Capital City Cage Wars IV Event Results and Commentary

Great crowd at the event tonight!  No official numbers yet, but I would have to say that this is the largest crowd we’ve ever had and everybody is stoked!

We have 4 ring girls for this event, and the fans seem pretty please with that as well.

BOUT 1 –TONY WHALEN VS JAKE CONSTANT

First fight is coming out, Tony Whalen vs. Jake Constant at 155lbs.  Both fighters look ready and prepared. Tony is the bigger fighter.

Jakes wastes no time in taking Tony down.  Tony has his head and holds it for a while.  Now, Jake is out and starts working some GNP (ground and pound).

Jake’s working from the half guard – and now he takes the mount.  He’s raining down punches from the mount.  Tony is in trouble.

It’s over!  Jake Constant with a dominant performance over Tony Whalen for the win at 1:36 at round #1.

This was Jake’s first fight – and I’m pretty certain it won’t be his last.  Nice showing from Constant.  Tony was just put in a bad position by a good wrestler and not able to get out of it.

BOUT 2 – DEREK JACKSON VS NATHAN MUSTARD

Both fighters look lean and prepared.  Derek takes Nathan down.  He’s in a dominant position – but Nathan is hanging on to Derek’s neck and trying to keep him from posturing up.  Nathan starts to get up, but Derek takes him back down again.  Nathan is working for a submission – looks like a Kimura.  Not much striking – trying to maintain position for submissions more than looking to strike.  Derek dominated and won that round, but didn’t do much damage.

Round 2 – they dance around a bit looking to strike before Derek gets the take down.  Derek’s working for the submission – and it looks like he’s got the hammer lock.  He’s working it – and Nathan is tapping.

Nice jiu jitsu displayed by Derek.  It was Nathan’s first fight.  He hung in there and was tough, but Derek’s ground game was a little too much for him right now.

BOUT 3 – NOY ROS VS RAMON COLON

This fight is actually a kickboxing match in the cage – a first for CCCW.  Noy Ros walks out first to Simple Man.  He is actually a deaf competitor who is from Thailand.  So, he has some very real kickboxing experience.

Ramon Colon is walking out now to Latin song.  This is Ramon’s kick boxing debut.  Both fighter are wearing 12oz gloves and shin guard for this amateur kick boxing match (no head gear).

Kick by Ramon misses, but shows nice heighth.  Second Kick by Ramon lands and knocks Noy down!  Ref comes in – it’s an official knock down.

Now, they start exchanging – a left hook by Colon drops Noy.  Noy gets an 8 count and they go back out at.  Nice exchange now – but Ramon is definitely getting the better of it.  He’s showing strong – high kicks and keeping his balance very well.  Ramon is landing more punches and throwing excellent punch/kick combinations.  Noy is returning fire, but not enough.  Starting to get the feeling that this could be over quick.

Strong spinning leg kick by Colon hits Noy in the head and drops him!  It’s over.  Ramon Colon by KO in round 1.  Noy is a tough, brave guy – but Ramon over powered him tonight.  Stronger, more accurate shots and a very dominate performance by Ramon Colon.

BOUT 4 – BLAKE WILLIAMS VS DEE SCOTT

Both fighters are looking pretty relaxed.  These are two 145lb veteran fighters.  Should be a good scrap.

Superman punch by Blake doesn’t really land, but gets them close.  They are clinched up and fighting for position.  Blake has Dee against the cage.  Blake is throwing some knees as Dee works for underhooks.  Now Dee has Blake against the cage and takes him down.

Dee is on top, then a reversal by Blake. There’s a scramble and both fighters are on their feet.  They continue to fight for position – no damage being done.  Now Dee has Blake against the cage, but Blake is able to control his head and keep him from doing any damage.

End of rd 1.  Not sure who won that round.  It was close.  Dee may have squeezed out that one with his take downs.

Rd 2 starts – fighters circling and then back into the clinch.  Dee has Blake against the cage and now takes him down.  Blake is warned for holding the fence.  Dee is on top and trying to pass into half guard – but he has a tight guard.  Both fighters are warned to improve or be stood up.  Some GNP from Dee – now there was an illegal blow.  Dee is deducted a point for kicking a downed fighter.  Blake looks like he may be tired – but he’s loading up on some punches which missed the mark.

