GAMMA - Dynasty and commentary on my decisions

[WCW Mark]

I was a big fan of WMMA 1 but didn't get to play WMMA 2 very much, as such when starting a game on number 3 I though I would go with a company I knew. Having looked at the rosters for Gamma and Alpha 1 I've gone with Gamma. Whilst they are number 2 in the world the roster is good and there are lots of fighters active in America I can hire.

My first job was to secure a PPV deal, I request goes in to negotiate with Public Access Select, this is the smallest PPV provider in the US so hopefully I should get a deal, it also broadcasts in Canada which is a bonus, I'd better look at pushing at least one Canadian star

Next was to look at the weight divisions and see where I needed to hire some extra stars, with my signings I'm going to be looking for a few things, some future stars, some current big names and some jobbers. I don't want to make too many signings though as I want to make sure there are plenty of fighters for the smaller companies. I'm also going to be looking at mostly signing fighters who are already based in North America.

Lightweights

This looks like a pretty strong division. The champ stands out as he is far more popular than the rest of the division. However Brandon Sugar and Truck Gleeson both seem like credible contenders and there are several undefeated fighters lower down the rankings. There are a few fighters who really don't make the grade but that's fine, I'll job them out and then sack them. Ian Linderman & Henry Baldwin I'm looking at you. Signings wise there aren't any big names available, I put a bid in for Brian Claremont as he looks like an exciting fighter with potential and Ashton Andrews and Nicky Shapiro who both look like they can do a job putting over some of my up and coming fighters.

Welterweights


The champ here appears to stand head and shoulders above the division, my number 2 ranked fighter, Nathan Chambers, has just lost his title to Julio Regueiro and as I'm not a fan of immediate rematches I need to find something else for the champ to do while I build chambers back up. There are a good number of veterans in the division but little in the way of up and coming talent. I put bids in for Callum Henson who is fairly popular, exciting to watch and on a winning streak and Delroy Rhodes who at 6-0 could be a potential up and comer. Lamont Banner is tempting at both lightweight and welterweight but he only has 1 fight under his belt and he is a natural featherweight and as such I decide to leave him for XCC to snap up if they want him

Middleweight

Mathew Dean is the champion here and he is ok but doesn't have great marketability or performance. Luckily the next 3 fighters in the rankings are exciting and marketable, De Vries lost his title to Dean but has since got back on track. Darling is as popular as the champ and Napier isn't far off. Lower down the rankings I have Garner and JJ Reid who are both impressive BJJ experts and Ashley Ballard who is an all action kickboxer. I've also got Osmosis Benn and Adam White, both of who could be potential superstars. This is a pretty healthy looking division. Signings wise Alex Cole is 7-0 and has potential, Gregg Atteveld provides a veteran with name recognition and Bernard Blue and Keith Place can provide decent opponents for some of my lower ranked prospects to gain experience against. Jonathan Huang is very tempting but will probably prove expensive and I decide to leave him for someone else to sign

Light Heavyweight

This was one of my favourite divisions in GAMMA in WMMA 1, lets see how it shapes up now.

My champ is Spencer Rubenstein but my number 1 ranked fighter is Linfield Ballard. He lost the title to Rubenstein but is now back on a winning streak. This seems like an obvious rematch. Lower down Marlon Joh is 11-0 and Anthony Le Toussier is 12-0, he could be one of the Canadian stars I try to push. Lower down is Derek South who was a favourite of mine in WMMA 1 and Mike Watson who should be a future star. Signings wise I put bids in for Guillermo Morales as a potential latin american superstar, Toby Sorkin as a future heel and Jerr Bogdonovich as I like him. I also put in bids for Glenn Pimm, Petey Barnum and Ernie Bruns to provide a bit of cannon fodder.

Heavyweights

At first glance this seems like a strong division, the champ, James Foster, is incredibly popular. I've also got 6 national level popularity fighters. Looking at the division more closely though and it is top heavy with veterans. 11 of the 15 fighters are over 30 and some of the big names like Jack Cobblepott and Norbert Vinkus really aren't very good. There are also several fighters who are pretty dull to watch, Tank Manu'a, Frank Sheedy and Randall Donelly can all consider themselves on notice.

Signings wise I need to look to the future and Chuck Dooley is an obvious choice. I need some more exciting fighters in this division and put in bids for Wilson Franklyn and Sly Twinge. Fletcher Merman, Norman Pike, Russel McPhee and Stan Blackheath round out the midcard. I then spot Christopjer Sharp, an excellent wreslter with a glass jaw I decide to take him on, with the right match ups I can hopefully propel him up the rankings before feeding him to an up and coming big puncher for a highlight reel KO. My final bid goes in for Khru Duangian. He is unknown in the US but has skills and is incredibly exciting to watch.

Right thats the bids in, now time to spin on a few days and see what happens. Then I get to look at booking my first card.

[BYU 14]

Will be interested to see how Foster fares for you. He seems to be losing his title early in most peoples GAMMA games.

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 1: Morrison v Reguerio

I managed to make all my signings and land that PPV deal so now time to book my first event. As this is GAMMA's first PPV I am going to reset the numbering and this will be GAMMA 1. This is really just to help me as it means in my notes event 1 will actually be my first event.

As this is my first PPV I want it to be memorable, which means putting on something a little special for the main event. I decide to go with Morrison v Regueiro for the Welterweight Title. Hopefully the chance to see two dominant champions face each other will draw the fans in. I expect Regueiro to win this one which is why I'm holding it at Welterweight. If Morrison loses he can blame the weight difference and his reputation won't be too badly hurt.

The co-main event is going to be a number 1 contenders fight in the Heavyweight division. I book Hughes v Carlton as it should prove an exciting fight and whoever wins will make a worthy challenger to Foster for his first defence.

The rest of the card looks like this:

Gleeson v Sugar LW - The winner of this belt will face Morrison for the LW title.

South v Cumming LH - This is a bout I hope South can win, Cumming has a poor chin and this will hopefuly lead to a good KO for South, whoever wins will be on a winning streak and will see themselves move up the rankings.

Osmosis v Atteveld MW - Osmosis is a fast rising young fighter, he has the skills but now needs to start building a reputation. Atteveld is no where near the fighter he once was but still has name value and a win over him shuld help Osmosis' career.

Sharp v Sheedy HW - Sharp makes his debut after signing his new contract. This probably won't be an exciting fight but Sheedy doesn't punch hard and hopefully won't test Sharp's chin.

Sipatov v Halvorsen WW - Two veterans who have fallen on hard times. Sipativ is the ex champ and needs a win to kick start his career. The loser of this bout may find themselves leaving the company in the near future.

Bogdonovich v Bruns - LH - Bogdonovich is a hard hitting brawler, Bruns has a dubious chin. I bet you can see which way I hope this one will go. This will hopefully provide a good start to the PPV getting the fans hyped up.

Prelims
Claremont v Andrews LW - Both fighters are making their debuts for GAMMA, I expect Claremont to win by KO, we can replay it before his next fight on PPV.

Duangjan v Donnelly HW - Duangjan is completely unknown in the States, Donnelly is known, known to be rubbish. Hopefully this will be an exciting fight to kick the card off and Duangjan will get the win.

