MMA Events on GFL COMBAT SPORTS NETWORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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March 22, 2012
mma Events on GFL COMBAT SPORTS NETWORK
- Friday, March 23, 2012 8:00pm ET featuring Absolute Action MMA 24 from the Shimmers Ballroom in Covington, Kentucky. In the main event, Brittany Skelton (5-3) will fight for the AAMMA Lightweight Title. His opponent has not been named yet, as several fighters have fallen through at the last second, but nevertheless, AAMMA will find a suitable opponent for Skelton and the two will throwdown in the cage for the 155 lb championship. Skelton is a tough matchup for anybody as he is very quick with his punches and takedowns and poses a problem for most opponents because of his superior cardio conditioning. But Skelton will be at a disadvantage as he will have little time to game plan for his eventual opponent so once he steps in the cage he will be going off of pure fighting instinct and just have to go with the flow. Sometimes matches that are put together at the last minute can be the most exciting on the card because the fighters don’t get bogged down with a detailed strategy. They just fight. Expect this bout to just be about fighting as whoever wins walks away a champion. In the co-main event, Brian Francisco (5-1) battles Deric “The Manimal” Reece (4-8) in what could be a #1 Contender’s Match for the Lightweight belt. Francisco is a fast starter who packs a heavy punch as all 5 of his wins have come via KO in the first round. He will be taking on his toughest opponent to date in Reece, but don’t expect that to curtail Francisco’s furious pace. Reece has been on a tough skid as of late and for him to get back on the right track he will have to do what he knows best and that’s unloading punches, as all 4 of his wins have come by submission, due to strikes. Not many people wanted to fight Francisco, but Reece stepped up to the plate and if he can pull the mild upset here, he will be right back in the title hunt for the AAMMA Lightweight strap.
- Friday, March 23, 2012 10:00pm ET featuring Epic Fighting 11 Four Points Sheraton in San Diego, California. In the main event, Gibran Alvarez (4-1) out of Victory MMA takes on Jason Mangaroni (2-0) from Shark Tank MMA in a cruiserweight battle. Alvarez has tremendous cardio for a cruiserweight as all 5 of his bouts have gone the distance. Alvarez likes to wear out his opponents and push the pace throughout. A strong wrestling background allows Alvarez to usually dictate where the fight goes and he will look to take down Mangaroni in this bout from the early going. For the undefeated Mangaroni, he is the epitome of a fast starter as both his victories have come within the first round, one by KO and the other via submission. Mangaroni has devastating power in both hands and is a strong grappler always looking to finish fights. Alvarez will try to stifle Mangaroni’s attacks by using superior control and positioning on the ground. This will be a classic battle of wills as whoever can control the action in the cage and where the fight goes will have a distinct advantage. In other action, Daniel Valdez (0-3) fights Francisco Castro (5-4) in a featherweight bout. Valdez is coming off a tough loss in his last fight in which he suffered a TKO loss, but his other two defeats came by way of razor close decisions. You have to respect Valdez and his continued determination to always bring it with every fight. Castro is coming off of a tough loss in the California State Finals back in December and before that bout was on a 4-fight winning streak. Castro is a cage general and controls the pace of the action very well, as he grinds out his opponents for unanimous decisions. He will look to do the same against Valdez. Both fighters have proven they can go the distance and this should be a fight where there is constant action between the two 145 lb fighters.
- Friday, March 23, 2012 11:00pm ET featuring Ultimate Reno Combat presents Fight Factory at The Knit!. Reno, Nevada. Michael O’Leary battles Joe McGann in the main event that is a matchup of two of the top featherweights in the West! O’Leary and McGann are both capable of having fight of the night because of their unique, fast-paced style and this bout should be nonstop action from the opening bell. This is also an important bout because it is a #1 Contender’s match and will set up a future shot at the 145 lb title down the line for the winner. In the co-main event, Melvin Washington fights William “Will” Ruppert in the debut fight for both lightweights. For Washington and Ruppert it’s either sink or swim in this bout.
- Saturday, March 24, 2012 6:30pm ET featuring NAAFS – Combat Challenge 19 at Chapparells Community Center in Akron, Ohio. The Ohio-based NAAFS has been a proving ground for tons of MMA fighters who have made their way to the UFC and Strikeforce. NAAFS continues to promote the Midwest’s premier up and coming fighters and Combat Challenge 19 will only add to NAAFS’ rich history. In the main event, Josh Lasich (3-0) battles Dave Lastafka (6-0). In a battle of unbeatens, something has to break. Lasich is a grappling wizard winning all 3 of his fights by submission (2 in the NAAFS cage). He has also managed to stay healthy through it all as he has already fought once this year. Lastafka is also a NAAFS veteran winning 4 times with the organization. Lastafka also has an unbreakable ground game mixed with a world class striking game as he has stopped 5 of his 6 opponents. Lastafka is the naturally bigger fighter, so expect him to use his strength to try and wear Lasich out on the ground. Lasich should have the advantage in cardio though so it will be interesting to see the strategy in this bout and who is able to impose their will. Nothing is assured in fighting, but this bout is about as close as you can get to a can’t miss fight. The winner will set himself up as one of the rising stars of MMA. In the co-main event, Anthony Holder (3-3) takes on Adib Nour (2-0) in a heavyweight scrap. Holder has won his last 3 fights all in round one. He swings for the fences and when he connects, it usually lights out for his opponents. Nour is just as deadly with his fists as he has finished his two opponents in the first round also, his last fight only lasting 16 seconds. Don’t blink when these two grizzly bears get in the cage as this fight could well be over before the announcer has time to take his seat outside of the cage. Both fighters don’t mess around and there will be very little if any feeling out process. Expect fireworks and expect them early.
- Saturday, March 24, 2012 8:30m ET featuring SportFight X from the Von Braun Center. Huntsville, Alabama. The Von Braun Center will house fans as they witness the first professional fight sanctioned by the Alabama Athletic Commission. This will be the promotions first stop in Alabama and promises to deliver an event matched by none as they have in other states prior to Alabama becoming sanctioned. The main event will feature a professional debut with two fighters who have had an outstanding amateur career as Stephen Wilhite of Cullman, AL vs Luke Neyland of Marietta, GA. Both fighters have fought under the SportFight X banner and scored impressive wins. The 27 year old Wilhite is a well rounded fighter who represents Triad Martial Arts and trains under Johnny Lee Smith. Wilhite is a tough character and afraid of no competitor. Last year at SportFight X “Middle Tennessee Mayhem” he was faced with a gut wrenching dilemma as his opponent of over 45 days had a fainting incident while being examined for a pre-fight medical exam. This occurred about one hour prior to the show leaving Wilhite without an opponent for a short period. Wilhite was offered a one hour notice fight replacement against a 15 pound heavier opponent Greg Taylor from IMA. What began as a sad night for Stephen turned out to be a bad night for Taylor as Wilhite hammered out a win in the first round. Neyland is a 23 year old freestyle fighting product of X3 Sports in Atlanta, Georgia training under Tony Tucci. Neyland has taken tough fights throughout amateur career. In two of his last four fights Neyland has been victorious by arm submission in the first round and at less than the two minute mark.
Other events this week:
Pro-Wrestling: Impact Zone Wrestling (Weekly Free show): Mar 24, 2012 8:00pm ET.
