Stacked Card for CCCW VI on January 29th at the Prairie Capital Convention Center!

Most pictures by Wendell Holdman

Story by Mike Williamson

28 Productions proudly presents Capital City Cage Wars VI on Saturday, January 29^th at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois.  And, I have to tell you, this is the most highly anticipated fight card in CCCW history!

We have UFC veteran and fight of the night award winner, Matt Veach (above facing off with UFC Champion Frankie Edgar), of Springfield, IL.  He will be taking on another talented lightweight in Donavon Winters (5-2) who trains out of Disorderly Conduct.  Matt is fighting to work his way back into the big show and needs another win over a tough opponent to prove his mettle.  Donavon has had over 20 fights (when you include his amateur career of 10-3) and is ready for the step up in competition to build his own name.

Another local returning to the CCCW Octagon is the #1 ranked Heavyweight in Illinois, hard-hitting Bobby Brents (6-1) who came out with the win over Boban Simic in possibly the greatest fight in CCCW history at The 3rd Degree in October of ’09.  Brents will take on a seasoned veteran and true heavyweight in 6’4” – 265lb Richard White (12-7) from Iowa.

You will see our fast-finishing, rising stars – Dustin Jacoby (above right) and Wyatt Green (below left).  The two competitive middleweights are actually currently roommates at the world-renowned H.I.T. Squad, and anxious to show off their progression towards national glory.  More on that to come on that when I sit down with Wyatt for an interview next week.

Several CCCW veteran, professionals will be also be back in action:  hard-charging Brandon Wood, the relentless Jason Smith and BJJ specialist Jared “The Situation” Degroot.  To begin the evenings action, we are planning on 5 amateur bouts which will include fan favorites:  CCCW Lightweight Champion Vince Eazelle, lightweight Jake Constant, and middleweights Dustin Lash and Cliff Thaxton.  You can check out our full fight card here.

Good seats are still available, although the VIP is once again sold out.  Just click on this link for tickets.  The best Cage Fighting action in Central Illinois is coming back to the PCC in Springfield.  Don’t miss it!

H.I.T. Squad representing at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi

As I’m sure you know, Matt Hughes will be fighting one of Brazil’s MMA legends, Renzo Gracie, in Abu Dhabi today.  But, Matt’s not the only fighter out of the H.I.T. Squad who will be fighting in the UFC’s first ever outdoor event.

Matt Veach will be making his 3rd appearance in the UFC vs. England’s Paul Kelly.  Matt (11-1) is coming off of the first loss of his career to #1 contender, Frankie Edgar (who is fighting for the title today).

Also in MMA action will be heavyweight Jon Madsen vs. another tough Brit – Mustafa Al-Turk.  This will be Jon’s 2nd fight in the UFC, his first being a win over fellow TUF 10 contestant Justin Wren.

The UFC has put together a stacked card for their first event in the Middle East – featuring two title fights with both BJ Penn and Anderson Silva defending their belts.  Our well wishes go to our 3 local competitors as they represent the H.I.T. Squad, Central Illinois and the U.S. on this global stage.

Big Night for Springfield fighters at UFC TUF Finale

Two Springfield natives with the first name Matt are looking to earn some respect the old fashioned way to tonight – they have to beat somebody up for it.

Matt Mitrione is scheduled to fight the collosal Marcus “the Darkness” Jones.  The fight received excellent hype the other night when Jones flew off the handle and got into Mitrione’s face for giving an accidental eye poke to Scott Junk in his first fight which Junk had been told by a Dr. was career ending.  Mitrione stood his ground but resisted the urge to fight fire with fire – and even seemed understanding of Marcus outburst when he heard the news about Junk (who he defeated via decision).  Later in the show, we would learn that Junk’s fighting career is in fact not over.  Luckily, the incident worked to Matt’s advantage as it guaranteed him an opportunity to fight on the big stage tonight.