[Scottie]

Yeah, I've always thought Foster is a bit of a Couture-clone minus his ability to fight at 205. He's still good enough to beat top level fighters here, but not consistently. I'm not sure what his destiny stat is, but I'm guessing he retires old.

EDIT: Didn't see the update.

GAMMA 1: Morrison vs. Regueiro

GAMMA Welterweight Title
Julio Regueiro vs. Sean Morrison
Could be won or lost on the ground. Neither fighter is great in the stand up, but I rate Morrison a more likely type to ground and pound Julio than Julio is to sub out Morrison.

Raul Hughes vs. Jeff Carlton
Not sure here. Carlton seems to have been given a boost in this game, but Hughes is super dangerous and hopefully wins by KO.

Truck Gleeson vs. Brandon Sugar
Sugar is a jet on the ground and I expect will expose Truck's weaknesses.

Osmosis Benn vs. Greg Atteveld
Poor Atteveld. Benn by brutal GnP.

Christopher Sharp vs. Frank Sheedy
Sharp is a bit undersized in this division but is a threat with his striking. Rate Sheedy's ability to smother out a decision higher, though.

Yevgeny Sipatov vs. Dan Halvorsen
Toss of the coin here. Two MMA legends, but the Bulgarian for me.

Jeremy Bogdonovich vs. Ernie Bruns
Bogdonovich blows hot and cold, but Bruns is well past it and succumbs to strikes.

Prelims
Brian Claremont vs. Ashton Andrews
Khru Duangjan vs. Randall Donnelly

[BYU 14]

GAMMA Welterweight Title
Julio Regueiro vs. Sean Morrison
I think Morrison wins, getting the better of the standup game.

Raul Hughes vs. Jeff Carlton
Carlton is at his peak right now and I think he destroys Hughes

Truck Gleeson vs. Brandon Sugar
Will take him down and pound him out

Osmosis Benn vs. Greg Atteveld
Benn made weight??? Surely a win then

Christopher Sharp vs. Frank Sheedy
Sheedy is declining

Yevgeny Sipatov vs. Dan Halvorsen
Fairly even match

Jeremy Bogdonovich vs. Ernie Bruns
J-Bog will run right over poor Ernie

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 1: Reguerio v Morrison: Welterweight Title

Prelims

Duangjuan v Donnelly

Donnelly does well in the first round and cuts Duangjuan, however Duangjaun comes out swinging at the start of the second round, knocking him down with a kick and then diving on top and unleashing for the TKO win. Thats the part of the fight that will be replayed before Duangjuan's PPV debut.

Result: Duangjan by TKO, 0:46 Round 2. Match Rating: Great

Claremont v Andrews

Claremont starts aggressively and lands several good shots on Andrews, with the first round coming to a close he lands a good shot which puts Andrews down, Claremont jumps on him and unleashes several hard strikes before the ref pulls him off.

Result: Claremonet by TKO, 4:34 Round 1. Match rating: Decent

Main Card

Bogdonovich v Bruns

Both fighters trade punches in the first round and Bruns ust about edges it, Bogdonovich comes out more aggressively in the 2nd round and gets a TKO win when he puts Bruns down. Most of the fight was spent up against the cage and was a but dull, not the barnstormer I was hoping for for the opening match.

Result: Bogdonovich by TKO, 3:05 Round 2. Match rating: Poor

Sipatov v Halvorsen

Both fighters come out looking for the takedown from the off, after a couple of failed attempts for each of them Halvorsen gets Sipatov up against the cage, he goes for a single leg but Sipatov reverses into side control, he quickly gains the mount and unleashes.

Result: Sipatov by TKO, 3:17 Round 1. Match rating: Great

Sharp v Sheedy

First round goes to Sheedy as he constantly stuffs Sharps takedown attempts and lands jabs on the counter. He is breathing heavily at the start of the second round though and Sharp keeps attacking and looking for the takedown. He gets it about halfway through the round and quickly gets mount. It's soon all over as he rains down the pain.

Result: Sharp by TKO, 3:28 Round 2. Match rating: Average

Benn v Atteveld

There is controversy as Benn fails to make weight by 4 lbs. Atteveld being the pro he is agrees to go on with the fight but he is obviously going to be at a disadvantage here. Sure enough Benn takes him down after a couple of minutes and starts to pound away. The ref gives Atteveld a couple of chances but eventually has to step in. A good win by Benn but tainted by his failure to make weight.

Result: Benn by TKO, 3:15 Round 1. Match rating: Great

South v Cumming

South does't mess around here and goes straight after Cumming from the off, he lands several hard shots and rocks Cumming. This fight doesn't look like it will be a long one and sure enough a monster haymaker lands ending the fight on 2.19 in the first round.

Result: South by KO, 2:19 Round 1. Match rating: Great

Gleeson v Sugar

The winner of this one gets a title shot against Morrison regardless of the result of the main event. Sugar starts well clinching against the cage and frustrating Gleeson. However Gleeson comes out swinging in the 2nd round and lands a hard right cross to win by KO.

Result: Gleeson by KO, 1:47 Round 2. Match rating: Decent

Carlton v Hughes

This is a big fight for both competitors as the winner gets a shot against Foster for the title. The first round passes quickly with both fighters trading shots, Carlton is swinging and missing and Hughes is picking him apart on the counter. Good first round for Hughes. The second round is more of the same with Carlton getting rocked on a couple of occasions and put down late in the round. Hughes doesn't follow up and the round ends. The third round is more of the same until about the halfway mark, from out of no where Carlton gets the take down. He gets Hughes back and gets the hooks in. With 30seconds left in the fight he gets the rear naked in and Hughes has to tap. Great comeback for Carlton.

Result: Carlton by submission, 4:28 Round 3. Match rating: Fantastic

Regueiro v Morrison - Welterweight Title

This is the big one, with two fighters at the top of their division facing off. Advantage has to go to Regueiro who is fighting at his natural weight but anything could happen.

First round goes Morrison's way, he is keeps the fight standing and lands several good shots. Whilst he doesn't hurt Regueiro he frustrates him and takes the round. Second round goes the same way and Morrison is in control, coould he become a two weight champion? Morrison keeps up his game plan in the 3rd round but it seems to be taking its toll on him as his breathing is getting ragged. One mistake lets Regueiro take him down at around 2.30 and now he is in trouble. Regueiro goes for an arm bar and gets it sinked in, some how Morrison guts it out and wrigles free, Regueiro switches to a Kimura and this time Morrison taps.

Result: Regueiro by Submission, 4:10 round 3. Match Rating: Poor

Aftermath

Overall I'm pretty happy with the PPV. It scored Great in terms of commercial success and Decent in terms of Critical success. Attendence was 5,143 bringing in $411,440 and PPV buys were 175,202 for an income of $1,051,212. The rating for the main event was disapointing but despite the loss Morrison retained his credibility, he might want to work on that cardio though. Sipatov shot up to 3rd in the rankings with his win and overall eveone I wanted to win won. Benn needs to watch his weight and if he fails again will find himself moving up a weight class. Finacially the month was good with a profit of $901,168 being made.

Rest of the World

Not a very eventful month elsewhere, Sigma held a PPV on the last day of the month and Mannish Khan beat Lars Bohlin for the Featherweight Title. Alpha-1 signed Hyun-Shik Lim and Jiroemon Hasegawa but the big signing of the month is Heikichi Shimizu for Sigma. He could prove very dangerous in their Welterweight Division.