Boxing: WBC International HW Championship Boxing – Tye Fields vs. Mariusz: Mar 24, 4:00pm ET.
Kickboxing: IKF championship kickboxingt presents “Thunder Downunder WWIII” Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Tape delayed on Mar 25,8:00pm ET.
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IZW “March Mayhem” Review
By Drew Archer
Everything was on the line as “March Mayhem” went down at the Impact Arena in Lawton, Oklahoma in front of a rabid crowd. The fans at the arena and watching live on GFL.tv saw all three IZW titles on the line and got a main event that after it was finished drastically changed the landscape of IZW and its competitors forever.
In the opening match, the Old School Suckas (Gary Tool and Randy Price) won the IZW World Tag Team Titles by defeating former Champs, Nemesis (Rage Logan and Damien Morte) after an old school brawl. Nemesis had been on quite a roll since winning the tag titles back at “Violent Valentine”, but Tool and Price were able to stop the momentum, at least on this night, of Nemesis. The crowd was solidly in the corner of the Old School Suckas, but that didn’t faze Nemesis in the beginning as Logan took it to Price and even landed a few Ric Flair chops in the corner that smashed across the flesh of Price. Morte then took his turn abusing Price and even choked him using the ropes, a blatantly cheating. Nemesis did a great job tag teaming against Price and keeping him in their corner for several minutes wearing him down with mat based grappling. Price made a valiant effort to finally tag in Tool, but the referee was distracted by Morte which meant Price had to stay in the ring and fight back some more. In the move of the match, Logan flung himself over the top rope twisting in the air and landed full force on Price who had just fallen through the ropes to the ground courtesy of Morte’s help. It turned out to be a reckless move as Logan was just as injured as Price after the fall. Both wrestlers finally made their way back in to the ring and after a quick double team by Nemesis, Price finally made the tag to Tool! Tool came in to the ring and gave Nemesis a double clothesline followed up by individual back body drops, which took the wind out of Nemesis’ sails. Logan was able to turn the tide for a split second with a jumping neckbreaker that put Tool on the mat and on dizzy street. Nemesis tried to double team Price next, but he ducked out of the way of a Morte mist attempt and the red substance landed directly in Logan’s face. After an atomic drop on Morte, Price and Tool landed their patented Old School Sucka finish on a confused Morte and got the pinfall becoming the new IZW Tag Team Champions.
In the second bout, in the first ever Women’s Fatal Four-Way Match, Erica defeated Starr, Kyra Maya and Miss Diss Lexia to prove to everyone in IZW that she is the alpha female. It was a free for all in the beginning with every woman going after anyone who was close. Midway through the bout, Miss Diss Lexia and Kyra Maya found themselves on the outside of the ring which gave Erica and Starr a chance to go one on one in the middle of the ring. The top two females went back and forth, with Starr landing a backbreaker and a sidewalk slam on Erica. It wasn’t enough as Erica kicked out of the pinfall attempt and then grabbed Starr by the head and jumped up to the top rope to land a variation of a neckbreaker that put Starr down for the count, and gave the Lady of Impact the victory.
Next up was “The Image of War” Kevin Morgan versus newcomer Bryan Cruize. This was the first competitive bout Morgan has been in for a long time as Cruize could almost match Morgan for size and strength. The two giants traded power moves and right hands but Morgan seemed one step ahead of his opponent, until the end. Cruize showed his agility in the ring as he outmaneuvered Morgan and landed a swinging neckbreaker, but Morgan was able to shake off the pinfall attempt. Morgan then went for his patented choke slam but Cruize slipped out of the hold and managed to roll up Morgan for a quick 1-2-3 pin! Morgan’s win streak is stopped at 26 weeks in a row and the newcomer, Bryan Cruize makes an immediate impact on his first night in IZW by taking down the giant.
Double D defeated IZW Impact Division Champion, “Lights Out” Jordan Jacobs, by disqualification after a wild match. Jacobs still retains the title as the title cannot change hands on a DQ. Double D came out like a bat out of hell but Jacobs quickly turned the tables with an illegal eye poke followed by several hard shots in the kidneys that slowed down Double D. Jacobs continued the onslaught by jumping on Double D’s back while his neck was against the ropes, sending his windpipe into the unforgiving cable and nearly choking him out. Jacobs even landed a sit-down power bomb but he could not put away Double D who was a man possessed. D was finally able to turn the tide and landed 10 knees to Jacobs’ face, no doubt rearranging the cartilage in Jacobs’ nose. Double D then landed a crossbody from the top rope, but Shawn McHale distracted the referee from counting the pinfall and Jacobs was saved. McHale continue to distract the ref, giving Jacobs time to recover and grab his Impact Division belt which he swung at D like a baseball bat, but D ducked the attempt and landed a knee square into the metal belt which was then driven up into Jacobs’ face. Double D then executed a perfect Defacer and got the pinfall and won the title. That is until Commissioner Brandon Bishop came out to the ring and ordered a re-start to the match because of D’s apparent use of the championship belt (Bishop overlooked the fact that Jacobs brought the belt in to the ring in the first place). Once the match was restarted, Double D picked up right where he left off, and went up to the top rope to finally finish Jacobs off, but Jacobs blatantly hit Double D in the face with the belt causing an immediate disqualification and in doing so retained the title which he should have lost twice on this night. It was a smart albeit underhanded move by Jacobs to retain his title.
Eric Rose took on second generation wrestler Cody Jones, son of legendary trainer and wrestler, Tom Jones, in a great wrestling bout. The two traded leg kicks until engaging in a very technical match with some great mat wrestling. Rose tried to get the fight to the air by bouncing off the turnbuckle but Jones was persistent in grounding Rose’s attempts and getting him back on the canvas with Jones in charge holding a deep headlock as Rose had to constantly work to keep his shoulders off the mat. Rose was finally able to break Jones’ hold with a stiff right to the jaw, but then Jones landed a perfect drop kick that sent Rose out of the ring. Jones followed Rose which was a mistake as Rose was able to turn the tables and send Jones into the steel stairs turning the tide of the match in Rose’s favor. The men made their way back to the ring where Rose continued to work on Jones’ back, landing a back suplex that disabled Jones even more. Jones came back landing a springboard clothesline but Rose countered with a powerbomb. Both men then made their way to the top rope where Jones landed a frankensteiner as both men crashed to the mat. Jones was up first and after a scuffle with Shawn McHale, Jones landed a springboard double-knee to Rose’s face and got the pinfall. It was a great match and a tremendous win for Cody Jones who is quickly carving out a name for himself in IZW.
Next up was part 3 of “The Past, Present and Future of Johnny Z”, a behind the scenes video package of the IZW owner and founder. Part 3 covered the future and the question of retirement came up, which Johnny Z spoke about candidly. The Natural Born Leader isn’t ready to give up his time in the just ring yet. Z did talk about some of what he does behind the scenes and as the owner of IZW has his hands in every facet of the organization, but for the time being, he is not ready to be a promoter exclusively as he still feels he has a lot to offer as a pro wrestler, which no doubt wrestling fans around the world agree with. Johnny Z spoke of his goal for IZW to become a fulltime national promotion that can tour around the country brining the IZW brand to fans across the United States and beyond. Johnny Z promised he would be back in the ring when it was the right time, when he was 100% healed from his injuries, he would return.