Now they are in the clinch –and Blake is throwing knees and does not looked tired at all now while Dee is thowing punches to his abdomen.  Now, Dee is working the take down as Blake is controlling his neck.  Small shots from both fighters out of the clinch now.  Blake has Dee against the cage – and that’s the round.  Another close round – but Dee lost the point.  That could be difference in this fight.

Rd 3 – Blake throwing a lot of faints while looking to strike, but he’s keeping his hands low.  That could be dangerous.

Dee has Blake against the cage now.  Now, Blake has Dee against the cage and is working for the take down.  The fighters were just broken up again – another 1 pt deduction against Dee for an elbow to the head.  Dee needs to finish this fight to win now.

Blake has Dee’s back.  He’s firing some shots to the head from behind.  Blake’s dominating a tired Dee now.  He has him pinned against he cage and is throwing knees.  That’s the round.

This will be the first decision of the night.  Hard fought by both fighters.  There was a lot of technique in this fight which neutralized some of the action.  I think Blake has to have won that fight.   He dominated the final round as Dee faded, and the point deductions killed any chance Dee had.

All 3 judges had it 29-26 Blake Williams.  He was just more accurate with his shots, had better control and a was little better conditioned.

BOUT 5 – KLIFF THAXTON VS. CHUCK SELBY

Two crowd favorite who both brought their own cheering section.  Crowd is getting loud and ready to see these two get it on.

Kliff thows a superman punch to start which misses but gets them into a clinch. Both fighters are throwing some shots.  Kliff is getting the better of it.  He has Chuck against the cage and is throwing knees – trying to take him down.  Now Chuck reverses the position and has Kliff against the cage.  Both fighters are going non-stop.  This is a rampant pace – they won’t be able to keep this up for long.

There is some wrestling for position, and Kliff is on top.  He has Chuck’s back – and he’s raining down punches from behind.  It’s going to be over – it’s over by TKO.  Kliff Thaxton in Rd 1.

Kliff seemed to be a little more technical – which was the difference in this one.

BOUT 6 – TYLER BLIND VS SANTIAGO VANCE

Tyler comes in and Sandy gets his neck.  Tyler gets him against the cage, and Sandy starts with some foot stomps.  Now, some knees by Tyler.  He has Sandy pinned against the cage while Sandy holds a head lock.  Sandy is trying to throw some knees while he has Tyler’s neck -but they aren’t landing very hard when they do land.  He’s just barely out of range.

Tyler is on top now on the ground and is getting in a lot of knees to the body.  Tyler is keeping a dominate position and winning the round.  He has an arm of Sandy’s trapped and is peppering him with some shots.  Round ends and that had to be Tyler’s round.

Rd 2 starts – Sandy comes out with a jumping kick which lands but not that hard.  Tyler pins Sandy against the cage and tries for some knees.  Sandy is trying to control his neck and land some knees.  Tyler throws Sandy town and is on top.  He rolls into a mount and now side mount.  Tyler’s corner is calling for the arm.  He’s landing some small shots from the top.  He has Sandy’s back.

Tyler is sinking the Rear Naked Choke (RNC)  – and it’s over!  Tyler Bind by RNC in Rd 2.

BOUT 7 – JARED DEGROOT VS DERRIK STEPHENS

Jared DeGroot comes out to a large reception.  He’s got a lot of fans here.  Derrik Stephens is making his MMA debut in this 175lb contest.

DeGroot is wanting to take this down.  He takes Stephens down but Stephens has his head.  Stephens works his way to his feet, but DeGroot keeps him against the cage and takes him back down.  Stephens hangs onto DeGroot’s neck – but he’s gassing himself out doing that.  Now DeGroot has the mount.  He’s raining down some shots – and now Stephens turns around and DeGroot has his back.

DeGroot sinks in the RNC – and this one is OVER!  Jared DeGroot with the win via Rear Naked Choke at 2:03 of Rd 1.  DeGroot showed an impressive ground game in this one.  He may contend for the 170 title at our next event.

BOUT 8 – TOM CARLOCK VS JASON JONES

Tommy Carlock comes out to a huge reception.  Jason Jones gets a nice shout from the crowd as well.  Crowd is fired up.  Lot of yelling from the stands before this one.

Jason has Tommy against the cage.  Now Tommy has jason against the cage and Jason has his neck.  They trade and Jason lands some small shots.  Now Tommy has Jason against the cage andthe ref is warning jason to keep this thumbs out of Tommy’s eyes.

