The Fight To Win promotion held their, “Rising Stars 1” event at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado Friday night September 10, 2010. The event featured established fighters, but the focus was on upcoming talent. Kickboxing as well as MMA matches occurred including two title bouts and the main event which was a professional bout.
MAIN EVENT:
PRO 150 LBS MMA, RICKY JOHNSON VS TRAVIS HOLLIS.
For round one Johnson opened with low kicks that Hollis answered with punches. Hollis then landed a spinning back kick to the liver that visibly hurt Johnson. Hollis got the clinch and landed knees and punches that dropped Johnson. Off of his back Johnson worked for a kneebar that Hollis escaped.
Hollis worked into mount, then back control to try for an RNC then an armbar. Johnson escaped, took back control and tried for his own RNC. Hollis defended and Johnson switched to GNP before switching to an armbar, then triangle choke, then into an armbar/triangle choke combination to get the tapout victory at 4:40 of round one.
CO-MAIN EVENT:
155 LBS MMA AMATEUR TITLE, NICK LANEY VS JEREMY HASTINGS.
Round one saw Hastings immediately knock down Laney with a leg kick then let him stand. Laney got a takedown and used a can opener to set up a guard pass into half guard. The action slowed and the referee stood the fighters. Hastings scored a takedown into side control and Laney momentarily threatened with an armbar.
The referee stood the fighters and warned Hastings for a rules infraction. Laney immediately used strikes to get a takedown and the fighters scrambled for position then worked back to standing to end the round.
Round two began with each throwing kicks before Hastings got a takedown. Laney threatened with a triangle choke then transitioned to side control. Laney worked into half mount and set in a head and arm triangle choke. Hastings briefly defended, but after transitioning to the other side Laney got the tapout victory to take home the title at 1:24 of round two.
135 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, DUSTIN BROWN VS CORY KUECHLER.
To open round one Brown got a quick takedown but Kuechler set in a crucifix position. Brown escaped and the fighters scrambled back to standing. Kuechler scored with a takedown but Brown ended on top in the guard of Kuechler. Brown jammed Kuechler into the cage to work GNP but Kuechler stayed active with rubber guard. Brown was able to posture and score solid GNP to end the round.
Round two opened with both fighters landing hard leg kicks before Brown got a takedown. This time Kuechler was able to keep Brown from posturing and the referee stood the fighters. Brown scored with a slam and worked GNP from side control to end the round.
Round three began with Brown again getting a takedown then escaping the guillotine attempt from Kuechler. Brown worked GNP and Kuechler worked for submissions to end the round. The scorecards were utilized to determine the winner and by unanimous it was Dustin Brown.
205 LBS ELIMINATION MMA TITLE, RORY O’FARELL VS JEREMY OSHEIM.
Round one had the fighters immediately clinch and O’Farell got a takedown but the fighters scrambled to standing and a time out was called after Osheim landed an accidental low blow. Both fighters probed with jabs to restart then they clinched and both landed hard knee strikes. O’Farell pulled Osheim to the mat and from half mount Osheim ended the round with GNP.
Round two started with both landing strong punches before O’Farell initiated the clinch and got the takedown into side control. Osheim scrambled to his feet where again they traded punches. Off of a superman punch O’Farell got the clinch and action again halted and the referee assessed a point penalty to Osheim for another illegal low blow.
The fight resumed and Osheim landed a head kick. O’Farell again got the clinch and after a third illegal low blow right before the bell Osheim was disqualified and O’Farell got the win at 2:59 of round two to take home the title.
175 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, KEITH GREEN VS MATT MACFARLAND.
Round one Green landed an early head kick followed by strong head punches. Macfarland answered with a punch that dropped Green. Macfarland let Green stand and Green landed knees in the clinch, punches from outside and another stunning head kick.
Macfarland showed a steel chin and stuffed the takedown from Green. Green again flurried with punches and Macfarland worked counter strikes until the round ended.
Round two had an early punch exchange before Green worked between knees and threatening with a standing guillotine choke. The fighters separated and both landed some of their hardest punches of the fight before Green got a takedown.
Macfarland worked for a triangle while Green worked GNP until the fighters were stood. To end the round Green scored a takedown off of the cage.
Due to an eye injury Keith Green was unable to answer the bell for round three and Matt Macfarland got the TKO win at 3:00 of round two. Side note: Keith Green proposed to his girlfriend in the cage after the fight and they exited the arena engaged.
147 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, TOMMY THOMPSON VS JAMES HARVEY.
Round one saw Harvey immediately get a bodylock slam takedown but on the way to the mat Thompson set in a deep Kimura. Harvey escaped and worked GNP from inside the guard of Thompson. Harvey stood to work punches but Thompson rolled for and sunk in a deep kneebar.
Harvey escaped, the fighters stood and Harvey immediately got another takedown. Thompson again showed his proclivity for submissions and this time he got the fight ending armbar set in at 2:21 of round one.
170 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, AARON SCHNEIDER VS RHETT RHINHOLDT.
Round one Schneider quickly pushed Rhinholdt into the cage to land strikes and set up the bodylock takedown. Schneider worked into full mount and flurried with GNP to set up the RNC attempt.
Rhinholdt turned in and worked his own GNP attack. Schneider escaped to standing and both flurried with hard strikes in and out of the clinch until the round ended.
Round two had the fighters again throwing good strikes and transitioning in and out of the clinch until Schneider got a leg trip takedown into side control.
Schneider worked GNP to set up his transition to full mount for more GNP. Rhinholdt turned belly down to escape the strikes and Schneider continued with power strikes until the round ended.