In the main event, Aaron Neil captured the IZW World Heavyweight Title by defeating former Champion Jermaine Johnson in a No DQ Match after it was revealed that Neil enlisted the help and joined the faction of Brandon Bishop, Jordan Jacobs, Eric Rose and Shawn McHale in one of the more jaw dropping moments in IZW history. Neil turned on his fans and everyone who ever believed in him because deep down he knew he couldn’t beat Johnson fair and square. In becoming the 6-time IZW World Heavyweight Champion, Aaron Neil showed that there is nothing in this world, not fans, not friends, not even enemies that he will let dissuade him from his ultimate goal, which is carrying the twenty pounds of IZW gold around his waist and being the World Champ.
Before the match, it was announced that per Commissioner Bishop’s orders the match was now a No DQ which made sense at the end as it was all part of an elaborate plan meant to rip the title away from Johnson at any cost. Both men had a feeling out process to start the match with Johnson grabbing a headlock and then Neil doing the same. The stronger Neil got Johnson down to the mat where he was able to wear on him with his huge body. Johnson transitioned to a leg scissors and turned the tables on Neil but then both men got back to their feet. Neil landed a leaping knee to Johnson’s throat, and followed it up with a forearm to the chest that sent Johnson out of the ring and gasping for air. Neil suplexed Johnson back in to the ring and tried for a cover, but Johnson kicked out. Neil continued his onslaught landing flying punches, and clotheslines as Johnson tumbled outside of the ring for the second time in the match. Down by the guardrails, Johnson and Neil had a backyard brawl as they traded fisticuffs and chops, each one deadlier than the previous. Neil then changed things up a bit and threw Johnson head first into the steel cage that lines the IZW entrance ramp taking full advantage of the No DQ rules. Neil went for the same move on the opposite side of the ramp, but Johnson reversed him sending the “Real Deal” into the unforgiving metal and breaking his momentum. It was the opportunity that Johnson was looking for as now he was the aggressor. Johnson landed multiple chair shots on Neil and followed up by slamming Neil’s head into the concrete wall of the Impact Arena. This would have killed a normal man, but on this night Neil was no normal man. The two gladiators made their way back over the guardrail, where Johnson reversed Neil and sent him into the steel chairs crushing his skull into the black metal. Johnson got a second wind as he threw Neil’s limp body back in the ring and hit Neil with punches and kicks. Johnson went for a suplex but was reversed by Neil who landed a reverse atomic drop and once again gained the upper hand. But it was Johnson who landed a slam on Neil reversing the momentum as the crowd chanted “We got this”. Johnson landed a Real Drill of his own, but Neil would not go away as he kicked out of the pinfall attempt at 2. Commissioner Bishop then came down to the ring as Neil delivered a spinebuster. Johnson recovered and landed an ES2 (Energy Shot Two) for what looked like the match ending finisher, but that’s when Bishop came into the ring to break up the pinfall. Johnson gave chase to Bishop around the ring and when he came back to the ring, Neil was waiting for him and landed an ES2 on Johnson. But it still was not enough as Johnson kicked out at 2! After the ref got accidentally hit by Neil and fell out of the ring, Johnson landed a series of punches to Neil’s head, but Neil stopped Johnson dead in his tracks with a low blow. With the referee still out cold, Neil told Bishop to grab a chair and bring it into the ring. Neil then slung Johnson’s prone body Bishop’s way and Bishop teed off on Johnson’s head with the metal chair. The sound was sickening as Johnson’s head crashed against the cold steel like a watermelon dropping off of a skyscraper. Bishop then threw the ref back into the ring to count the pinfall, BUT THAT WAS STILL NOT ENOUGH! Johnson kicked out again! A chair shot by Neil came next but Johnson again kicked out! Neil went for a third chair shot, but Johnson managed to get Neil up in the air and dropped a Real Drill on Neil. Johnson then pulled Bishop into the ring and threw a few haymakers his way, but once again Neil smashed Johnson in the head with the chair. That’s four times for those keeping score at home. Neil then followed that up with a chair shot to the midsection of Johnson. EIGHT MORE CHAIR SHOTS and Neil finally threw the chair down! This was finally enough for Neil to get the win as the referee made the count to 3 as the fix was in the whole time. But Johnson fought back against insurmountable odds to almost overcome this sick display of sportsmanship. Neil and Bishop celebrated afterwards as Rose, Jacobs and McHale came to the ring to congratulate the new IZW World Heavyweight Champion as Jermaine Johnson lay motionless in the center of the ring.
What this means for IZW is anyone’s guess. Tune in this Saturday live on GFL.tv and for FREE to find out!
Krysztof HAJA Hajtalowicz vs Arnaud THE GAME Lepont to Headline DARE Championship 2/2012 on March 17th
Krysztof HAJA Hajtalowicz vs Arnaud THE GAME Lepont to Headline DARE Championship 2/2012 on March 17th
DARE 2/12 is all set for this Saturday at Club Insomnia Bangkok with the first fight scheduled to get underway at 4pm Thai
time. There are a total of seven fights on a card which could well be the best in Thai history.
THE GAME vs HAJA
The main event sees Krysztof “HAJA” Hajtalowicz take on Arnaud “THE GAME” Lepont with a spot in the semi finals of the
DARE’s welterweight tournament at stake. The winner will be one step close to winning the entire 77 kilo/ 170 lbs
competition and taking home the $125,000 prize money.
Hajtalowicz, from Poland, is unbeaten in his MMA career with a perfect professional record of 3-0 while Frenchman Lepont
is more experienced and is currently 7-1. This eagerly anticipated fight was originally supposed to take place at DARE 1/12
in January but Hajtalowicz had to cancel due to injury, much to Lepont’s frustration.
ONE SHIN vs TDR & NUAYTORIOUS vs THE KILL
There will be a couple more quarter final match ups with Shannon “ONE SHIN” Wiratchai looking to book his spot in the
next round at the expense of fellow Thai Tondamrong “TDR” Panjabutra. Revenge will be on the agenda because Wiratchai
defeated Tondamrong’s brother “DK” in the opening round a few months ago.
The third quarter final on the card sees the world’s tallest featherweight Will “THE KILL” Chope take on Thai fighter
Saengchot “NUAYTORIOUS” Parkaiphet. Chope, who will have an incredible eight inch height advantage, has won seven out
of his last eight fights.
MUGEN vs MAD DOG
Mark “MUGEN” Striegl is one of the most exciting prospects in all of Asian MMA. The Filipino is only 23 years old but
already holds an impressive 8-0 record and has faced some top level opponents. He will be up against Marko “MAD DOG”
Huusansaari who put in a fight of the night performance despite being defeated by Shane “RONIN” Wiggand at DARE 1/12.
EVENT FULL OF ACTION
Also on the card will be a middleweight match up featuring New Zealand Muay Thai champion Dan “KIWI” Kerr and Brazilian
BJJ expert and the South East Asian Ambassador of the Brazilian Chute Boxe gym, Andre “ROCK N ROLLA” Marcolla.