Tommy takes him down and is on top – then Jason reserves and is on top.  Now Jason has the mount.  Tommy is trying to buck him, but he’s in a bad position.  Jason is trying to rain down punches – but Carlock is holding him close.  Jasons able to land some shots and keeps the mount for the last minute of the round and wins that round.  But, Tommy was able to keep the damage to a minimum.

Rd 2 starts adn b oth fighters are looking to land bombs.   Jason lands a few shots.  They go in the clinch and trade blows.  nice leg kick by Tommy.

They are cirlcing and a leg kick from Jason.  Crowd starts chanting for Tommy.  In the clinch – nice knee from from Tommy.  Jaosn fires back.  Tommy has Jason against the cage and Jason has Tommy’s neck.  Tommy gets Jason down now.  He’s holding position and jason is hanging on to his neck as Tommy throws small shots at him.  Now, Tommy is in a dominate position.  Jason is warned for hanging onto the cage.

Jason gets back to his feet – but Tommy has him against the cage.  Tommy was the dominate fighter that round – so I have it at 1 rd each.  This one will be decided in the 3rd.

Rd 3 starts.  Fighters touch gloves.  Kick by Jones.  Tommy seems to be looking to load up on a shot.  The are in the clinch – now they are trading.  Big shot by Tommy – now a big shot by Jones.  They go down and Tommy is on top.  Carlock is landing shots to the body.

Jason gets up, but Tommy is behind him.  Now, the fight is being stopped.  Tommy is penalized 1 pt for grabbing the cage.  A little surprising as I didn’t see a warning. They restart the action – now several hard strikes from Carlock.  The crowd goes nuts!

Jones gets him in a clinch.  Tommy has Jason pinnned up against the fence.  He’s handing onto Carlock’s neck.  Tommy lands some more shots – but now they are back in the clinch.  This could end in a draw.

I’d give Tommy the last round.  But, I think this will be a draw with Tommy winning rds 2 and 3 – but having a point taken away.  And, the official decision – majority decision draw.  Didn’t state whether the 3rd judge had Tommy or Jason as the winner.  It’ll be a draw for both fighters – the first in CCCW history.

BOUT 9 – DUSTIN JACOBY VS DERECK ELLIOT – 205 TITLE BOUT

Jacoby is definitely the bigger fighter in this one.  Dereck stepped up to fight Dustin after DJ’s last opponent was forced out due to injury (after his first opponent went out due to personal reasons).  Crowd is going nuts for Jacoby!  Dereck weighed in at 188 – gets a warm reception from the crowd as well.  Fighters touch them up and it’s on.

DJ with a leg kick.  Dust lands a punch and you can tell Dereck felt it.  He lands another shot and Dereck is going for the take down but Dustin stuffs it.  Flying knee from Elliot no good.  Wild shots from Elliot.  One shot from Elliott lands and makes a mark on Jacoby’s left eye.

Jacoby looks pissed and is stalking Dereck looking to get him back now – and a BIG punch.  Jacoby jumps on top to finish him, but Elliot is OUT.  The ref, Rob Hinds, steps in to stop him.  KO win for Dustin Jacoby!

Dustin Jacoby is now the CCCW Light Heavyweight Champion.  If you are a 205 amateur fighter and you want to test yourself, email us at capitalcitycagewars@yahoo.com and make your case on why you deserve to fight Dustin Jacoby for the title at our next event.  Brave showing from Elliott to step up against a bigger, more experienced fighter on short notice.  Dustin Jacoby is the real deal.

BOUT 10 – DUSTIN LASH VS TONY ZUCCA

Tony Zucca is another fighter who brought a large crowd.  He has fans wearing his tshirt and they are excited to watch this one.

Both fighters are circling and throwing some shots.  Kick by Zucca which Lash catches.  They trade shots and Dustin lets go of the leg.  Wide hooks by Lash don’t Land, but look ahard.  Lash is a little busier with his striking.  They are trading some shots now.   Both figters land – and Zucca gets caught with a big shot by Lash.  He is dropped to his knees.

Rob Hines rushes in to stop the fight.  At first, I thought it may be an early stoppage, but Tony is laying down for a while afterward.  I think he really was rocked.  It may have caught him right on the temple.

Dustin Lash wins via KO in rd 1.   Impressive showing for Lash in a quick but exciting fight.  Both fighters were getting after it and Dustin landed the big shot.