Jones vs. Mitrione is the classic stylist match up – ground game of Jones vs. strking of Mitrione.  If Matt can use his footwork to keep “Big Baby’s” hands off of him, and strike while moving backward as he did in his previous two fights – it could be a short night’s work.  Jones is susceptible to the knockout, and Mitrione punches like he’s wearing brass knuckles under his gloves.

However, Jones is a huge dude with a very respectable ground game.  When Marcus gets his arms around somebody, he is well positioned to use his size to take them to the ground where he can put his weight on a guy, do some G-N-P (ground and pound) and look for a submission.  Should be an excellent fight!

Veach has a huge task at hand tonight as well.  He’s fighting the very nimble Frankie Edgar to fill in for Marcus Arellio who was hurt.  Frankie is near the top of the 155lb division and needs a win to keep his title shot dreams alive.  But, as discussed in a previous post, Veach has the perfect style to take out Edgar with his wrestling background.

Both of our fighters are underdogs tonight (Mitrione about +$255 and Veach is as high as +$500). But, personally, I really like both of their chances.  And, as always, it’s not just about winning – it’s about being exciting to watch.  If the fans really want to see you fight, the UFC will probably have you back (just look at Houston Alexander – who I must say is the nicest guy too – I met him at the Chicago Golden Gloves a few years ago and he was incredibly humble and gracious).

Great night of fights tonight – and they’re free!  What more could you ask for from a Saturday night.

We have a great card shaping up for our next show on Saturday, Jan. 30th.  I’ll have some more stories coming up soon, but so far we have Dustin Nelson defending his recently acquired Welterweight belt against Darren Jacoby.  The return of 6’4″ Dustin Jacoby and much, much more.  Tickets will be on sale in time for Christmas.  It’ll be a great stocking stuffer.  More info to come !

Matt Veach to Fight Frankie Edgar at TUF 10 Finale Dec. 5th

H.I.T. Squad protege and undefeated lightweight, Matt Veach, has been upgraded to the main card on December 5th.  He’ll now be stepping in for an injured Kurt Pellegrino to face UFC lightweight contender, Frankie Edgar, at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas.

Matt Veach is currently 1-0 in the UFC (11-0 total) coming off of a very exciting knock out win over Matt Grice at the end of round number 1.   Veach had been given a very limited amount of time to prepare for that fight and was challenged with making a significant weight cut very quickly.  But, he was obviously able to prevail in a barn burner that had the crowd on their feet with the back and forth action.

Following that fight, Matt experienced a back injury which has kept him out of action for several months.  But, he will be well prepared for this contest – having already been scheduled to face Mark Bocek at the TUF Finale.  Veach was the obvious replacement for Pellegrino in this fight as Bocek has already fought and lost to Frankie a few years back. 

Edgar (11-1) will have an edge in experience as he’s stepped into the octagon with a who’s who of UFC lightweight contenders:  Sean Sherk, Grey Maynard, Tyson Griffin and Spencer Fisher.  However, Edgar’s one loss in the UFC may have provided the blueprint to beat him.

Although Frankie’s core fighting base is in wrestling, he was actually out-wrestled in a unanimous decision loss to Grey Maynard.  You could point to Edgar’s win over Sean Sherk to defy his potential weakness against wrestlers, but anyone who watched the fight will tell you that Sherk hardly ever went for the shot in that bout – instead attempting to stand with Edgar.  This proved to be a bad idea. 

Frankie has good footwork and is excellent at finding striking angles.  He kept his feet moving and put on a boxing clinic against the “Muscle Shark” last May for an upset that earned them the fight of the night.

So, the fact that Veach is not only an accomplished wrestler, but trains out of the H.I.T. Squad, is definitely in his favor.  There, he spars with Matt Hughes and is coached by Marc Fiore.  Fiore is a world authority on wrestling for MMA, and is establishing himself amongst the top trainers in the world like Greg Jackson and Mark DeleGrotti. 