Two other highly interesting fights are the rematch between Bruce “BRUCE” Loh from Singapore and Uzbekistan’s Shodiyor
“DIYOR” Jurabekov and a long expected bout between a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion and a Black Belt Alexsandro “LEKE”
Machado and a Swedish Muay Thai & MMA fighter Kristoffer “LUDAKRIS” Persson.
DARE 2/2012 – LIVE ONLINE BROADCAST – WWW.DARELIVE.TV AND WWW.GFL.TV
DARE 2/12 takes place at Club Insomnia Bangkok and is broadcasted live on online pay-per-view for just $9.99.
The event starts at 4PM Bangkok time.
For more information, please visit www.darefightsports.com and www.darelive.tv.
Interview with IZW Superstar Erica
By Drew Archer
“I started out as an amateur wrestler where I was a 3-time All-American, 2-time State Champion and National Champion.”
For Erica Torres known to professional wrestling fans simply as “Erica” competing has always been in her blood. Fans of IZW know of her exploits at the Impact Arena and her partnership with Double D, but Erica’s career began much earlier than most fans know. A wrestling prodigy since she was a child, Erica has over a decade of experience in the unforgiving and grueling world of amateur wrestling. When looking at her background and pedigree it more closely resembles the road that Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar took to becoming professional wrestlers than that of Beth Phoenix or Gail Kim.
“I wrestled for about 12 years. I wrestled boys all the way through to my junior year of high school, my junior year is when I went to my first girls’ tournament and started wrestling girls. I was team captain from 7th grade until my senior year of high school. I was the first girl to ever make it to the second day of the California Men’s Divisional’s my sophomore year,” Erica said.
Originally from California, Erica’s esteemed amateur wrestling career did not end in high school. She received a college scholarship which sent her to Oklahoma which is the place her professional career began. “I got a wrestling scholarship to Oklahoma City University and it was really different for me because that was the first time I had ever been on a female team. Myself and another girl on my team were the first females from Oklahoma City University to place in an international tournament. I was also the runner up in the Dave Schultz International,” Erica remembered.
After her time in college, Erica set out on a professional career in wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA). Her cousin is former #1 UFC Lightweight Contender Joe “Daddy” Stevenson so competing and fighting is ingrained in Erica’s family’s DNA. Competing in MMA under the guidance of Dr. Ron Tripp, Erica picked up wins by submission (strikes) and TKO proving that she’s a force to be reckoned with in whatever venue she competes in.
But these days, Erica is dedicated to competing in the squared circle. Erica like so many other rising stars on the Oklahoma circuit was trained by wrestling legend Tom Jones and that along with her amateur background and the high flying techniques she picked up from Double D has made her the most popular female wrestler in the Mid-South.
“Right now I’m focusing on being a top competitor and giving the fans the best entertainment possible. I live to hear the crowd chant my name and scream at me to win. It’s the greatest feeling ever to know there are people coming to the shows and wanting to see me win,” Erica stated.
Erica has succeeded in one of the toughest businesses in the world with the same type of mental and physical fortitude that she displayed in amateur wrestling and MMA. Her lifelong perseverance has made her the leader among women on the Independent circuit. She continues to put 100% of her time and effort into becoming the best she can be.
“Training wise I lift weights and work out at the gym, I like to do a lot of MMA training and I work on anything I may have gotten beat with or anything I need to perfect to make sure I beat someone. I always watch back my matches to learn from my mistakes and get better. There are so many challenges that come with wrestling like making sure you get to the building on time, to give yourself enough time to warm up and get ready, to competing, or making sure you eat right, or the next day after competing being so sore you don’t want to get out of bed. And there is always the possibilities of injuries,” Erica continued.
Commitment like this has garnered Erica the praise of the IZW faithful who in return have given her the nickname “The Lady of Impact”. Now with IZW being broadcast every Saturday night on GFL.tv, Erica has the ability to have her matches witnessed by millions of wrestling fans around the globe. “I think it is an incredibly big deal that fans around the world can tune in and watch IZW. I feel we have a very successful product and it needs to be out there for fans to see. I am fully confident in the future of IZW. It’s a great show, the best place by far to work for in Oklahoma. I hope more fans tune in and come live to watch us pour our hearts out and compete in a sport that we all love to do.,” Erica said.
In wrestling every Yin has its Yang. Good versus Evil. Part of Erica’s rise in IZW is do to her memorable and ongoing feud with rival, Starr. “I see myself as a strong part of the women’s division. For the longest time I was the only female and was a manager for Double D then Impact Inc. brought in Starr to, in their words, ‘stick it to me’. From there it all went downhill. As far as me and Starr go, she hates the fact that the fans cheer me instead of her and I despise the fact that she has a horrible attitude,” Erica articulated.
Over the past several months, more fire has been thrown on the Erica VS Starr feud as two newcomers have been brought into the grudge and all they’ve done is stoke the fire. “She [Starr] brought in Kyra Maya as a friend to demolish me and I found Lexi to even the odds. Now after that swimsuit competition that [IZW Commissioner] Brandon Bishop decided to throw our way, Kyra is no longer Starr’s friend, so I do feel more confident knowing that every woman is in there for herself. But then again you never know what is going to happen,” Erica continued.
Next up for Erica is a history making match at IZW’s next iPPV “March Mayhem” on March 17 exclusively on GFL.tv. Having competed in hundreds of high stakes matches, the importance of her bout at “March Mayhem” is not lost on Erica.
“At ‘March Mayhem,’ on March 17th, I get to compete in the first ever Women’s Fatal 4 Way against Miss Diss Lexia, which don’t get me wrong we are friends but we are competitors first and I think that is why we get along so well because we know when to separate friendship and competition. Then I get the pleasure of beating up Starr again which I love to do because she has diarrhea of the mouth and everything that she says is a load of crap. She is the…let me make this clear….”SELF-PROCLAIMED” ‘Queen of IZW’. In all honesty, I see her as one hell of a competitor but I absolutely despise her attitude and that drives me to want to beat and embarrass her. And I get to get my hands on that deranged bear of a woman Kyra. She may think she is the most dominate woman in IZW but I got news for her, she had to attack me from behind to put me through that table. I guarantee she couldn’t do it if I was ready for her. I have no problems going toe to toe with that woman because we may have a size difference but I’m smarter, faster, and I have a drive and determination that is unmatched. So I guarantee that it’s going to be one hell of a battle and everyone in that ring is going to give it their all but I plan to walk out the victor,” Erica replied.
At 23, Erica is still very young in the sport of professional wrestling and for a woman that already has a proven track record of success, including multiple championships to her credit, it’s a no-brainer that the best is still yet to come for the Lady of Impact. She has all the pieces of the puzzle to be a major player in any organization’s women’s division, including WWE and TNA.
Still humble, even with all of her success, Erica knows it’s the fans that make everything possible. “I would love to thank the fans for always being there for myself and all the other competitors out there in the ring. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be where we are and I want to thank them for believing in me because when I hear them chanting for me it gives me that extra boost to want to win not only for myself but for them too,” Erica concluded
GALLI Luch Libre Heads Into “Culminacion Final” with a Main Event for the Ages
Filed under: Article, Boxing News, Upcoming Events, Wrestling News
By Drew Archer
GALLI Lucha Libre debuts its unique brand of professional wrestling on the GFL Combat Sports Network on March 10 with Culminacion Final and a main event that is sure to grab the headlines with fans of wrestling, boxing and sports entertainment. GALLI Lucha Libre and GFL make history as this will be the first iPPV for a United States based Lucha Libre promotion and it all goes down at the Grand Plaza in Elgin, Illinois and live on GFL.tv.