BOUT 11 – DARREN JACOBY VS DUSTIN NELSON – 170 TITLE BOUT

Last fight of the night.  Darren walks out first to a big reception.  Dustin comes out to Hells Bells – looks very confident and is wearing the belt out for his first title defense.  Both fighters have been looking forward to this for a while and look ready.

No glove touch.  Both fighters are circling –  keeping their distance and looking to kick more than punch.  Couple of hands thrown – hard hook by Jacoby lands.  Now, Nelson goes for the take down and gets it.

Nelson has Darren’s neck and is looking for knees.  Now, Dustin gets Darren with a knee to the groin and the fight is temporarily stopped.

They start up after a minute. Dustin is looking for the take down.  He tried to take Jacoby down but Darren is defending.  Now, they are up against the fence.  Darren lands some shots and some look hard.  Dustin seems to not like trading strikes.  He may be hurt.  They are in tight – now Dustin gets a dominate position on top.

Dustin Nelson in the half guard and this is a bad spot for Darren.  Dustin is landing shots from the top.  He has Darren’s arm trapped and trying for submissions.  Now, Darren is on top.  He’s handling some shots as Dustin hangs on to his arm.  Dustin is staying relatively relaxed and still looking for submissions from the ground.

Now, Darren is on top and landing some shots.  Now positions are reversed and Dustin has him up against the cage.

Now Darren is on top, but Dustin has his neck.  They break, then Darren lands a big shot – Dustin drops to his knees.  The round is almost over – but Darren stays on top and lands several more shots.  It’s OVER!  Just before the round ends – Darren Jacoby with the win and the New CCCW Welterweight Champion.

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us.  Great night of fights and a good time had by all.

Capital City Cage Wars IV – Fight Card

We wanted to post our fight card for everyone planning, or considering, to join us for a night of live, cage fighting action this Saturday at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.

Bout 1:  Tony Whalen vs. Jake Constant – 155lbs

Bout 2:  Thomas Chamblin vs. Thomas Himnan – 155lbs

Bout 3:  Derek Jackson vs. Nathan Mustard – 135lbs

**Bout 4:  Noy Ross vs. Ramon Colon – 155lbs**

Bout 5:  Blake Williams vs. Dee Scott – 145lbs

Bout 6:  Cliff Thaxton vs. Chuck Selby – 205lbs

Bout 7:  Tyler Blind vs. Santiago Vance – 155lbs

Bout 8:  Jared DeGroot vs. Derrek Stephens – 175lbs

Bout 9:  Tom Carlock vs. Jason Jones – Heavyweight

Bout 10:  Dustin Jacoby vs. Derick Elliott – 205lbs – TITLE BOUT

Bout 11:  Dustin Lash vs. Tony Zucca – 195lbs

Bout 12:  Darren Jacoby vs. Dustin Nelson – 170lbs – TITLE BOUT

**Bout 4 is a kick boxing contest.  All other bouts are standard amateur MMA rules.

Fight card is subject to change.

As a reminder, Jayson Werth of the Philadelphia Phillies will be there.  Also, Matt Mitrione of TUF season 10 will be making an appearance.

Tickets are still available here.  Doors open at 5:30pm.  Bouts begin at 7pm.

Tony Zucca ready to entertain in the cage Saturday, Jan. 30th

Tony Zucca is no stranger to Capital City Cage Wars.  This ever improving product of the H.I.T. Squad has gone 2-0 at CCCW (both wins in the 1st round), including a dominant performance as the main event at our April 11th event, The Second Coming.

More importantly than winning, Tony has become a fan favorite because he always puts on an exciting show.  Zucca has effectively utilized his sprawl in past bouts to keep the fight standing and display powerful, fighting-ending striking.

Tony will be looking to improve his record to a perfect 3-0 next Saturday, January 30th.  But, he will have to take on another tough CCCW veteran, Dustin Lash, in this contest scheduled for a catch weight of 195lb.

Zucca recently took a few minutes to answer some questions leading into our event next weekend.

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CCCW:  What got you interested in fighting?

TZ:  I am from Hillsboro, so obviously Matt Hughes is the main factor. I first got a taste of MMA my senior year of college at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. I needed two elective credits to graduate, and as luck would have it, the school begain offering a 2-credit MMA physical education elective course my last semester there. It was awesome. I then went off to grad school and did the corporate thing and got away from the sport. I moved back to the Hillsboro area in 2007 just as the HIT Squad was being developed…so I decided to take another crack at it.

CCCW:  I hear this may be your last MMA fight? Is that true?