[Chris2K]

Best to be cautious with Benn, he missed weight twice for me at 185, then somehow he missed 205 as well. I thought Regueiro would take the win, kind of a GSP/Penn type feel about the fight. Must be nice to have a card with 10 finishes!

[WCW Mark]

Rigth well after a fairly succesful first PPV I decide to book my next two. I offered a title match and two number 1 contenders matches at GAMMA 1 and I obviously can't keep that sort of pace up or I'll burn through all of my match ups.

GAMMA 2: Spencer Rubenstein v Linfield Ballard

This is the obvious headliner for 3 reasons, firstly Ballard lost his title to Rubenstein but has since gone on a winning streak so he has earnt his rematch. Secondly Ballard is ranked more highly than Rubenstein and it doesn't sit well with me to have my champ ranked second and thirdly Ballard is only High Regional level popularity and as such if he is going to headline for me it needs to be soon before my popularity improves. I don't mind which of them win this one but my money is on Rubenstein.

Josh Aldarisio v Darin Blood

After beating Morrison, Regueiro needs a new challenger and I'm picking one of these guys. They are actually only ranked 5th and 6th in the Welterweight division but 2 to 4 are Chambers, Stephens and Sipatov. Chambers hasn't earnt a rematch yet, Sipatov doesn't deserve to be that high in my opinion and I have other plans for Stephens. Hopefully a win here for either of these will improve them to low national popularity and move them up the rankings making them a more credible contender. This is a hard one to call as Blood has a very low consitency rating but I'm gonna go with Aldarisio.

Leon Banks v Rick Stanley

I've already got my next Heavyweight Title fight sorted so it's time to start planning ahead. Both these guys are coming off a loss but either of them could make a credible contender with a few wins under their belts. Banks is only 28 but has the fight record of a much older man at 31-10. Stanley is 37 and has the worse record but is more popular and ranked higher. My money is on Stanley but both these fighters are pretty much drinking in the last chance saloon in terms of title shots. My money is on Stanley.

David Allen v Jim Carpenter

Both fighters are coming off a win and bith need another win to push on so lets match them up against each other, at least that way I'm guaranteed one of them will improve. Ranked 9 and 10 in the division neither of them are likley to get near the title picture any time soon but a loss will definitely put them right out of it. My money is on the massively experienced Carpenter to take this.

Duke Aiona v Gary Sampson

Both these guys are coming off a loss, firmly mired in the midcard a win probably doesn't do much for either of them in the short term, a loss though could be devastating and may leave them only one or two matches from the sack. I fancy Aiona to take this one.

Ian Linderman v Benny Danare

Right time to start pushing some fresh talent. Linderman is on a winning streak but frankly looking at his stats he appears to be awful. Danare is unbeaten and I would like to keep it that way. He should win this one and I am going to hype him up to hopefully get a popularity boost.

Keith Place v Adam White

White is ranked 18, Place is ranked 15 even though he has yet to debut. Looking at their stats this it's not right that someone so much worse is ranked higher. Lets correct that by giving White a bout he should easily win. Again I'm gonna hype him up for, hopefully, another popularity boost.

Ken Peters v Guillermo Morales

Peters is 8-0 while Morales is making his debut. Peters performance rating is only 23% at the moment and as such I don't care for pushing him where as Morales shows promise and can help me target that key Latin American market. Hopefully this one will go Morales' way for a debut win.

Prelims

Bernard Blue v Alex Cole

Both of these guys are making their debuts and the winner will get to appear on PPV next time around. Neither of them look like setting the world on fire but it would be nice if Cole could keep his winning streak a while longer.

Moss Gilbert v Nicky Shapiro

Shapiro has a glass jaw, Gilbert has a reasonable punch on him. I expect Gilbert to extend his record to 6-0 here and hopefully get a highlight reel KO that can play before his PPV debut next time around.

The PPV will be held last Saturday in February in Nevada.

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 3: Mathew Dean v Dexter Darling

I've booked to PPV's as I'm eager to press on, this one won't take place until last Saturday in March but its nice to know I have everything planned for the next few months. This time round it's the Middleweight Titles turn to be put on the line as the number 1 ranked middleweight in the world defends his title against the number 3. Dean is the champion but Darling is far more exciting to watch and is much more marketable. I don't know who is going to win this one but I hope it's Darling.

Junior Patinkin v Anthony LeToussier

Ranked 3rd and 5th in the division this fight is the number 1 contender bout with the winner facing the winner of Rubenstein v Ballard at some point in the future. Despite being ranked 4th Marlon John doesn't get a look in as he is only mid regional in popularity. He'll have to look at gettign a few more wins before getting his title shot. But back to these two. LeToussier is a fearsome striker whilst Patinkin is the stronger wrestler of the two. Personally I like LeToussier as he always did well for me in past versions of the game. He is unbeaten and I hope he takes this one. Having said that however either one of these guys will make a good number 1 contender.

Rufus Stephens v Jack Humphreys

Remember I Daid I had other plans for Stephens, well here it is. A match against motormouth Jack Humpreys. According to the fan feedback this is a worthy main event and looking at their popularity I don't disagree, I'm really spoiling you guys with these fights. I think Stephens will have too much for Humphreys here a if he wins this a title shot won't be far away.

Mac Fuller v Ashley Ballard

Ballard is 10-0 and a young up and comer whilst Fuller has name value but is past his prime. Both fighters are known for having exciting fights and as such I am hoping this one will be a war. The winner of this fight will see themselves catapulted up the rankings. Infact I'm going to hype this fight a little to try and get an even better rating.

Peter Bracewell v Bobby Brubaker

Bracewell has a granite jaw and I don't see Brubaker knocking him out, if he does though it will be a big boost to his career. I'll be happy with a points victory for him though.

Nicholas Bretton v Aaron McBroom

Ranked 9th and 10th in the division both these guys are a few wins away from being credible contenders. The loser is likely looking at prelims and jobbing to up and comers so whilst a win here won't make their careers a loss here could break them. I think Bretton's wrestling and Subs will prove too much for McBroom but I don't really care either way.

Chuck Dooley v Stan Blackheath

Dooley could be part of the next generation of Heavyweights, he takes on fellow new signing Stan Blackheath in the opening match of the PPV. Blackheath is coming off a win, has name value and is an exciting brawler. All things which make him an ideal debut opponent for Dooley. I'm going to hype Dooley for this fight so I hope he gets the job done.

Prelims

Delroy Rhodes v Dana Delaney

Both these fighters are low regional level popularity and as such don't yet belong on the main card. They are both exciting to watch however and this should get the crowd going before the PPV proper starts.

Fletcher Merman v Wilson Franklyn

Both fighters are making their GAMMA debuts, the prize for a win is an appearance on the PPV proper next time around. Neither are champions in the making but they could both do a job in the Heavyweight Division, especially when some of the older fighters start to drop away. Franklyn has the look and the punching power to be marketable and I hope he takes this one.

That's the next two months PPV's taken care of. I've actually booked number 4 as well but I don't want to overwhelm you guys. Let me know what you think of the cards and any predictions you may have and I'll hopefully be running both of them tonight.