Chavo “Classic” Guerrero steps into the squared circle one more time to team with the most hated man in GALLI, Gigolo Americano, in a tag team match against former WBO and IBF World Boxing Champion Jorge “El Maromero” Paez and rising prospect, Rey Fuego. Guerrero has won close to 20 wrestling titles throughout his storied career including the WWE Cruiserweight Championship and NWA World Lightweight Championship. If you combine that with all of the boxing titles Paez has won, this main event will have more championship gold in its cache then Fort Knox.
This feud has been boiling for years, ever since Guerrero was on the wrong end of a Paez punch when the two had a run-in in the WWE in a match involving Rey Mysterio VS Chavo Guerrero Jr. If there’s one thing wrestling fans know about Guerreros, it’s that they never back down from anyone and will do whatever is necessary to get even. Paez would do well to look over his shoulder from now until March 10 when he steps in to the ring. This time it will be under Chavo’s rules as the former circus performer, Paez, has never had a professional wrestling match. Paez is a performer to be sure, but it will be a completely different animal when he locks up with Guerrero in the center of the ring for the first time.
It will be a contrasting of styles as Guerrero is one of the founding pieces of the most famous wrestling family in the world, a family that has produced the best wrestler on the planet and Classic’s brother including, the late Eddie Guerrero who was a former WWE World Champion and changed the wrestling business forever with his unique style, Chavo Guerrero Jr. (Chavo Classic’s son) who has won various titles in WCW, ECW and WWE and other Guerrero family members like patriarch Gory Guerrero, and Chavo Classic’s other brothers Mando and Hector. Guerrero goes into the main event tag team match with a rich history behind him and it’s something that his counterpart, Jorge Paez will not have.
What Paez does have is Rey Fuego at his side. Fuego has been on a tear lately and looks to offset Paez’s lack of wrestling experience by bringing his own high flying, lucha-style to the bout. He will have to be at this best as standing across from him in the ring (along with Chavo Classic) will be the always dangerous and crafty Gigolo Americano. Gigolo has always been ahead of the curve when choosing alliances and this time he has sided with one of the all-time legendary grapplers, Chavo “Classic” Guerrero. Will he help Classic “lie, cheat and steal” their way to victory, or will the blue chip prospect Rey Fuego be able to withstand the onslaught long enough for Paez to land the one punch he will need to bring a victory to his team?
All these questions and more will be answered on this stacked GALLI Lucha Libre card which also includes Skayde VS Discovery for the NWA Mexico Welterweight Title. The Lucha Chicago Championship will also be on the line as Ripper defends his title against Bandolero. The Tag Team Titles will be at stake as Ovirload and Joshua Christian defend their straps against Jake Shining and Acid Jazz in what will be a lucha libre match for the ages. With still more matches including a Trios Match, expect Culminacion Final on March 10, exclusively on GFL.tv to tear the house down.
In Depth Interview with IZW Superstar Kevin Morgan
By Drew Archer
“I am the most powerful man in IZW.”
At 6’7”, 300 lb, Kevin Morgan stands atop the IZW locker room with no physical peer. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who can match his combination of size, strength and athleticism on the Independent scene. When you look at Morgan and watch him compete in the squared circle names like the Undertaker, Kane and the Big Show come to mind.
In a sport where timing is everything and the smallest detour can set your life on a completely different path, the stars were all aligned for Kevin Morgan to break into pro wrestling.
“I lucked out one day at lunch time. I had a routine as to where I would go for lunch. One day I broke that routine and went a different direction landing me right in front of where another promotion used to run in OKC [Oklahoma City]. There was a phone number on the front of the building so I decided to call it. I left a message on the answering machine and after 3 more messages I received a call back from that promotion’s owner,” Morgan remembered.
It was that seemingly inconsequential turn on the road that led to Morgan connecting with an Oklahoma wrestling superstar. “I was trained by a man who to me is a legend in the business. He was one of the first African American men to be allowed to compete in the Mid-South territory. His name is Tom Jones. The promoter said to meet him and Tom the following weekend to see if I had the ability to train. I guess that went good because I began training and after about 4 months I had my first match. That took place in May of 2007,” Morgan said.
Morgan’s quick ascension up the ranks from hopeful trainee to professional wrestler was in part due to Morgan’s uncanny athleticism for such a big man. Before breaking into wrestling, Morgan refined his dexterity and nimbleness on the hardwood. “I was always athletic. I played basketball in high school, college [Mid America Christian University and Northeastern State], and played semi-pro for one year. So with the mixture of being an athlete and being a huge wrestling fan naturally when the opportunity came along to train, I took it,” Morgan continued.
Wrestlers like Kevin Nash and the Big Show also played college basketball and with Morgan’s physical similarity to those two wrestling giants, who have won multiple world titles, he is determined to follow in their footsteps when it comes to reaching the pinnacle of the sport. “I absolutely want to make it to the level of the WWE. Anyone who is in this business and doesn’t want to be at the top of it, in my opinion, needs to get out. I work hard in this business and have never had anything handed to me,” Morgan remarked.
But Morgan brings more than just size to the ring. “I have been known my whole career up until recently as ‘The Awesome One’. When I was getting started in the business and traveling around the state, I was a different type of wrestler. I liked to do things that other guys my size were not doing like pressing a guy and throwing him in the ring from the outside or picking up 400-plus pound guys on my shoulders and walking around with them then dropping them with a move. Things like diving out of the ring over the top rope or flipping over the top rope onto people. When I was doing these things the crowds, no matter where I went, would chant ‘That was Awesome’. So before long I was dubbed ‘The Awesome One’.”
Because of Morgan’s brain for the sport to go along with his seemingly indestructible body, he has worn a lot of hats in the professional wrestling business, but for him nothing can hold a candle to performing in front of a raucous crowd. “Around a year ago, I was working with another organization and was asked to help with the booking for the show. It was new to me to be in that part of the business so I accepted the opportunity. Before long I was running every aspect of that promotion from booking to training. When it got to that point, I stopped having fun. I am always up for a challenge but that got ridiculous. So the only thing I could do to ensure I wouldn’t ‘lose my smile’ was to walk away. Like I said, I am very happy with just being a worker,” Morgan reiterated.
For the past several years, Morgan has been an integral part of IZW. As a former IZW World Heavyweight Champion, he is also viewed as a leader among his colleagues. “I think backstage I have earned the respect of every individual back there. I believe I am looked upon as one of the top guys. In the show, I am the true monster. I am the guy that when you hear my music hit, you know someone is going to get destroyed. You know there is going to be some high impact moves and hard hitting going on. Like me or hate me, I don’t really care. I don’t like anyone and just want to leave a path of destruction full of casualties along the way,” Morgan stated.
