dy-no-mite3000
08-18-2005, 05:00 PM
Thanks to Jim, aka DCbooks (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/member.php?u=270) for his insightful review of MMA on the local scene plus a chance to look into the first fight for one of our own here @ BK in, KCB.
- Chris
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RCF:HEATWAVE
It?s Saturday August 13th, 2005, my fifth Anniversary, and my wife has volunteered to spend it in Biloxi Mississippi at the Imperial Palace Casino for Reality Combat Fighting- Heat Wave!
The previous Wednesday, I?m reading KCB?s online log of his preparations for his upcoming MMA debut, when I notice that his match is in Biloxi, not 2 hours from where I?m spending a long weekend celebrating 5 years with my wife in New Orleans. I half jokingly call her and ask if she?d want to go to the event, and she responds,?Really! Can we?? So I hop on the phone to our hotel, get suggestions for a car rental, follow the link KCB has on his thread, and order a pair of tickets. Saturday arrives and we?re off to the fights!
We arrived to a fair amount of chaos. There was no will call window, with preordered ticket holders waiting in line to pick up their tickets with those who needed tickets. (Why bother ordering in advance?) At the convention hall, general admission ticket holders formed a line waiting for the doors to open.
While we waited a young man entered alone carrying a gym bag. I asked if he was one of the fighters. He introduced himself as Angel Espino, and verified his place on the night?s card. I asked if he knew Casey Brawley. He did not, but briefly told us his story. He?d arrived alone from Houston, knowing nothing of his opponent besides a name and his record. He?d only had his first professional MMA match a month before. Having only a couple weeks notice, Angel worried about his cardio, but was pleased to have a chance to get in the ring and gain experience, win or lose. He seemed very calm, for how little he knew of his evening?s future. We wished him luck, and I asked around for someone to let KCB know that DCBooks waited outside. Eventually, Casey Brawley came out and introduced himself. He seemed excited as his baptism approached, and hopeful that his preparations, while too brief, would allow him to put on a good show. We wished him luck as well, and he returned to the hall to warm up. When he left my wife fretted over his youth, and that he might be hurt.
The doors opened late, and once opened everyone just rushed in ignoring the lines.
The venue was much smaller than previous live events I?d seen, but it was booked solid. Soon, almost every seat was full. Fighters warmed up for their bouts on the convention hall floor with a small tent set up for getting their hands taped up and gear prepared for their bouts.
The theme of the show was Louisiana vs Texas, with over a dozen fights. A local radio personality introduced the event promoters and the fight announcer. They entered the cage and announced how proud they were of their new 22 foot across Octagon, and talked up the thousand dollar ring girl contest. Then the fight announcer introduced Pride and KOTC veteran, John Dixon, as their referee. The setup around the cage had 2 cameras followed the action, projecting close-ups of the fights onto the wall next to the cage. Sadly the projector on our wall showed poor performance, and lost color and picture regularly.
The under-card began, and young men entered the cage many for the first time, and quickly decided their matches. None of the undercards made it through the first round, and each match showed plenty of action.
At the top of the undercard came Bloody Knux?s own Kevin Casey Brawley.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/KCB.jpg
Being the hometown boy, and having come out to meet us and talk with the fans in line, Casey was the immediate favorite. Several fans whom he had spoken too in the line hooted and hollered for ?The Brawler? and I hoped the cheers would give Casey confidence. The match began with both fighters swinging hard, and while Vasquez had the tighter, more technical striking, Casey?s reach advantage and quick leg kicks kept the stand up even, if not slanted in his favor. Soon they clinched and Casey scored the takedown. Once on the ground Vasquez defended very well from his back. He neutralized Casey?s ground game, and stalled until the referee restarted the fighter. With the takedown, and some strikes on the ground Casey seemed in control of the fight, and then disaster struck. Vasquez delivered a solid knee to his opponent?s groin. Watching the video later I realized that he was sending kicks and knees at Casey?s nuts throughout the match. The referee halted the match to give Casey 5 minutes to recover.
I realize you enter an event, after weeks (or hopefully months) of training, and the last thing you want is to have an unsatisfactory ending. Fighter like to fight, and even when conditions are unfavorable, a fighter chooses to continue.
After 5 short minutes Casey rose to continue.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/VasquezVBrawley.jpg
The action quickly resumed, but Casey seemed a little wild on his feet, he even attempted his patented flying knee. Brawley got another takedown, but Vasquez seemed very fresh while Casey had never fully recovered from the illegal shot. On the ground Vasquez shrimped into a guillotine, and Casey eventually had to tap.
After a break, the main tourney began, and Louisiana ecked out a victory over Texas, with several solid matches. Then the main card began, and soon the time for Angel Espino to face Ricky Folse. Folse entered the octagon, a very well conditioned athlete. When Angel came into the ring he had chosen a latino big band tune that seemed out of place, and yet refreshing after a dozen or so hard rock anthems. Folse stood almost a head taller than angel, and seemed to dwarf the Texas fighter. As the action began, they entered into a brief exchange standing, and then Folse scooped up Espino for a powerful slam. Espino kept his composure and slowly worked to the full guard, while doing his best to defend againse Folse?s elbows. Once in the guard, Folse reared back to try and rain down some punches on his opponent. He quickly found himself defending against a triangle choke that transitioned into an armbar. Espino arched his back and forced Folse to tap!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/Angel.jpg
The night continued with Josh Rafferty showing he?d learned something on the TUF reality show by defeating his opponenent Aristides Britto in 1:31 in the first round by submission.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/Rafferty.jpg
The show then had MMA veteran Rich Clementi come out and help give out some fights of the night awards, and the Ring Girl contest was decided. Finally Kyle Bradley made short work of his outmatched opponent, but for us the night which really began with Casey?s debut had ended with Angel?s victory.