If Matt can out-muscle Frankie, using his wrestling and slight size advantage to get the win, it would be a catapult for Veach’s status in the UFC’s lightweight division.  Expect a well conditioned and in shape Matt Veach to bring a high tempo ground and pound strategy that could make Frankie Edgar the perfect stepping stone.  But, make no mistake, Edgar is the real deal.  I’m looking forward to this one!

Matt Veach to fight Mark Bocek at UFC Fight Night Dec. 5th

UFC veteran and still undefeated (11-0) Springfield native, Matt Veach, is recovering from his recent back injury and will fight in early December.  He’ll be tested against the seasoned Mark Bocek.

Bocek (7-2) has won 3 of his 5 fights in the UFC with his only losses coming to UFC TUF winner Mac Danzig and the only lightweight fighter to defeat Sean Sherk (other than BJ Penn), Frankie Edgar.  So, this will be a nice challenge for Veach with a win certain to lift his status within the UFC’s most energetic division.

Look for Veach to use his wrestling to control this fight and work for the finish.  And, with both fighters having one fight each to reach a decision over about total 20 contests, it’s likely the judges will have no role in determining a winner.  Our best wishes go out to Matt as he prepares at the world class H.I.T. Squad for his next battle.

Below, Matt is pictured at a public appearance with CCCW last weekend at the Guy Show – joined by a couple of the lovely Show Me’s girls.  Both Matt and the Show Me girls are scheduled to be at our event on Saturday, Oct. 17th at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.  Tickets are available here.

Also, don’t forget about our 3rd Ring Girl contest coming up Friday, October 9th at Show Me’s.  Ladies who are interested in partipating in this special bikini contest should call Show Me’s at (217) 546-2800 .

Veach out for UFC 102 due to injury

The H.I.T. Squad website is reporting that Matt Veach is out for UFC 102.  Unfortunately, Veach reaggravated a back injury from his college wrestling days as he prepared for the August 29th contest.  

Veach is planning to give his injury some needed rest and come back strong to defend his perfect record on the world stage.  UFC veteran Marcus Aurelio is scheduled to take his place. 

Below, Veach is pictured with fellow Springfield local and fighter Justin Robbins.  Justin is scheduled to fight on our October 17th card in a 125lb contest. 

Matt Veach to fight at UFC 102 in Portland

Undefeated lightweight Matt Veach of the H.I.T. Squad will make his second appearance in the UFC when he takes on Evan Dunham, who is also undefeated, at UFC 102 on August 29 in Portland, Oregon.

UFC 102 is currently slated to be headlined by a bout between former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Randy Couture taking on former PRIDE and interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Additional matchups expected include Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt, Wilson Gouveia vs. Chael Sonnen, and Matt Hamill vs. Brandon Vera.  See more details here.

Dunham (8-0), 27, is a native of Eugene, Oregon, and splits his time between there and Las Vegas, where he trains at Xtreme Couture.

Veach, who trains at the H.I.T. Squad,  fought for CCCW last November and improved to 10-0 with a 1st round submission.  He then won via 1st rd TKO in a very exciting, back and forth fight at UFC Fight Night which made it on TV despite being on the undercard.  Now 11-0, Veach will once again have an opportunity to show his skills on the biggest stage MMA has to offer.  We wish Matt the best!

Tickets on sale NOW for The 2nd Coming by Capital City Cage Wars and 28 Productions

Coming to the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, IL on Saturday, April 11th at 7pm – 28 Productions and Capital City Cage Wars presents….The Second Coming!  Featuring 10 bouts of amateur cage fighting with nothing but the best in local talent on display.

 

Crowd favorites Tony Zucca, Tommy Carlock and Darren Jacoby will all be back in action while local legend, Chris Cox, will be making his highly anticipated MMA debut.  Also, top amateurs from Matt Hughes H.I.T. Squad camp will be out prove that their dominance in the cage at our show last November was no fluke!

