieyoshi Yamashita (28-10) vs Carlos de Guia (19-1)

Gyokusho Fujimoto (11-2) vs Ari Peltonen (28-10)

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