Round three opened with good kicks from both fighters. Schneider closed the distance to get the clinch for a takedown and he immediately transitioned to full mount and landed shoulder strikes. Rhinholdt turned face down and Schneider pinned his arms and flurried with punches.
Rhinholdt continued to move enough to keep himself in the fight and Schneider continued to punch until the bell ended the bout. The judge’s scorecards were read and the winner by unanimous decision was Aaron Schneider.
185 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, ZACHARY WALSH VS NICK BROWN.
Round one had Brown going for an early takedown, but Walsh ended on top to work GNP.
Brown showed an active guard looking for submissions while Walsh threw power punches and knees to the body of Brown.
After thwarting an armbar attempt from Brown, Walsh flurried with a series of hammerfist strikes to get the TKO victory at 1:58 of round one.
165 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, BEN DE ANDA VS GLENN SPAGNUOLO.
Round one, other than one takedown attempt by De Anda was all kickboxing with the fighters trading evenly in the exchanges.
Round two began with De Anda landing a head kick that stunned Spagnuolo.
Spagnuolo recovered well but De Anda got a takedown into full mount and flurried with strong GNP to set up the armbar that got him the submission victory at 1:22 of round two.
145 LBS ELIMINATION MMA, MILTON MURPHY VS ZACH WORTHINGTON.
To start round one Murphy got a quick takedown and escaped a guillotine choke attempt. Worthington worked to standing, then shot for a takedown but Murphy set in a north/south choke that Worthington escaped. From side control Murphy worked GNP to set up a transition to full mount. Worthington scored a sweep and worked GNP to end the round.
Round two opened with Worthington knocking down Murphy with a skip in side kick to the head. Murphy scrambled on the ground end ended in full mount to work GNP, and then take back control, but he lost a point for back of the head strikes. Worthington again landed a head kick but Murphy took side control on the ground. Worthington regained full guard and tried for subs but Murphy was able to slam him several times to end the round.
Round three opened with Worthington scoring with a spinning back kick and Murphy answering with a takedown. From side control Murphy scored with GNP until Worthington scrambled to standing. Murphy shot for and got a double leg takedown to continue to work GNP from inside the guard of Worthington to end the bout. The scorecards were read and the winner by unanimous decision was Milton Murphy.
170 LBS KICKBOXING, ROMAN CARSON VS JR NIELSON.
Round one began with Carson throwing all power punches while Nielson countered actively. Nielson landed an accidental low blow and when the action restarted Carson again fired off with power punches followed by hard low kicks. Neilson was able to fire back and land several head kicks before the round ended.
Round two saw Carson open with a kicking attack including a sweeping leg kick that knocked down Nielson. Nielson was one more time able to answer with a head kick and both fighters landed solid punches to end the round.
Round three had Nielson landing a jumping cross to begin, then mid-round the fighters stood toe-to-toe to trade head punches. To end the round Carson landed inside and outside leg kicks and both landed accurate and hard head punches.
The scorecards were used to determine the winner and by unanimous decision it was Roman Carson.
170 LBS KICKBOXING, BERNARDO FANTI VS SAMUEL FERNANDEZ.
Round one Fanti opened with multiple skip-in knees that landed well while Fernandez worked punches in close. Mid-round Fanti switched to mainly punches while Fernandez countered well.
For round two both fighters came out with powerful strikes with Fanti mixing his punches, knees and kicks in equal measure while Fernandez was able to trap several kicks and land a follow up punch.
Round three had Fernandez land several strong kicks early and Fanti answered with hard knees in the clinch. The rest of the round was back and forth exchanges with each landing powerful punches.
The scorecards were read and the winner by unanimous decision was Bernardo Fanti.
150 LBS KICKBOXING, JOSH MARTINEZ VS ADDISON FREEMAN.
Round one had Freeman scoring early with hard head shots and Martinez answering with good body kicks. The rest of the round played out with even exchanges.
Round two had unrelenting aggression from both fighters with both giving their all in strong and accurate combinations with Martinez scoring well with multiple kicks.
Round three was again filled with powerful combinations by each with Martinez mainly landing kicks and Freeman mostly working his punches.
The scorecards were totaled and the winner by unanimous decision was Josh Martinez.
150 LBS KICKBOXING, LEA POPE VS ALLISON LANTZ.
Round one had both fighters throwing hard punch kick combinations with Pope landing the harder strikes early and Lantz finishing the round strong.
Round two saw Lantz landing hard by staying on the offense while Pope countered well. Both showed strong knees while clinched and each flurried strong to end the round.
Round three was toe-to-toe action all round with both fighters able to stun the other by way of mixing their strikes well including very hard knees in the clinch.
The scorecards were read and the winner was Lea Pope by way of split decision.
Lucky Strike Ring Card Girl Kimberly Kondora
“Of The Night” moments:
Heart of the night goes to JR Nielson for staying in his bout until the end despite leg kicks and head punches that would have stopped many.
Chin of the night goes to Keith Green for withstanding the early head kicks and head punch flurries of his opponent.
Takedown of the night goes to James Harvey for his early bodylock slam.
Submission of the night goes to Ricky Johnson for his Main Event winning triangle/armbar combination in the first round.
KO/TKO of the night goes to Zach Walsh for his fight ending GNP flurry in round one of his fight.
Fight of the night goes to Milton Murphy and Zach Worthington for their back and forth battle that featured submission attempts, escapes, GNP, head kicks and heart that entertained the crowd for all three rounds.
Thanks to all of the sponsors for making the event possible.
Be sure to check the site calendar upcoming events.
Best in health and Training,
J.R. Gordon/MMABuzz.com
Fight Fotos by Joe Cordova/Brawlin.net