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 2: Rubenstein v Ballard - Light Heavyweight Title


Prelims

Moss Gilbert v Nicky Shapiro - Lightweight

Apparently Shapiro wasn’t happy with his training coming into this fight, I didn’t fancy his chances before and I certainly don’t now. First round consists of Gilbert stepping forwards and peppering Shapiro with jabs. Shapiro backs up well to avoid the worst of it though and the round ends without any major action. Second round is a different story, this time one of Gilberts big punches lands early on, he rocks Shapiro and follows it up by knocking him to the ground with a good combination. He dives on top and gets the TKO win.

Result: Moss Gilbert beats Nicky Shapiro by TKO at 1:53 of the first round in an Average Fight


Alex Coe v Bernard Blue - Middleweight

Very first action of the fight is Blue dodging a kick and unleashing a big punch which rocks Cole. He doesn’t follow up however and Cole regains his composure. Cole punishes Blue with some good leg kicks but then gets caught with a two punch combo which puts him down. He gets straight back up though and Blue can’t capitalise. As the round draws to a close Blue is visibly limping.

Round 2 starts with more leg kicks from Cole, he is managing to back Blue up and gets the takedown about halfway through the round. He lands in full guard but does some good work and eventually gets Blue’s back. He goes for the rear naked with about 30 seconds to go but Blue defends well and the round ends.

Round 3 is a repeat of round 2, Cole tries to apply the choke of a coupe of occasions but can’t get it sinked in. Both fighters look exhausted by the end of the round and Cole takes it on points. An interesting fight with Cole winning by having an intelligent game plan. Blue looked good early on but didn’t have that killer instinct needed.

Result: Alex Cole beats Bernard Blue by Unanimous Decision in a decent fight


Ken Peters v Guillermo Morales - Light Heavyweight

The fight starts with Peters advancing and throwing a few jabs, he attempts the takedown a couple of time but gets stuffed by Morales. On the third attempt Morales gets Peters in front face lock and then floats over to take his back and goes for the sub. They both scramble and Peters ends up in Morales’ guard. The rest of the round is taken up with ineffectual striking from the guard by Peters.

Peters continues to be the aggressor and goes for a slam and a takedown early on. Morales defends them both though and gets a takedown of his own around the 2.30 mark. The rest of this round is spent with Morales on top but unable to do much. It’s a round each going into the final round.

Again Peters is the aggressor but all his attempts are stuffed and he gets scooped and slammed. Morales keeps on top for the rest of the round and whilst he never looks like finishing he takes the match on points.

Result: Guillermo Morales beats Ken Peters Unaniomous Decision in an Average fight.


Adam White v Keith Plaice - Middleweight

White comes forward and gets the takedown at the first attempt, he spends the entire round on top but does little with it. Second round if anything is even more dull, the fighters spend most of it circling each other with occasional strikes being thrown. White gets the takedown with 30 seconds remaining but it’s to late to do anything with it. Final round kicks off and White’s corner are telling him to get in there. He listens and goes for and gets the early takedown. He passes into mount and then gets Plaices back when he goes for the sweep. Plaice defends the arm bar and a rear naked choke but looks exhausted and eventually taps to a rear naked. White was far and away the better fighter here and comfortably got the win. I would have liked to see a bit more aggression from him though.

Result: Adam White beats Keith Place by Submission at 4:24 in the 3rd round of a poor fight.


Ian Linderman v Benny Danare - Lightweight

Danare decides to show White how it should be done, he goes for the takedown right from the start and gets it on the third attempt. With 4 minutes to go Linderman could be in trouble. Danare goes for an armbar and almost gets it before taking Linderman’s back. A couple of attempts at a rear naked are fought off and the round ends. Good round for Danare. Second round goes the same way as the first except this time Linderman is too tired to fight Danare off.

Result: Benny Danare beats Ian Linderman by submission at 4:24 in round 2 of an Average fight

Duke Aiona v Gary Sampson - Heavyweight

Sampson hits some big strikes early on but Aiona doesn’t seem phased, Sampson then clinches and spends the rest of the round forcing Aiona up against the cage. He does some good work with the dirty boxing but no real damage is done. The commentators give the round to Aiona, I would be fuming if I were Sampson. Second round is spent with both fighters throwing and for the most part missing. Aiona hit’s a couple of good leg kicks and probably takes the round off the back of them. Third round and we finally have some action, Aiona hit’s a big head kick and Sampson crumples to the ground, Aiona dives in and starts throwing punches and elbows but Sampson covers up well. Changing tack Aiona goes for an armbar and ends up getting sweeped. Sampson is in side control and starts pounding away. He knows how to use his ground and pound and the ref eventually steps in.

Result: Bob Sampson beats Duke Aiona in by TKO at 2:26 of the second round of a Good fight


David Allen v Jim Carpenter - Welterweight

First two minutes are spent up against the cage, neither fighter is able to control the other and they keep switching positions. Carpenter ties something different and goes for a guillotine, he nearly gets it but Allen wriggles free. Allen spends the rest of the round on top but Carpenter looks more dangerous and he goes for a couple of arm bars. Commentators give the round to Allen though.

Carpenter decides the top is the place to be and gets an early takedown, he stays on top for the whole round but can’t get past guard. This time it’s Allen doing the work off his back but he can’t get anything. 10-9 to Carpenter.

Third round is bitty and neither fighter impresses as they both try to strike. The round draws to a close and it goes to the judges. 29-28 Carpenter, 29-28 Allen, 30-27 Carpenter.

Result: Jim Carpenter beats David Allen by split decision in a very poor fight


Leon Banks v Rick Stanley - Heavyweight

The PPV has been a bit of a bust so far in terms of action, however we’re stepping up to the big guns now. Lets hope things improve.

Both fighters tear into each other from the get go, they exchange punches and kicks and then Banks lands a monster upper cut knocking Stanley clean out.

Result: Leon Banks beats Rick Stanley by KO at 3:03 in the first round of a Great fight.


Darin Blood v Josh Aldariso - Welterweight

That last fight got things back on track. Lets hope it continues in the co-main event.

Blood’s training camp was heavily disrupted by illness, it looks like he might be up against it here then. Blood comes out swinging but Aldariso dodges or blocks everything, he gets the takedown around the halfway mark and spends the rest of the round on top. He can’t do much but he surely took the round.

Second round is a carbon copy of the first, Aldarisio can’t get past Blood’s guard and Blood can’t do a thing off his back. I don’t know about the fighters but I was relieved when the round ended.

Third round starts the same as the first two. This time however Aldarisio gets the mount and gets the stoppage. Not a great fight.

Result: Josh Aldariso beats Darin Blood by TKO in 2:26 of the third round.

Spencer Rubenstein v Linfield Ballard - Light Heavyweight Title

Well after that the success or failure of the PPV rests on this fight, lets hope it’s a barnstormer.

Both fighters start off aggressively, Balard is getting the better of the striking but can’t stop the takedown from Rubenstein, however it’s not clean and he ends up in a sitting position against the cage. Rubenstein keeps working and turns Ballard onto his back slipping into side control. He quickly gains mount and unloads. This one is over.