 

Due to popular demand, we’ve expanded the VIP section so that more of you can get in close to the cage and take advantage of the Show Me girl’s excellent service.  Specialty seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

 

All tickets are on sale now at ticketmaster.  The best seats will go fast, and every level of seating will be discounted when purchased in advance.  Click Here for room specials at the Hilton in Springfield which is right next door to the convention center.

 

Also, special appearance by Undefeated UFC Fighter, Matt Veach, who will be signing autographs when the doors open at 5:30pm.  Fights start at 7pm.

Interview with Matt Veach – by Aroundtheoctagon.com

http://www.aroundtheoctagon.com/?p=898

What have you been up to the fight with Matt Grice at UFC Fight Night 17?

I came back home. I’ve been lifting weights and taking it easy. I’m heading back to the gym on Monday.

I’m sure Matt Hughes will put it to you in the gym.

Yeah, he’s got a fight coming up with Matt Serra and they are hoping to put me on the card too. We can train and get after each other. I’ve got three fights left on my contract.

How did you wind up taking that fight on such short notice?

I got called nine days before it and they said they needed a fill-in. They told me it didn’t matter if you win or lose just go out there and put on a good performance.

Did Matt Hughes help you get your foot in the door?

No, actually it was Marc Fiore. It kind of happened on it’s own.

What did you think when they called you?

I was nervous I weighed 180 pounds. I had to lose 24 pounds and overweight. I only had 9 days to prepare. I was nervous but excited. I was confident but I wasn’t sure how hard I could go for three rounds because I wasn’t in good shape.

What did you think when Grice rocked you?

I thought get back and keep moving. Keep moving your hips and recover. I had to get to my feet.

Was you worried the ref would stop it?

Yes, when he was on top punching me. I was still moving but I was afraid the ref would step it. It was a great fight.

It was kind of like a Rocky movie. The momentum would go his way then it shifted my way then I came back and won in dramatic fashion.

Were you nervous walking to the octagon?

Yeah but I get a little nervous before every fight. Once the bell rings and you make contact with the guy all the nerves just go away.

How did you get into MMA?

What inspired me was when I was wrestling in college Matt was first getting in the sport and he was a good wrestler and he was dominating MMA so I thought I could do it. After college I was recovering from a back injury so I took a year or two off then I started competing again because I wanted to see how far it could take me.

How did you wind up with the HIT squad?

I originally trained here in Springfield, Illinois at Warrior Concepts. When Matt fought GSP the last time he needed a training partner to come to Hillsboro and I got a call from Marc Fiore and they were going to open a gym and they could put me on full time. I said heck yeah!

Where you nervous the first time you rolled with Matt?

Yeah, he kicked my butt on the grounds. On takedowns and wrestling we were pretty even. But on submissions and on the ground he is on a different level than me. He still kicks my butt and I can defend myself on the ground but for the most part he kicks my butt.

How do you see the Serra-Hughes fight shaking out?

Well if Matt trains hard he’ll win the fight for sure. He’s working out right now and I know he’s motivated. He told me it’s easy to train for because he really want to win.

Do you think it’ll be his last fight?

I don’t know. It’s what it is looking like. It could be. He’s not sure.

Is there any other guys in the HIT squad you see making waves in the UFC?

Amir Khillah, Kyle Watson, CJ Fernandez. the sky is limit for them. Clay French would probably be in there but he only has one eye and he can’t get past the commission. He has to go to Japan to fight.

Jeremiah Riggs, he’s a tough guy. He’ll fight anybody. He’s kind of a street fighter. He needs to up his wrestling and ground game a little but and he’ll be ok.

What about Robbie Lawler?

Yeah, I heard he’s going over to Strikeforce and should fight for them in a couple months probably.

Anything else you want to say to the fans?

I love the fans without them we wouldn’t be doing this sport.