That attitude has helped Morgan achieve great heights during his career. One of the most unforgettable moments in Morgan’s IZW tenure was his rivalry with Big John O’Malley in 2010. “It wasn’t long after I broke in to IZW. I had gained a good following with the fans and he was not liked. He was the Heavyweight Champion at the time. He had something I wanted so I was going to take it. As part of the Future Hall of Famers, he had help. I stood alone. After months of using underhanded tactics to keep the belt, it finally came to a head in a No DQ Match. We beat each other from one end of the arena to the other. Finally, I was able to catch him with a spinebuster onto a steel chair and capture my first IZW World Heavyweight Championship. The fans that night were incredible. I will never forget how loud it was in there,” Morgan remembered.
Morgan has really thrived in the IZW environment and it’s no secret that he has helped push the company forward but to Morgan it’s a symbiotic relationship as IZW has furthered his career by leaps and bounds too. “IZW is by far and away the best promotion in the Mid-South Territory. Maybe even the entire United States. The talent level in IZW is capable of putting on the best matches around. Not only with good crisp moves, but they are able to tell a story with each match. The thing I would say that sets IZW apart from any of the other promotions is the fact that they care. They care about the way the brand is presented, what every fan thinks of it, and they care about the workers. I expect that in the years to come, IZW will become a household name to every wrestling fan out there.”
More recently, Morgan has been on a winning streak for the ages in IZW. He hasn’t been beaten in 25 consecutive weeks. And with every IZW show being broadcast worldwide on GFL.tv now, Morgan’s reign of terror can now be viewed on a global scale. A fact that isn’t lost on the big man.
“It is a huge deal! I mean come on, how many Independent promotions can say they were watched live in Germany!? Or that someone in New York was watching their show LIVE when said show is taking place in a small city in Southern Oklahoma?! Exposure is a big deal for any company. Not only for show purposes, but for the talent as well. I may have never gotten to be seen outside of the Mid-South territory without GFL and IZW. GFL is a great sight. They do an awesome job of helping promote and the stream of the show is always top notch. For IZW to have teamed up with GFL was, in my opinion, smart for both,” Morgan said.
Although his opponent for IZW’s next iPPV, March Mayhem, on March 17 has not been determined yet, Morgan is ready to continue his reign of terror. “Right now I don’t have an opponent for March Mayhem. But after the destruction I caused at Chaotic Christmas and the path of destruction I laid through Violent Valentine, there is no way Brandon Bishop cannot give me a match. Sure, everyone in the locker room is afraid to step in the ring with me. Who can blame them right? I haven’t lost a match since I don’t remember when. Impressive I know! But it seems I am not getting the respect I deserve. So no matter who gets in the ring with me, they will be left lying as another casualty of war!”
To learn more about Kevin Morgan you can follow him on twitter @KevinMorgan50, or find him on Facebook by searching “Kevin Morgan”.
Interview with IZW Impact Division Champion “Lights Out” Jordan Jacobs
By Drew Archer
“I want to be in your head well after you leave the arena or turn off the monitor.”
“Lights Out” Jordan Jacobs is a wrestler that has all of the tools to make it big in this business: athletically gifted, an electric presence in the ring, solid mic skills, and a great look. For the local fans of Impact Zone Wrestling (IZW) based in Lawton, Oklahoma, Jacobs has been on their radar and viewed as an up and coming talent since his career began just two short years ago. Now with IZW’s global reach and penetration into every pro wrestling market on the map thanks to a broadcast partnership with Internet streaming giant, GFL.tv, the world is going find out what the fans in Oklahoma already know, Jordan Jacobs is the next big thing and for the current Impact Division Champion, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Watching Jacobs wrestle, it becomes obvious very early in his matches that he has solid fundamentals and is a grappling wizard. His matches are always highlight reels and fans always get their monies worth when watching him compete. Jacobs’ success inside of the ring is another feather in the cap for one of the toughest pro wrestling academies in the country to graduate from. In fact, the graduate list reads like a dean’s list of wrestling.
“I trained at IZW’s Impact Academy. I’m one of only three graduates, along with Randy Price and IZW Heavyweight Champion Jermaine Johnson. Consequently, Jermaine Johnson trained me along with some training by Johnny Z. I spent quite a while traveling with them both, even before I made my debut in the beginning of 2010…learning and paying dues. The Impact Academy was intense, but it made me always want to bring my A-game, no matter what. All day, every day, as I like to say,” Jacobs reflected.
Part of paying your dues in the wrestling business is molding your body and mind to be as one and presenting the best physical product to the audience. Jacobs takes this part seriously and is constantly training to improve his game, look and unique style in the squared circle.
“I hit the gym as often as possible. Lift and run as hard and as much as I can. Being in ring shape takes dedication and strength, but ring shape isn’t enough for me. I’m a perfectionist. Whether it’s in the gym or in the ring, I want to leave everything that I have there by the time that I’m done. There is never a ‘good enough’ for me. I get better every day…and that is why my opponents should fear me. You don’t face the same Jordan Jacobs twice,” Jacobs said.
Whether you’re wrestling for the global WWE in front of 30,000 fans, or for a small local organization in a banquet hall in front of 20 people, the injuries take their toll on the athletes just the same and for wrestlers cutting their teeth on the Independent scene, the bumps and bruises don’t come with a seven figure payoff to help ease the pain. Wrestlers like Jacobs and his contemporaries in IZW are cut from an old school cloth and to them it’s all worth it.
“Between the travel and the training and the overall preparation, fans have no idea how much of our time we spend on being wrestlers. It’s an everyday thing. But what really stands out to me that fans probably don’t understand, is the consistency of the injuries. We work through them, too. A few months after my debut, I went for a dive and broke my hip on the concrete floor. I stood up and finished that match. Most of us have injuries we’re working through. You either toughen up or you find something easier. There’s no middle ground. You’ve got to love it,” Jacobs continued.
Jacobs love for the business started at an early age and also began as a family affair, something “Lights Out” remembers fondly. “When I was pretty young, I watched my first wrestling show and I was hooked. My father was there and since he grew up in the South, he was happy that I was into wrestling and I watched it with him often. He was in the military but I continued to watch it when he was gone. It had me from there. A few years ago, it got to the point that I just had to give wrestling a shot. I couldn’t resist it anymore. It’s both sport and art form to me.”
Like most wrestlers today, Jacobs looks at the WWE as both a challenge and a dream, but he also has his eyes set on wrestling across the Pacific that caters to a more athletic style, in the Land of the Rising Sun. “I’d love to make it to WWE someday, but I have such a deep respect for Japan as well. I’ve taken a lot of influence from Japanese wrestlers. Wrestling there is a dream of mine, and wrestling full-time is kind of the ultimate dream. I love what I do, but I see so many guys that get complacent, easy to please. I want to perform as often and to as many people as possible. I’m a born performer…always have been.”
But for now, Jacobs has his hands full in IZW.
“IZW is full of tough competition. I’ve never had an easy match there. But the one thing that stands out to me isn’t necessarily a feud, but more of a battle. That battle is Jordan Jacobs versus every other person in the Impact Arena. Every wrestler, every fan. And the battle is for respect. Whether you like me or not, I WILL gain your respect. I do not quit, I will not die. If you don’t believe in me, you will when I’m done with you. My rise has only just begun.”
It’s this mindset that has propelled Jacobs’ into the spotlight this year. His career has been on an upswing in 2012 as evidenced by his previous victory at Violent Valentine earlier this month when he defeated Rage Logan and Double D in a Triple Threat Match to win the Impact Division Championship, a career defining moment in the life of the newly crowned champ.