Result: Spencer Rubenstein beats Linfield Ballard by TKO at 3:02 of the first round to retain the GAMMA Light Heavyweight title in a great match

Well the main event really saved this PPV, I ended up getting a Decent Critical Rating and a Good Commercial Rating. In terms of numbers the gate was 4,520 for an income of $361,600 whilst the PPV buys were 156,725 for an income of $940,350. Not such good figures as last time but I expected that as the main event and co-main events weren’t as popular as last time. The monthly profit came in at $878,761 as I paid out a lot less in fighter pay this month. Rick Stanley is the only fighter who needs a contract renewal and seeing as he is coming off a loss he won’t be able to hold me to ransom.

Rest or the world

Heji Endo beats Mal Phe Roy to retain Alpha-1 MW title in a very poor match
Cater Potter beats Stafford Alois for BCF Heavyweight Title in a good match while Jackson Grey beat Jamie Hewitt for XCC LW title by decision in a 5 round snore fest.
At FLB 7 Manuel Silva retained his unbeaten streak and beat Gabriel Gallego by TKO in a good match to retain the Welterweight title
Dianna Marr beatt Haley Croft by decision for the WEFF Heavyweight Title in a poor match. At a poor PPV
Li-Kong Ho finally won the KDFM Featherweight Title, he is now the #1 Featherweight and #3 P4P in the world
And finally good news for BCF as the UK enters a boom period

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 3: Dean v Darling - Middleweight Title

Welcome to my 3rd PPV, with the Middleweight Title and a shot at the Light Heavyweight Title on the line as well as a couple of big debuts this is an important card for me. Lets get it on!

Prelims

Wilson Franklyn v Fletcher Merman - Heavyweight

Frankly quickly closes range and clinches with Merman, he backs him up against the cage before stepping back and unleashing, Merman goes down and Franklyn dives on top and pounds away until the ref pulls him off.

Result: Wilson Franklyn beats Fletcher Merman by TKO at 2:54 in round 1 of a decent match.


Delroy Rhodes v Dana Delaney - Welterweight

Both fighters attack from the off, Rhodes is landing more of his strikes but Delaney is hitting harder, as the first round closes neither has a real advantage. The second round start in the same vein but this time Delaney’s bigger hits start to tell as he puts Rhodes down. He leaps on him and starts unloading. Rhodes is trying to defend but has to turn and give up his back. Delaney gets the hooks in and continues wailing away. He is relentless. Eventually the ref has seen enough and calls the fight.

Result: Dana Delaney beats Delroy Rhodes by TKO at 4:06 in round 2 of a great fight

Main Card

Chuck Dooley v Stan Blackheath - Heavyweight

No messing from Dooley, he dives straight in and gets the takedown. He lands in half guard and starts trying to do some damage with his elbows. He then moves into mount and lands several big punches. It’s all over, Dooley barely broke a sweat.

Result: Chuck Dooley beats Stan Blackheath by TKO at 2:59 in round 1 of a great fight.

Nicholas Bretton v Aaron McBroom - Lightweight

Both fighters start the round cautiously, suddenly Bretton makes his move and takes McBroom down. He lands in guard and starts to try and work the position. He lands a few strikes and then transitions to side control. McBroom is fighting back with strikes but isn’t doing any damage. He should have been concentrating more on defence as Bretton grabs an arm and sinks in the Kimura. There's only 3 seconds to go but McBroom can't hold on and he taps.

Result: Nicholas Bretton beats Aaron McBroom by submission at 4:57 of round 1 in a good fight.

Kendall Tracey v Glenn Pimm - Lightheavyweight

Tracey starts aggressively moving forwards and peppering Pimm with jabs, Pimm puts his hands up and Tracey shoots in for the take down. Pimm back peddles and gets away. Tracey patiently stalks Pimm and this time is rewarded with a successful takedown. He lands in guard and lands a couple of shots before moving to side control. The round ends before he can do any real damage. The next two rounds see Pimm keeping his distance with Tracey trying and failing to take him down. As the fight ends the commentator says he thinks Pimm may have won it, if he does it will be a travesty as he has done nothing for the whole fight. The judges agree and give Tracey the unanimous win.

Result: Kendall Tracey beats Glenn Pimm by unanimous decision in an awful fight.

Peter Bracewell v Bobby Brubaker - Welterweight

Bracewell spends the first two minutes trying to close the distance and getting punched in the face for his troubles. He finally gets the clinch and pushes Brubaker up against the cage, Bracewell gets to work and lands several good punches and footstomps from the clinch. A momentary lapse in concentration however lets Brubaker escape and the rest of the round is Bracewell chasing Brubaker but failing to get near him. Second round starts and this time Bracewell is able to get in much quicker and again presses Brubaker up against the cage, Brubaker quickly turns it around though and lands several short kicks to the leg before breaking away. Bracewell continues to chase but Brubaker remains elusive and lands a couple more, Brubaker shows good skills and lands some more leg kicks before getting caught against the cage again. Bracewell lands some short range body blows but Brubaker is able to get away again. If Bracewell wants to win this one he’ll need to control his opponent better

Round 3 starts and Bracewell is limping from those leg kicks, he still manages to catch Brubaker though and pushes him against the cage. He gets reversed again and Brubaker lands some more punches before breaking away. Bracewell looks tired and can’t catch Brubaker again.

Result: Bobby Brubaker beat Peter Bracewell by unanimous decision in a poor match.

Mac Fuller v Ashley Ballard - Middleweight

Well after a good start the last two matches have been stinkers, however I have high hopes that this one will be better, I certainly don't see it going the distance.

The round starts and Ballard lands some good strikes from the off, he's mixing up his punches and kicks to keep Fuller guessing. He puts Fuller down with a right hook but waves him back to his feet, he is obviously confident of his ability to finish this on his feet. Sure enough Fuller gets up and takes a couple of hard leg kicks before Ballard switches and lands a monster uppercut knocking him clean out.

Result: Ashley Ballard beats Mac Fuller by KO at 2:11 of round 1 in a great fight.

Rufus Stephens v Jack Humphrey - Welterweight

The round starts and the fighters immediately move to the clinch, Humphreys stuffs two takedown attempts from Stevens before getting pushed up against the cage. He stuffs a third and switches it so that he is now the one in control. Humphreys goes for a couple of takedowns but this time it’s Stephens turn to defend well. The dominant position against the cage switches a couple more times but neither of them can do anything about it. You can’t fault them for effort but that wasn’t pretty.

Second round and both fighters decide to try and keep a little separation, they trade blows and both fail with a couple of takedown attempts. With one minute to go Humphreys sees an opening and finally gets Stephens down, he moves to side control just as the bell goes to signal the end of the round.

As the bell goes for the start of the third round it is noticeable that Humphreys breathing is ragged, guess he shouldn’t have wasted so much of it on trash talking before the fight. He stays on the offensive though, first attempting a takedown and then a slam. Stephens gets behind him on the slam attempt though and grabs an arm, Humphreys reverses and ends up in side control. Humphreys is looking tired and takes the opportunity to grab a breather before attempting to gain mount. Stephens takes the opportunity to wriggle free and end up on top in half guard. Humphreys is now looking exhausted. Stephens spends the final 30 seconds trying to advance his position and failing, this one will go to the judges and I have no idea whose won.