- Chris
------------
RCF:HEATWAVE
It?s Saturday August 13th, 2005, my fifth Anniversary, and my wife has volunteered to spend it in Biloxi Mississippi at the Imperial Palace Casino for Reality Combat Fighting- Heat Wave!
The previous Wednesday, I?m reading KCB?s online log of his preparations for his upcoming MMA debut, when I notice that his match is in Biloxi, not 2 hours from where I?m spending a long weekend celebrating 5 years with my wife in New Orleans. I half jokingly call her and ask if she?d want to go to the event, and she responds,?Really! Can we?? So I hop on the phone to our hotel, get suggestions for a car rental, follow the link KCB has on his thread, and order a pair of tickets. Saturday arrives and we?re off to the fights!
We arrived to a fair amount of chaos. There was no will call window, with preordered ticket holders waiting in line to pick up their tickets with those who needed tickets. (Why bother ordering in advance?) At the convention hall, general admission ticket holders formed a line waiting for the doors to open.
While we waited a young man entered alone carrying a gym bag. I asked if he was one of the fighters. He introduced himself as Angel Espino, and verified his place on the night?s card. I asked if he knew Casey Brawley. He did not, but briefly told us his story. He?d arrived alone from Houston, knowing nothing of his opponent besides a name and his record. He?d only had his first professional MMA match a month before. Having only a couple weeks notice, Angel worried about his cardio, but was pleased to have a chance to get in the ring and gain experience, win or lose. He seemed very calm, for how little he knew of his evening?s future. We wished him luck, and I asked around for someone to let KCB know that DCBooks waited outside. Eventually, Casey Brawley came out and introduced himself. He seemed excited as his baptism approached, and hopeful that his preparations, while too brief, would allow him to put on a good show. We wished him luck as well, and he returned to the hall to warm up. When he left my wife fretted over his youth, and that he might be hurt.
The doors opened late, and once opened everyone just rushed in ignoring the lines.
The venue was much smaller than previous live events I?d seen, but it was booked solid. Soon, almost every seat was full. Fighters warmed up for their bouts on the convention hall floor with a small tent set up for getting their hands taped up and gear prepared for their bouts.
The theme of the show was Louisiana vs Texas, with over a dozen fights. A local radio personality introduced the event promoters and the fight announcer. They entered the cage and announced how proud they were of their new 22 foot across Octagon, and talked up the thousand dollar ring girl contest. Then the fight announcer introduced Pride and KOTC veteran, John Dixon, as their referee. The setup around the cage had 2 cameras followed the action, projecting close-ups of the fights onto the wall next to the cage. Sadly the projector on our wall showed poor performance, and lost color and picture regularly.
The under-card began, and young men entered the cage many for the first time, and quickly decided their matches. None of the undercards made it through the first round, and each match showed plenty of action.
At the top of the undercard came Bloody Knux?s own Kevin Casey Brawley.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/KCB.jpg
Being the hometown boy, and having come out to meet us and talk with the fans in line, Casey was the immediate favorite. Several fans whom he had spoken too in the line hooted and hollered for ?The Brawler? and I hoped the cheers would give Casey confidence. The match began with both fighters swinging hard, and while Vasquez had the tighter, more technical striking, Casey?s reach advantage and quick leg kicks kept the stand up even, if not slanted in his favor. Soon they clinched and Casey scored the takedown. Once on the ground Vasquez defended very well from his back. He neutralized Casey?s ground game, and stalled until the referee restarted the fighter. With the takedown, and some strikes on the ground Casey seemed in control of the fight, and then disaster struck. Vasquez delivered a solid knee to his opponent?s groin. Watching the video later I realized that he was sending kicks and knees at Casey?s nuts throughout the match. The referee halted the match to give Casey 5 minutes to recover.
I realize you enter an event, after weeks (or hopefully months) of training, and the last thing you want is to have an unsatisfactory ending. Fighter like to fight, and even when conditions are unfavorable, a fighter chooses to continue.
After 5 short minutes Casey rose to continue.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/VasquezVBrawley.jpg
The action quickly resumed, but Casey seemed a little wild on his feet, he even attempted his patented flying knee. Brawley got another takedown, but Vasquez seemed very fresh while Casey had never fully recovered from the illegal shot. On the ground Vasquez shrimped into a guillotine, and Casey eventually had to tap.
After a break, the main tourney began, and Louisiana ecked out a victory over Texas, with several solid matches. Then the main card began, and soon the time for Angel Espino to face Ricky Folse. Folse entered the octagon, a very well conditioned athlete. When Angel came into the ring he had chosen a latino big band tune that seemed out of place, and yet refreshing after a dozen or so hard rock anthems. Folse stood almost a head taller than angel, and seemed to dwarf the Texas fighter. As the action began, they entered into a brief exchange standing, and then Folse scooped up Espino for a powerful slam. Espino kept his composure and slowly worked to the full guard, while doing his best to defend againse Folse?s elbows. Once in the guard, Folse reared back to try and rain down some punches on his opponent. He quickly found himself defending against a triangle choke that transitioned into an armbar. Espino arched his back and forced Folse to tap!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/Angel.jpg
The night continued with Josh Rafferty showing he?d learned something on the TUF reality show by defeating his opponenent Aristides Britto in 1:31 in the first round by submission.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/chopsueychris/Rafferty.jpg
The show then had MMA veteran Rich Clementi come out and help give out some fights of the night awards, and the Ring Girl contest was decided. Finally Kyle Bradley made short work of his outmatched opponent, but for us the night which really began with Casey?s debut had ended with Angel?s victory.