TZ:  I have been going back and forth on this one since my first fight. The truth is I jumped in late in the game–with zero background in any discipline–so I am always getting injured (some rather serious). I am also an officer in the Army Reserves and have been busy and away quite a bit, which makes it difficult (or impossible) to train. However, I love this sport. I love to compete. I guess the answer is that I will just take it fight by fight and see what happens.

CCCW:  That’s cool.  So, when you look at your time in MMA, what have you gotten out of fighting in the cage?

TZ:  Probably the greatest thing I have gotten out of fighting in the cage is a tremendous respect for those who make a living doing it. I always thought I was a tough guy growing up in Hillsboro. I was humbled very quickly at the HIT Squad. I had no idea what it took, mentally and physically, to be a fighter until I started training at Matt’s gym.

CCCW:  What would you say you like most/least about fighting?

TZ:  What I like most about fighting is 1) it is another way for me to remain competitive and 2) that it gives people a reason to get together and have a good time–even if its at my expense. There is nothing better than hundreds of your drunken friends and family cheering your name and celebrating afterwards!

TZ:  What I like the least is easy–the injuries.

CCCW:  Anything you’d like to say to your family, friends, and fans?

TZ:  I just want to say thanks to all of you that have come out to support me. I may not be very technical, or even very good, but those who come out to watch me know they won’t be disappointed!…haha

TZ:  Also, good luck to all of the fighters on January 30th.

CCCW:  Tony, you have always put on a show for the fans.  And, as importantly, displayed the class and character inside and outside of the cage that make us proud to have you associated with Capital City Cage Wars (hence we put his picture on the home page of our website).  Good luck with everything and I look forward to seeing you soon.

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Tickets are still available to see Tony, Dustin Lash and the many other talented fighters who’ve been training hard to put on a show Saturday, January 30th.  You can get your tickets here.

Mitrione rumored to fight MMA’s most popular star – Kimbo Slice

If you are a MMA Junkie, you may have already read this rumor elsewhere (including stories posted on Mattmitrione.com – although officially this is still a rumor).  But, the bout makes a lot of sense and I think it’s going to happen at UFC 113 in Montreal.

UFC matchmaker, Joe Silva (widely considered the best in the business), tried to put together an exciting battle between two strikers for Kimbo’s first official fight in the UFC by pairing him against Houston “the Assassin” Alexander.  But, although the match up sounded good on paper (I was excited about it), that fight was actually one of the most boring fights I’ve ever seen (right up there with Sanchez vs Koscheck 1 and Nate Quarry vs. Kalib Starnes).

The lack of action was primarily deemed Alexander’s fault for “running away” from Kimbo.  Although, Slice cannot go completely without fault as he did a poor job of cutting off the ring.  But, at the end of the day, Houston’s constant lateral movement and lack of aggression prompted the UFC to issue “The Assassin” his walking papers shortly after the decision loss.

Houston is a super nice guy, a fan favorite, and he’ll always have opportunities to fight somewhere.  I chalk this fight up as a lesson in what NOT to do in terms of fight strategy.  Fighting to “not lose” is always a bad idea because even if you win, nobody wants to watch a cautious fight.

Fortunately, I don’t think that fight hurt Kimbo’s reputation as he was trying to press the action.  But, the UFC really can’t afford another snoozer with their ratings giant.  And, make no mistake about it, Kimbo is a ratings GIANT.

Kevin Ferguson (Kimbo’s real name) has fought in 2 of the top 3 most watched fights in MMA history.  When you have a commodity like that, you need to give the man an exciting fighter to compete against.

Although Silva has a bevy of viable opponents for Slice, his primary focus has to be an opponent who will provide a stand up war.  So, Matt really is a great choice.  Mitrione has shown tremendous power in his fists, and has a self-professed interest in “throwing hands” rather than taking a fight to the ground.

This is a HUGE opportunity for Mitrione.  Although Matt was not thrilled with the way he was portrayed as a bad guy by the editing on TUF 10, it’s hard to disagree that the show is proving to be an excellent catalyst for his fighting career.

On top of the publicity and name recognition he received from The Heavyweights, Meat was chosen to fight Marcus “the Darkness” Jones to settle their dispute outside the cage.  As a classic grappler vs. striker match, the winner of this fight was clearly going to be the man who could control where the fight happened.  And, it was largely felt that Marcus could take about anyone down to the ground with his size where he could pound them out or submit them.  So, Mitrione came into this fight a 3 to 1 underdog.