Result: Rufus Stephens beats Jack Humphreys by unanimous decision in an average match


Co-Main Event

Junior Patinkin v Anthony LeToussier - Light Heavyweight Division

Round one and LeToussier tests the waters with a few jabs and half hearted kicks, Patinkin grabs an ankle and almost manages to put him down. LeToussier backs up but Patinkin is relentless going first for a takedown attempt and then clinching and going for a hip throw. He gets it and lands in guard. He makes several attempts to pass but LeToussier knows how to defend and frustrates him.
LeToussier is trying to keep his distance and lands some decent strikes, Patinkin is relentless though, despite having several takedowns and throws stuffed he keeps going for it and finally gets LeToussier to ground with a slam. With only 40 seconds left in the round though it’s too late to matter and the bell goes.

Third round follows a similar pattern, LeToussier is landing some good strikes but is constantly on the back foot as he has to be wary of the takedown. After a couple more failed attempts Patinkin seems to be tiring and LeToussier takes advantage coming forwards for the first time in the fight, he lands a big right hand that leaves Patinkin looking glassy eyed, LeToussier follows up with a flurry of punches but Patinkin is able to cover up and weather the storm. This is a close fight and that final flurry could have made the difference to the judges scores.

Result: Anthiny LeToussier beats Junior Patinkin by split decision in a poor fight


Main Event

Mathew Dean v Dexter Darling - Middleweight Title

Well after a disapointing co-main event I need this match to be a good one and it's not of to a great start as the first round is a quiet one, it looks like both fighters are aware this could go five rounds and are planning accordingly. Darling lands a few strikes from range and Dean isn’t really able to get close enough to go for a takedown. First round to Darling on points, lets hope they pick up the pace.

This time Dean is able to get in and clinch early on. He gets the takedown and lands in guard. He moves to side control and then to mount in a matter of seconds before starting to unleash the ground n pound. Darling isn’t defending himself and the ref steps in. Mathew Dean retains the GAMMA Middleweight Title.

Result: Mathew Dean bts Dexter Darling by TKO at 2:50 of round 2 in a good fight

Well that probably saved the the PPV. The stats are:

Fight of the night: Delaney v Rhodes
KO of the night: Ashley Ballard
Submission of the night: Nicholas Bretton (Those of you who are paying attention will have guessed he would win seeing it as it was the only sub of the night)

5,161 for $412,880
157,219 for $943,314
Critical: Decent
Commercial: Great


Aftermath

Mathew Dean makes the 3rd defence of his title (first in game), despite his lack of charisma I'm still pretty pleased. He is the number 1 ranked Middleweight in the world which is a bonus for GAMMA and he showed he knows how to finish an opponent. LeToussier is ranked number 2 the GAMMA Light Heavyweight rankings which is good as he is the next challenger and I think him and Rubebstein should have a good match with their kickboxing skills. Elsewhere on the card Stephens win took him up to number 2 in my Welterweight rankings. Aldariso has the next title shot here but Stephens isn't far behind. Ballard impressed and Dooley had a good debut.

Post event Bretton's contract is expiring and following his win he deserves another one while Dooley calls out Aiona in his post match interview. I don't think I'll be making this fight, I see Dooley getting a bit more experience against jobbers while I'd like to give Aiona a fight he has a good chance of winning next.

Rest of the world

Alpha 1 put on a disgrace of a card, the main event is a big one with Fezzik beating Kikuchi but it only rates as an average fight. The co-main event is Yamazaki against Dan which scores a poor rating. Meanwhile ratings winners such as Hyun-Shik Lim v Ebizo Fujishima and Chikafusa Abukara v Jungo Futagawa are hidden away in the pre-lims. Lim and Abukara take the wins. Despite this poor match positioning they move to Mid National in terms of popularity.

Sigma are the only other organisation to hold an event in March and they do it the same night as mine, we're not competing for the same audience so this doesn't hurt either of us. It's a good PPV with Aleksei Chekhov beating Nick Soldo in the main event by KO to win the Light Heavyweight Title.

Signings wise Alpha-1 strengthen their heavyweight division with a trio of young potential superstars. Kanezane Fujii "The Great Japanese Hope", Jutaro Honma an ex sumo wrestler and Pai Cheng, a wrestler from China. It will be interesting to see how these three fare.

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 4: Jack Cobblepot v Norbert Vinkus

Well I already had GAMMA 4 booked so time to reveal it to you, my main event is short on quality but big on popularity. Vinkus is High Level National and Cobblepot is Low National so I'm expecting a decent buy rate. Cobblepot is past his best while Vinkus appears to have good physicals but after only two fights doesn't have much in the way of experience or skills. His celebrity status as an ex NFL player should draw in the casual fan however.

Realising that the main event isn't going to please the hardcore fans I book JJ Reid v Buddy Garner in the Middleweight Division. Hopefully these two Jiu Jitsu wizards will put on a ground clinic. The winner will certainly get a nice boost to his career.

Next we see ex heavyweight champion Mark Cohen take on Mike Watson. Watson is a bright light in the Light Heavyweight division and whilst Cohen is past his best he still has name value and after dropping a division must be hoping for one more shot at the top. If he can end Watson's unbeaten streak he could well get it.

Beau Gorshin takes on Bud Brockett in the Lightweight Division. Again this is another match putting an unbeaten up and comer against a cage veteran. The winner will have a very good claim to be the fighter to face the winner of Gleeson v Morrison.

Thomas Smith v Sutton Ripley is a typical wrestler vs striker match up. The winner will be the one who manages to dictate where the fight takes place.

Norman Pike takes on Fatuma Roy in his GAMMA debut, I'm not a massive fan of Roy and hope Pike can take the win.

Henry Baldwin faces a tough match up against Bruce Steven. I expect Steven to take the win here but you never know in MMA.

Ricky Heath v Christian Mountfield kicks things off, again this is wreslter v striker and both fighters have the ability and attitude to put on exciting fights. Both fighters are a long way from the title picture but a win here will be the first step on the road.

Prelims

Tank Manu'a takes on Russell McPhee and Petey Barnum takes on Bryan Van Den Hauwe in the prelim matches. The winner of these will earn a place on the main card next time they fight.

I'm keen to see any predictions or comments so to make your life easier I've included a prediction card below.

Cobblepot v Vinkus
Reid v Garner
Watson v Cohen
Brockett v Gorshin
Smith v Ripley
Roy v Pike
Steven v Baldwin
Heath v Mountfield
Manu'a v McPhee
Barnum v Van Den Hauwe

[BYU 14]

Cobblepot v Vinkus
Reid v Garner
Watson v Cohen
Brockett v Gorshin
Smith v Ripley
Roy v Pike
Steven v Baldwin
Heath v Mountfield
Manu'a v McPhee
Barnum v Van Den Hauwe

[WCW Mark]

GAMMA 4 - Cobblepot v Vinkus

The big news coming out of the weigh in is that Budd Brocket failed to make weight. Despite this Beau Gorshin agrees to go ahead with their bout. Brocket is going to have to watch himself though or he may find himself bumped up to Welterweight.