“As I revealed recently, I was the Man in the Dark the entire time. Double D and I were friends for a long time, but something clicked in my head one day. All those fans, all the love that he was shown constantly, he never earned that. He showed up with his girlfriend [Erica] one day and it made everyone feel good, such a nice little story. I realized that I wanted to end that nice story. I began that by pinning Double D to become the Impact Division Champion, and he won’t be getting it back. He can be this clean, spotless fan favorite all he wants, but I’m a vicious son of a bitch. I became the Man in the Dark to drag Double D out of the spotlight and into the darkness. I’m going to turn his lights out and he will never be the same again,” Jacobs promised.
For pro wrestling fans worldwide, you will get to see the Jordan Jacobs versus Double D feud continue as IZW presents a minimum of two hours of new television programming every Saturday night on GFL.tv. Their weekly free show is anchored by a monthly iPPV which last 3+ hours. The next IZW iPPV is March Mayhem on March 17.
“The partnership between GFL.tv and IZW opens up all kinds of possibilities. We’ve already received feedback from fans all over the world and with the quality of our show, that’s just going to continue to build and hopefully expand even farther. IZW is head and shoulders above any other promotion that I’ve been involved in. It’s where I truly came into myself as Jordan Jacobs. When someone watches an IZW show, they know that we’re giving it all we’ve got. And with all the heart and determination found in this company, the future has no limits. IZW will continue to make people take notice,” Jacobs concluded.
To find out more about Jordan Jacobs visit him on twitter at twitter.com/jordanaconda and watch him every Saturday night on Impact Zone Wrestling exclusively on GFL.tv.
SHOWDOWN FIGHTS “BREAKOUT” Live IPPV on GFL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: press@gfl.tv
February 22, 2012
SHOWDOWN FIGHTS “BREAKOUT” Live IPPV on GFL
Can’t make it to the fight, WATCH IT LIVE!
Orem, UT (USA) – Go Fight Live (www.GFL.tv) will stream, Internet Pay-Per-View Live from the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Showdown Fights presents “Breakout” February 24, 2012 at 6:30pm MT/ 8:30pm PT. Josh “The People’s Warrior” Burkman (21-9) takes on Utah’s rising star, Koffi “The Lion King” Adzitso (17-8). The crafty UFC veteran Burkman has refocused on his career since his marriage late in 2011, and looks to return to his winning ways against Adzitso. As one of the most athletic fighters to set foot into the Showdown Fights cage Burkman will surely be tested by the young upstart Koffi whom he used to coach in High School Football. “This kid is not ready for my level of fighting; he has never faced an athlete like me!” Burkman stated.
Koffi Adzitso moved to the United States from Togo in Africa as an early teen. One of nine kids, and the only one in his family involved in athletics, he looks to make his family’s name famous through Mixed Martial Arts. Koffi posted recent wins over UFC Veteran, Kevin Burns and shares a win with Burkman over Brandon “The Murderer” Melendez. “I don’t care who he is, or where he has fought before, if he stands in my way I will beat him, BADLY!”, Adzitso lamented.
Go Fight Live’s new “Free View – Try It” feature will allow fans to watch the first 15 minutes of the event free of charge, before making a decision to purchase the Internet Pay-Per-View event. A one-time credit card payment will allow purchasers to watch the event both live as well as after its completion.
Also featured on this stacked card Sandy, Utah’s own Sean “The Real OC” O’Connell (10-4) returns to action against the always-tough Trevor Carlson (6-1) from Elko, NV. Jordan “Maximus” Clements (9-1) takes on Jeremy Horn protégé Dave Castillo (13-4) in a lightweight battle that could easily be a main event. Former BYU Football star Jan “The Saint” Jorgensen (1-0) looks to stay unbeaten in the Showdown Fights cage when he takes on Aaron Magro (2-0) in his toughest test to date. Steven “Razor” Sharp (27-14) looks to cut through the ever-strong Mario “El Gato” Espinoza (15-7) in what will be an all out war. In a battle of unbeaten fighters Ohio’s own Tim Ruberg (9-0) face off with Utah’s undefeated rising star Jason South (8-0) in a bout that may catapult the winner to the next level.
To make our fights more accessible, Showdown Fights will offer ticket prices starting at $20.00 for general admission. Upper tickets will be $30, lower seating will be $40.00, table seating will be $100.00, and ringside tables will be $150.00. Tickets and tables are available by calling Amber Lee 866-788-9195 or at SMITHSTIX.COM.
Additionally, Showdown Fights is proud to continue the strategic relationship with GoFightLive.tv “BREAKOUT” will be available live on the GFL.tv network the night of the event and On Demand starting the following day. GFL now offers full access to over 6,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99.
For YouTube.com Video’s check out: http://youtu.be/WJlTeGS7D_M
***Showdown Fights
we are pleased to put on quality and entertaining fights while delivering an experience that is exciting and fan friendly. For more information about upcoming shows and dates log onto showdownfights.com.
***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1200 live events with over 6000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.
If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network
Join us at: www.GFL.tv or twitter.com/GFL or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv
Walt “Big Ticket” Harris & Champions Freestyle Fight Team
It was the nasty hook heard around the world that put Anthony Hamilton to the ground. In 1:15 seconds into Round 1 at Superior Cage Combat 4 in Las Vegas on Feb. 16 the light at the end of the tunnel for “The Freight Train” was “Big Ticket”. Lights out to be exact.
The matchup– Anthony Hamilton – the rising star that is an 8:0 undefeated pro heavyweight from the world famous Jackson gym. Greg Jackson is a mixed martial arts trainer, who operates the Jackson’s MMA training camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jackson has trained many successful fighters, including current UFC welterweight champion Georges St.-Pierre and UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Sherdog.com reports that Jackson’s camp has a win percentage of 81%. Jackson has recently been reported in the news as being the corner man to Jon Jones at UFC 145. Greg Jackson has won 3 World MMA Awards. He won “Best Coach” and “Best Gym” in 2009 as well as “Coach of the Year” in 2010. Escorting Hamilton to the octagon was former UFC veteran Keith Jardine. In 2011, Jardine signed a deal with Strikeforce. He holds notable victories over the likes of Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin. Pretty intimidating statistics.
His opponent was Walt “Big Ticket” Harris – a 3:1 pro MMA heavyweight from a tiny little gym located in Birmingham, Alabama. As an amateur, Walt had a 23:1 record. Escorting Walt to the octagon were his coaches – Coach Jon Dye and Coach Al Price of Champions Freestyle Fight Team. It was all over in less than 75 seconds. By way of KO – the victor Walt Harris.
How does a tiny little gym in Alabama rise to the same level of professional athletic competition as a world famous gym? How does a fighter go from small town Alabama to knocking out an undefeated Greg Jackson fighter?