Jones was able to take Matt down in round 1, getting in some small shots and working for submissions.  However, I felt really good about Mitrione’s chances once I saw that he was able to manuever to his feet from underneath “The Darkness” where he could potentially land some strikes.

Of course, finding distance to strike was not a problem at the start round Round 2.  When the bell rang, it didn’t take long for Meat to land the leather. Mitrione moved a bit backward to blast Jones with a perfectly timed, thunderous right hand as “Big Baby” (Jones other nickname) came in to grab him.  The shot put the giant to sleep and earned Mitrione the KO victory at just 10 seconds into round 2.

That may sound like a “lucky punch” to some, but Meat showed accurate, powerful striking while moving backwards during his other fights as well.  Which, as I’ve said before, is a rare talent for a heavyweight (as a point of reference, I’d say Chuck Liddell displays that skill as well as anyone).

A few weeks later, Marcus would actually announce that he was retiring from MMA.  But, Matt’s career is currently on the rise.  He wasn’t really “expected” to beat Marcus Jones.  And, quite frankly, I doubt Vegas will expect him to beat Kimbo Slice either.  But, an in-shape Mathew Mitrione will be very tough to beat.

Matt will actually be at our event on January 30th.  So, if you’re there early enough, maybe you can ask him his thoughts on potentially fighting Kimbo Slice yourself.  Doors open at 5:30 – fights start at 7.  Tickets are available here.

Dustin Nelson to defend CCCW Welterweight Title vs. Darren Jacoby Jan. 30th

Dustin Nelson became Capital City Cage Wars first official title holder on Oct. 17th of 2009 when he defeated a very talented welterweight in Keith McLaughlin.  Dustin was light on his feet with crisp striking and showed a sound ground game.  The two warriors kept an intense pace, but it was Nelson who was able to sink the submission for the win late  in round number 1.  And, I have to admit, it looks like it’s good to be champion.

The man who quite literally wants a “shot at the title” is Darren Jacoby.  Darren has fought for CCCW twice, both of which were action packed.  His first contest was a stand up war at 205lbs, and his last contest was actually at 185lbs last October where he showed off his ever improving ground game with a win over TJ Bottom via guillotine choke in rd 1.  You can actually see Darren yelling post-fight from atop the cage near the end of our latest commercial.

Now, he’ll be moving down yet again to 170lbs.   This will probably be the best test yet for the fast improving mixed martial artist, despite the fact that he’s fighting in a lower weight class.  But, I know Darren’s very excited about this opportunity and the chance to win his second Title Belt (he won an amateur belt a with another organization at Middleweight [185] about a year ago).

Both Dustin and Darren should be comfortable no matter where the fight goes.  They both like to throw hands and have shown the ability to win fights on the ground.  It will be a question of who can impose their will and maintain the stamina to grind out a win.

Ticket sales for CCCW IV on Saturday, Jan 30th, have been good so far with our least expensive seats going for just $25.  Don’t miss out!  Get your tickets here.

Show Me’s this Saturday, Jan 23rd from 3-5pm, Live Remote for CCCW IV

Come join us this Saturday, January 23rd from 3-5.  We’ll have several fighters from our upcoming event, good food, better drinks and – everyone’s favorite – the lovely ladies of Show Me’s.

Show Me’s is located at:

3101 S MacArthur Blvd
Springfield, IL 62704

Phone: (217) 546-2800

Cheers,

28 Productions, LLC

Thomas “The Promise” Carlock going for the hat trick Jan. 30th

Thomas “The Promise” Carlock will be looking for his third MMA victory vs. Jason Jones on Saturday, January 30th at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, IL.

Tommy has fought twice for Capital City Cage Wars (CCCW).  The first fight was a grueling battle of wills vs Dustin Allen in November of ‘08.   Dustin is a tough athlete who had MMA experience, and it was a very close fight going into the final round.  But,  Tommy was able to out muscle the taller but leaner Allen – eventually doing enough damage to force the referee to stop the fight in the 3rd for a TKO win.

The crowd noise was deafening before, during and after Tommy’s first fight.  Carlock told me afterward that the fans yelling his name gave him the heart for a strong finish.  It was a very tough fight and a well deserved win for the punching preacher.

The Promise’s second fight in the CCCW was far from a grind, but his cup overfloweth with glory!  Tommy currently holds the fastest KO in CCCW history with his 14 second Knock Out of Zeth Oliver (it was actually about 8 or 9 seconds total time – picture above is at 6 or 7 seconds into the fight just before the one punch KO – time keeper was caught off guard).