Prelims

Petey Barnum v Bryan Van Den Hauwe - Light Heavyweight

Round 1 and Barnum is happy to try to keep this one at range while Van Den Hauwe makes several attempts to get in close with a view to getting a takedown. He fails on every attempt though and I think Barnum takes the round with his more accurate striking. Round 2 sees Van Den Hauwe finally get the takedown and he tries to work a couple of submissions but to no avail. The commentators give Barnum the round, they must be watching a different fight to me. Round 3 is a repeat of round one and it goes to the judges. They give the fight to Barnum 29-28.

Result: Petey Barnum beats Bryan Van Den Hauwe by unanimous decision in a very poor fight


Tank Manu’a v Russell McPhee - Heavyweight

The bell goes and McPhee is coming forwards from the off, he is throwing punches and kicks but isn’t connecting with many of them, Manu’a appears to be happy to play a waiting game as apart from one takedown attempt he doesn’t do a lot. Probably hoping that McPhee will burn himself out.

Round 2 and Manu’a appears to have changed his game plan and this time stands and trades with McPhee, McPhee is gets the best of it though, slipping most of Manu’a’s punches and hitting him on the counter. Even the commentators comment on what an exciting round that was.

Round 3 and Manu’a needs to stop his opponent here, he starts aggressively looking for the takedown and a tiring McPhee can’t stop him. He immediately unloads with a couple of big right hands and the ref stops the fight. Good win for Manu’a who out thought his opponent this match. Not a disaster for McPhee though, it was on the prelims so not many people will have seen this loss and he has impressed me with his all action style.

Result: Tank Manu'a beats Russell McPhee by TKO in round 3 of a great fight


Main Card

Ricky Heath v Christian Mountford - Light Heavyweight

Mountfield tries to close the distance between them quickly and gets caught with a couple of hard strikes from Heath, it all becomes worth it though when he ducks under a wild right hand and gets the single leg takedown. Landing in guard he starts to try to improve his position and eventually gets side control, he lands several hard knees to the body as the round draws to a close.

Round 2 and this time it’s a lazy looking leg kick from Heath that gives Mountfield his opening, this time he isn’t able to do much damage on the ground as Heath covers up well but again Mountfied surely took that round.

3rd Round and Heath surely needs to stop Mountfield to stand any chance, he is going to have to do it from his back though as Mountfield takes him down more or less straight away. Mountfield goes for an Americana before taking Heath’s back and trying to slip on a choke. Heath defends and Mountfield decides the best way to victory is brute force. He lands several hard strikes and Heath goes limp.

Result: Christian Mountfield beats Ricky Heath by TKO in Round 3 of a decent fight

Bruce Steven v Henry Baldwin - Lightweight

Steven gets an early takedown and has a good four minutes to try and make something of this. Baldwin defends well and eventually the ref stands them up. A few punches are exchanged as the seconds tick away but no real damage done.

Round 2 and Baldwin is trying to jab and move, he keeps his distance well and never gives Stevens an opening. I make that one round each.

All his good work in round 2 is undone as Baldwin gets caught against the cage and taken down, Steven seems content to control the fight on the Steven didn't impress me in this fight with his no action style.


Result: Bruce Steven beat Henry Baldwin by Unanimous Decision in a poor fight

Fatuma Roy v Norman Pike - Heavyweight

A messy start to the fight as they clinch and Pike attempts a slam, he doesn’t get it and ends up on his knees with Roy behind him. Roy leans on Pike looking to wear him out. Pike is expending a lot of energy trying to wriggle free and Roy sees an opening and pushes him forwards. Both fighters are now prone with Roy on top, he starts punching and doesn’t stop until the ref steps in. A good win for Roy and an unimpressive debut for Pike.

Result: Fatuma Roy beats Norman Pike by TKO in Round 1 of a decent fight

Thomas Smith v Sutton Ripley - Middleweight

Smith is looking to close the distance but Ripley is able to keep him at range with some good jabs. Frustrated Smith shoots in for the takedown from a long way out and Ripey counters with a big right hand which rocks Smith, he’ll think twice before attempting that again. The rest of the round is uneventful, Smith seems wary of Ripley’s power and doesn’t try to push matters.

Round 2 and Ripley is clearly not worried about any threat Smith might offer, he steps up and moves into the pocket. He easily stuffs Smith’s takedown attempts before unloading that big right hand leaving Smith staring at the ceiling.

Result: Sutton Ripley beats Thomas Smith by KO in round 2 of a decent fight

Bud Brockett v Beau Gorshin - Lightweight

Both fighters trade jabs before ending up in the clinch, Gorshin goes for the takedown but Brockett is wise to it, he uses the opportunity to get clear of the clinch before shooting in for a takedown while Gorshin is still off balance. Gorshin tries to turn it into a guillotine but fails and ends up with Brockett in his guard. He goes for another guillotine and then a triangle choke. Brockett again counters well and uses the opening to gain side control. He swiftly transitions and takes Gorshin’s back. With only 14 seconds left though he can’t do anything and the round is over.

Straight from the bell Gorshin rushes Brockett and although the takedown is unsuccessful he ends up behind Brockett with Brockett up against the cage, he first tries to sink in a choke before settling with taking Brockett down. He lands in side control and tries to work an armbar. He fails and Brockett slips out and gains side control, this time it’s Brocketts turn to take his opponents back and he manages to get both hooks in. 32 seconds left can he finish it? He goes for the rear naked but Gorshin keeps his chin down and the round ends.

Both fighters keep up the pace from the start and Brockett gets the takedown, he tries to transition to mount and Gorshin gives up his back. Brockett goes for the choke again but Gorshin is fighting it off well, he is looking tired though. The bell finally sounds and Brockett takes it in the score cards. The bout only gets an Average rating which I feel is a little harsh as it was pretty action packed. Despite the loss Gorshin impressed and he was outweighed by his opponent.

Result: Bud Brockett beats Bau Gorshin by unanimous decision in an average fight

Mike Watson v Mark Cohen - Light Heavyweight

Watson is an up and coming fighter looking to make a name for himself and he has a chance to do it here against the ex-Heavyweight champion of the world. Meanwhile Cohen is looking to revitalise his career after dropping down to Light Heavyweight. Both fighters are aware this is a big bout and spend the first round feeling their opponent out, they exchange some tentative strikes but the only real action is a hard right hook to the body from Watson.

Cohen changes tack in the second round and goes for the clinch, he pushes Watson up against the cage and keeps him there for a good 3 minutes landing a lot of short punches to the body. No real damage done but he surely took it on points and it probably took a lot out of Watson.

Both fighters need to take this round and they both step up and start swinging, Cohen should have stuck with his previous tactics though as Watson lands an uppercut flush on his jaw leaving him out cold.

Result: Mike Watson beats Mark Cohen by KO in round 3 of a poor fight.

JJ Reid v Buddy Garner - Middleweight

This is the fight the purists bought the PPV for. However both fighters seem like they are wary of the others ground ability and almost 4 minutes have elapsed before the first takedown attempt. It’s stuffed and the round ends.

Round 2 and both fighters start by trading punches again. Reid hits two hard counters but he doesn’t follow up. Garner goes for the takedown but Reid seems happy on his feet and dodges out the way. Garner continues to chase and finally gets the takedown with 26 seconds to go. He can’t do anything in that amount of time though.

Round 3 and Garner goes looking for the takedown from the off, he gets it and lands in guard. Reid tries an armbar from underneath and then a triangle but can’t get anything. The round and the fight ends. Have to say that wasn’t really what I expected from these two.

Result: Buddy Garner beats JJ Reid by split decision in a poor fight

Cobblepot v Vinkus

Onto the main event of the evening and after a few lacklustre fights I'm hoping these boys can show the others how it should be done. Neither are high on skill but an all action brawl will hopefully satisfy the fans.

Bell goes and Cobblepot shows his experience pushing Vinkus up against the cage and working him over with some dirty boxing. The ref gets bored and moves them out to the middle of the ring. Cobblepot immediately pushes Vinkus back up against the cage and continues to work him over, however as the round ends it’s Cobblepot who is looking tired. Can he last two more rounds?

Cobblepot is keeping his hands low and looks exhausted, Vinkus swings wildly and gets taken down. Cobblepot pounds away but is too tired to put much power behind them.

Last round and Cobblepot looks ready to drop. Vinkus makes sure of it by putting him down with 1 big punch and then out with another.

Result: Norbert Vinkus beats Jack Cobblepot by TKO in round 3 of a great fight.

Aftermath

At the top of the card Vinkus proved he has power but still showed inexperience and a lack of technique, I think he will come unstuck against a better opponent but in the meantime I'll settle for the ratings his name power is going to get me. Nespite winning neither Garner or Watson impressed me much and they will need at least one more decent result before getting neat the titles. Brockett came in overweight and as such despite the win he has a point to prove next time out.

Fight of the night: Manu'a v McPhee
KO of the night: Mike Watson
Crtical Success: Average
Commercial Success: Great
Attendance: 5,176 for $414,080
PPV: 158,208 buys for $949,248

Rest of the world

First the economic news and several good reasons to celebrate as experts say that Japan and Europe are to see their recent economic woes coming to an end in the near future, good news for Alpha 1 and Sigma. Asia enters into a 2nd boom period whilst things aren't so good in Russia which, still adjusting from the end of communism, enters a terrible slump. Elsewhere Mexico becomes regulated bringing a level of legitimacy to the sport there.

Alpha-1 put on a well received PPV at the start of April. In the main event Sho Kitabatake beat Tadamasa Yamado by submission to win Alpha-1 Light Heavyweight Title, while on the lower card Naizen Hamacho beat Sadakuno Katoh to extend his unbeaten run and Ryosei Sakamoto lost his to Zvonimir Asanovic. The PPV is rated as good both commercially and critically.

Alpha-1 also continued their rejuvination of their Heavyweight division snapping up Tomoji Takaoka, Nate Macreary, Sam Hoynes and Ozzy Bintley.

Over in BCF Curt Kitson beat Garry McSweegan by submission to retain BCF Light Heavyweight Title while Rupert Lennox (2-1) loses to Seth O’Breen 13-0 in what can only be described as a mismatch in the co-main event. Lowerdown the card Rav Kapur continues his winning streak with a win over Perry Barr.

Elsewhere Sandy Oliver beat Diana Marr to win WEFF Heavyweight Title in a great match and Philip Ziskie beats Sammy Gaffigan by KO to retain XCC Featherweight Title. Super Experienced Zaco beat Braulio Moura by split decision to win FLB Middleweight Title and Sukaro 24-0 bt Atep of Indonesia 8-1 in the fight of the night to retain the KDMFC Lightweight Title.

[WCW Mark]

Time to reveal the next couple of events I've got booked up. As always predictions or comments welcome.

GAMMA 5: DeVries v Thomas

The main event for GAMMA 5 will be Maarten De Vries vs Patrick Thomas in the middleweight division. The winner here will become the number 1 contender and will get a shot at Mathew Dean somewhere around GAMMA 10 or 11. Both these fighters love to stand and trade and as such I'm hoping for a very exciting main event.

Co-Main event is Tony McCall v Tim Boyer in the heavyweight division. Both these guys are big names and should help sell the PPV. The winner will likely get a number 1 contenders bout for the heavyweight title so plenty of incentive for both fighters. Boyer has a lethal head kick but McCall has one of the hardest chins in MMA and is no slouch when it comes to dishing out the pain. Again I'm hoping for an all action fight.

Yevgeni Sipatov v Nathan Chambers - Welterweight

The two ex champions meet in an important match in the welterweight division. Sipatov lost his title to Chambers and will be looking for revenge. He is coming off a good win against Halvorsen but Chambers is a completely different prospect. Chambers is a motormouth and has the skills to back it up and I think he will be too much for Sipatov whose time in the sun is coming to a close. Fairytales to happen though and if he can get the win here he may get one last crack at the title.

Woody Fierstein v Osmosis Benn - Middleweight

Osmosis has a point to prove after coming into the last fight overweight. By rights he should be pushing for a title shot at middleweight but until I know if he can make weight he isn't going to get it. He faces Woody Fierstein who is a compentent wrestler but doesn't, in my opinion, offer too much of a threat to Benn. The real battle here is Benn v the scales.

Dan Halvorsen v Tyler Lass - Welterweight

Halvorsen is coming off the back of a loss to Sipatov and at 42 questions are being asked as to whether he should think about calling it a day. He has a chance to prove their is life in the old dog yet as he takes on Tyler Lass. Despite being 5-0 Lass's skills aren't that impresive, although at 23 he still has plenty of time to learn. A win against a respected veteran could see him take his career up a level whilst a loss wouldn't be the end of the world.

Luke Hilton v H M Menzel - Lightweight

Hilton is 7-0 and is starting to build a name for himself in the lightweight division. Here he faces H M Menzel another wrestler who is on a winning streak himself. This will be the toughest test so far in Hilton's career and if he can get an impressive win he may prove that he is ready to start mixing it with the big boys in the division.

Ken Peters v Bill Cumming - Light Heavyweight

Both these fighters are coming off a loss and need a win here to get back on track. They are both wrestlers and as such I think this will be a fairly long drawn out fight. My prediction though is Peters on the udges cards.

Brian Claremont v Moss Gilbert - Lightweight

Both these fighters like to stand and throw punches and I'm hoping this will be an exciting opener. They both scored impressive wins last time out in the prelims and as such have earnt this slot on the card. The winner will be looking to become a PPV regular while it is likely the loser will be sent back to the dark show.

Prelims

Toby Sorkin v Ernie Bruns - Light Heavyweight

Judoka Toby Sorkin looks to make his Gamma debut against Ernie Bruns. Bruns' suspect chin shouldn't be a problem against Sorkin but his dodgy ground game almost certainly will be. This should be a comfortable debut for Sorkin.

Sly Twinge v Randall Donnelly

The other prelim fight sees another Gamma debut with Sly Twinge taking on Randall Donnelly. Twinge is strong and has fists loaded with dynamite. He shouldn't underestimate Donnelly however who is not exactly on the small size and as a wrestler may be able to exploit the big weakness in Twinge's game. I fancy Twinge to win but it's no forgone conclusion.


Prediction card:

Twinge v Donnelly
Sorkin v Bruns
Claremont v Gilbert
Cumming v Peters
Menzel v Hilton
Lass v Halvorsen
Fierstein v Benn
Sipatov v Chambers
Boyer v McCall
DeVries v Thomas