Carlock didn’t even break a sweat during this fight, but reported the next morning that he couldn’t sleep all night because he was so charged up.

Crowds chanting his name….record breaking knock outs….people are done asking “Why does a guy in his mid-30’s want to step into the cage?”  Now, the question is “Why wouldn’t Tommy come fight again?”

Well, his name is Jason Jones and he also fights at heavyweight.  This will be Jason’s first fight with official judges, but Jones has built his reputation for toughness outside of the cage.  Fight fans are looking forward to this one!

You can see it live by getting your tickets here.  Fights start at 7.  Doors open at 5:30.

John Salter to fight at UFC Fight night Monday, Jan. 11th

John Salter (4-0), who fought and won against Jeremiah “Big Rig” Riggs at our last show in October, will be stepping in to face Gerald Harris (13-2) at the Jan. 11th Ultimate Fight Night 20 event from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

John will be replacing Mike Massenzio who was removed from the card for unspecified reasons.  Ironically, Gerald Harris was also a replacement as he took Tim Credeur’s spot when the tall UFC contestant had to leave the card with an unspecified injury.  However, Gerald Harris does have some experience with the UFC.  He was a contestant on TUF TV show until he was knocked out of the competition by eventual winner Amir Sadollah.  Since then, Harris has actually won 6 straight which has earned him an invitation to return to the octagon.

So, as is often the case in the world of MMA, one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.  We’ve seen several fighters from the local scene take advantage of an opportunity to fill in for an injured fighter.  Now, John Salter will be given his chance to show his talents in the eight-sided, steel cage.

John drove up all the way from Alabama to fight on our card last year.  It was apparent early on that he was straight business.  Salter’s fight was actually a bit odd as he was injured while securing a submission (and his opponent, Big Rig, claimed he didn’t actually tap).  But, it appeared that the ref made the proper call and John was happy as hell as he limped out of the cage – unable to walk on one leg due to blowing out his knee.  Salter showed a lot of skill and heart in front of the CCCW crowd that night.  Hopefully, he’ll have similar success with all of the world watching this Monday.

Come to our next show for the best MMA action in your neck of the woods, and a chance to see tomorrow’s UFC stars.  Good seats are still available here.

Rising MMA talent: Dustin Jacoby

Dustin Jacoby is a friend of mine.  I haven’t known him for very long; but the better I get to know him, the more impressed I am.

It’s rare to find a 6′4″ athlete who’s skilled enough to play quarterback at the collegiate level.  Now, a guy of that size who has a strong work ethic and some good fight experience (he went undefeated in amateur boxing matches as a younger man) – that leads to domination in the cage.

However, despite Dustin’s obvious talent and numerous quick knockouts (4 of his 5 MMA fights were KO victories), he’s really a humble guy.  The times I’ve been around him, he’s made quick friends with the many strangers who approached him in a crowd .  And, he seems to have the tools needed to make successful run in the world of professional MMA.

Jacoby has an excellent ethic and is never out of shape.  He’s confident in his abilities and doesn’t seem to get nervous.  And, he genuinely likes to train and is hungry to do whatever he can to get better.

I’m sure it’s helped his progress from an athletic and maturity standpoint to have a twin brother, Darren, who also competes in MMA (and will similarly be fighting for a title belt on Jan. 30th).  But, Dustin definitely stands out from other young athletes and fighters I’ve met.

Recently, Dustin and I had a chance to catch up a bit.  It’s a bit more conversational than a formal interview – but here it is.

CCCW:  Good to talk to ya, buddy.  So, how’s the training going?  Where have you been  putting in your work?

DJ:  Good to talk to you too.  I primarily train at Quincy Valley Tudo.  I work with Sean Rose for my stand up.  He’s a former football player and professional fighter.  He’s real good.  Wes Friday is our ground expert and he’s taught me a lot.

CCCW:  That’s cool.  Do you train anywhere else?

DJ:  Yeah.  My brother is over at Robins MMA.  So, I like to go over there and work with him.

CCCW:  I’ll bet that gets pretty spirited.

DJ:  Hell yeah.  We go at it [laughs].  Darren and I don’t hold much back.  I’ve also been to the H.I.T. Squad a few times.

CCCW:  That’s a big camp.  I’m sure they have a ton of good guys to work with, on top of world class coaching.

DJ:  I like it there.  But, being in school, I’m a little limited in how far and often I can travel.

CCCW:  Of course.  So, you’ve told me that you’re planning to fight professionally down the road.  Do you have an idea on what that path looks like?

DJ:  I’m not sure just yet [on the timing].  I’d like to get this fight in and maybe a couple more first.  We’ll see how this one goes.  But, that’s definitely the plan to fight professionally.  Ideally, I’d love to get on one of the Ultimate Fighter Shows.

CCCW:  Yeah, that’s a great springboard for fighters.  I know they typically require that you have a few professional fights before you can get on the show.  So, that could be a nice option for you down the road.  Do you know where you’re planning to settle down and train once you’re done with school?

DJ:  I’m not sure just yet.  I’ve thought about moving back to CO.  But, it’s still up in the air.  I’m really looking to go somewhere with action.

CCCW:  Absolutely.  I think that having a camp with ample training partners and top of the line coaching are critical if you’re looking to make a career out of this.  So, have you changed anything about your training as of late?

DJ:  I’ve been doing more running.  And, I’ve done a lot of interval training.  It’s been good.  My cardio is as good as it’s ever been and I feel great.

CCCW:  Glad to hear it, Dust.  Well, thanks for taking some time to talk to me and I look forward to seeing you and, of course, seeing ya fight.  Take care and good luck.

DJ:  Thanks, buddy.  Good talking to ya.

You’ll have your chance to meet Dustin and create your own theories on what his future holds on January 30th where he’ll be squaring off against Terrell Brown of the H.I.T. Squad  for the first ever CCCW Light Heavyweight Belt.

Time will tell what the future holds for Dustin in the world of MMA.  But, don’t let the nice guy you see at parties lull you into thinking he’ll carry that friendly demeanor into a fight.  If the ref yells “Let’s get it on!” and you see this guy mean mugging you from the other side of the cage – he’s coming to knock you the %@*! out.

Brian Foster to fight Chris Lytle Down Under at UFC 110

One of the H.I.T. Squad’s brightest rising stars, Brian Foster (13-4), is set to make his 3rd appearance in the octagon at UFC 110 in Australia on Feb. 21st.  This exciting, local welterweight will be taking on a stiff challenge in 49 fight veteran Chris Lytle (27-17-5).

Anyone who watches the UFC has heard of Chris Lytle.  He is a very well rounded fighter who can hold his own wherever the battle may take him.  And, although Chris has faltered against the top of the food chain (Matt Hughes, Thiago Alves, Josh Koscheck), he’s never been in a dull fight.

Lytle’s last 4 consecutive fights have all earned him “fight of the night” honors (and the healthy bonus that comes along with it).  So, with Fosters tendency for non-stop action himself, this one has fireworks written all over it!

I’m guessing Vegas will list Foster as the underdog in this contest.  But, I think Brian is going to be too much for this UFC gate keeper.  The H.I.T. squad protege looked VERY impressive against Brock Larson (and Rick Story for that matter).

I’m not going to predict a KO win for Foster, as Lytle has only been stopped twice.  And, those two stoppages were due to a cut (Joe Riggs) and a Dr. stoppage (Thiago Alves).   But, I fully expect Brian to have his hand raised at the end of the fight.  Foster’s striking is just a little too slick, too fast and too dynamic for the aging Lytle to react to and defend.

Not that Brian can look past a dude as tough as Chris Lytle.  It will certainly be a challenge.  But, I really feel as if Brian is up for it.  He’s very confident.  He throws great combinations.  He has a great camp.  And, Lytle will likely try to stand with him – which is probably a bad strategy for any man.

Quick 6 degrees of  separation:

• Brian Foster is fighting Chris Lytle.
• Chris Lytle trains with Matt Mitrione.
• Matt Mitrione is an old friend of Jayson Werth.
• Jayson Werth employs local icon, Jeff Cox.
• Jeff Cox is one of my best friends from high school.
• And, to bring us full circle, I met Brian Foster in 2008 at UFC 90 in Chicago when we randomly ended up sitting next to each other in the nose bleed seats (obviously before he was in the UFC – and actually just before our first CCCW event).

Sorry about that -but it gives me an excuse to post this picture again from the after party at our last event.  And, when you have an opportunity to post a picture of Jeff Cox, that’s just not something you pass up.

Good luck to Brian as he trains for this fight.  See any of my other posts for a link to purchase tickets to the next event.