By putting in a lot of hard work and time, and hard work, and dedication and did I mention hard work. There is no secret formula to success. It all boils down to coaching, training, preparation and according to Coach Dye “God’s gift of amazing athletic abilities”. All of which played a key role in Walt’s success. Other factors include studying fight footage of Hamiltons’ and identifying his weaknesses. Coach Dye studied video after video and analyzed his technique and realized that when Hamilton got fighters to the ground he would allow enough space to dig an underhook. According to Coach Dye “we worked on digging that underhook and getting back to our feet.” Getting back to his feet included having his teammates hold him down while Walt learned how to get back to his feet. One of his teammates; a former Linebacker from 2009 National Championship Alabama Crimson Tide, Eryk Anders. “I also noticed Hamilton threw a weak jab. I knew Walt was fast enough and good enough to pull it off and everything we worked on happened perfectly. Anthony jabbed and Walt threw it over the top just like we worked on”. Walt remembers hearing Coach Dye yell at him to watch the kicks and let his hands go. He did. A few seconds later Hamilton was down and out. Awarding Harris the “KO of the Night”.
While in Vegas, Walt and his coaches were at Randy Couture’s gym watching their pro’s practice. Coach Dye remembers thinking that as much talent as they have at that gym that he has just as much talent at his own gym in Birmingham. “I want every fighter to know that you don’t have to come from a Couture or Jackson gym to be a top fighter. No one from Alabama has ever knocked out an undefeated Jackson fighter until now and it’s a good feeling. The best feeling in the world is to take a guy that didn’t know how to fight and in 3 years time take him to Vegas and have him knock out a guy from one of the big name gyms. I told Walt what to do to win and it worked.” Just last year Walt signed with First Round Management, based in Miami, FL. His sponsors are Lemak Sports Medicine, Gamma Labs, Full Contact Fighter, Elite Nutrition, Dreammakers Inc, and Combat Corner.
What is next on the agenda for Walt and Champions Freestyle Fight Team? Walt’s next fight will be announced shortly. The Team – Coach Dye has some amazing athletes at his tiny gym including, Corey Jones, Fred Weaver, Adrian Miles, Tyler Sly, Kyle Causey, Cole Mason and Eryk Anders. His team will be fighting this Friday, Feb. 24 in Biloxi, MS for Kage Wars 5 and Sat. Feb 25 in Jackson, MS for Beatdown in Jacktown. For more information on Champions Freestyle MMA contact Jon Dye at (205) 410-2698.
IZW February 18 Review on GFL.tv
Filed under: Past Events, Press Release, Wrestling News
By Drew Archer
IZW presented another show for free with its ongoing television series on GFL.tv this past Saturday night, February 18, which can be viewed online here – http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Wrestling/Impact_Zone_Wrestling_Feb_18_2012/1380. Coming off of Violent Valentine and heading into March Mayhem on March 17, IZW continues to throw down the gauntlet for great in ring action and feuds that have lit the Oklahoma territory and surrounding areas on fire.
The evening started with IZW Heavyweight Champion Jermaine Johnson and Aaron Neil face to face in the ring. Both men agreed to do it “one more time” and the IZW Heavyweight Title will be on the line again at March Mayhem on March 17 as the top two wrestlers in the organization square off for the most coveted title in the region. Kevin Morgan came out to confront both Johnson and Neil as he was unimpressed with the “lovefest” that was going on in front of him. Morgan was ready to take on BOTH Johnson and Neil at the same time, until Shawn McHale and IZW Impact Division Champion Jordan Jacobs came out to the ring to slow things down. McHale was made de facto commish by IZW Commissioner Brandon Bishop earlier in the day, and as such he made a match between Morgan and Johnson for later in the evening. He also made a match with Neil versus Jacobs that kicked off the matches for the night.
Aaron Neil defeated Jordan Jacobs in a war of attrition in a non-title bout. After some fast paced wrestling, Jacobs went up to the top rope to land a cross body, but Neil ducked the move and then executed a perfect Real Drill that left Jacobs motionless and gave Neil the pinfall. It was a strong win for the 5-time IZW Heavyweight Champion against the current Impact Division Champion and gives Neil some momentum going into the next iPPV where he will face Jermaine Johnson for what could be the final time.
Next up, Erica defeated Kyra Maya who was accompanied by Bobby Starr. Erica proved again that she is the dominant female wrestler in IZW and the Lady of Impact, with a solid victory over her arch nemesis, Starr’s right hand women. Maya is a powerhouse and delivers the most devastating slams in the women’s division, but Erica used speed and guile to defeat Maya and her crony Bobby Starr.
Kevin Morgan defeated IZW Heavyweight Champion Jermaine Johnson by disqualification. Johnson retains the title as he was not pinned or submitted. The current Champion got everything thrown at him but the kitchen sink by Morgan who was hell bent on proving that he belongs in the title discussion. Both men brawled in and out of the ring with the end coming when Morgan brought in the heavyweight title belt and tried to hit Johnson with it. Johnson ducked out of the way and grabbed the belt himself and leveled Morgan with it getting the automatic disqualification call from the referee. Johnson didn’t stop there as he hit Morgan once more with the belt and then went for the move a third time only to be press slammed down hard by Morgan. Turnabout is fair play as Morgan gave Johnson another slam. When it looked like Morgan would inflict more damage on Johnson’s lifeless body, Aaron Neil raced to the ring with a chair to stop further devastation.
In the co-main event of the evening, Double D defeated Eric Rose. Double D was still stinging from the outcome of his Triple Threat Match at Violent Valentine when it was revealed that Jordan Jacobs was the Man in the Dark who had been making D’s life a living hell. Double D took out his frustrations on Eric Rose who jumped in with the Jordan Jacobs, Shawn McHale and Brandon Bishop faction, and the two proceeded to have a terrific match. Double D and Rose are two of the most physically gifted wrestlers in the game and each man pushed the other to even greater risks and heights in this bout. The end came when McHale tried to insert himself into the match by holding Double D. Rose lined up for a superkick, but Double D ducked and the kick landed perfectly on McHale. Double D took the opportunity to execute a defacer on Rose and got the pinfall victory and inched one step closer to facing Jordan Jacobs in the future.
In the final bout of the night, Nemesis (Rage Logan and Damien Morte) defeated a re-vamped version of the Old School Suckas (Gary Tool and Randy Price) for the IZW Tag Team Titles in a heated bout that left the crowd silent. This is the second title Logan has picked up in about a month (he lost the Impact Division Title to Jordan Jacobs at Violent Valentine in a Triple Threat Match where he was not even pinned) and also the second time Nemesis has worn championship gold in the tag team division. It was a brave effort by Tool and Price but the new blood of IZW was too much for the cagey vets to overcome on this night. It was a back and forth affair until the end. The finish came when Morte spit mist into the face of Tool, temporarily stunning and disorienting him. Morte then leveraged Tool into a neckbreaker position and Logan came off the top rope landing a perfect body splash onto Tool. But the neckbreaker/top rope splash wasn’t enough for Nemesis. They did a double pin on the fallen Tool and got the 1-2-3 victory and became the new IZW Tag Team Champions. Fans might not like Nemesis’ approach, but you have to give the devils their due. They are a great tag team and they proved it in this match taking out two great wrestlers in Tool and Price. Expect a long title run from Nemesis as they look like they are just getting started.
ESPN News- Pacquiao condemns critics' anti-gay allegations May 16, 2012Manny Pacquiao says he loves and supports gays and lesbians, even though he does not approve of gay marriage. […]Associated Press
- Pacquiao condemns critics' anti-gay allegations May 16, 2012Manny Pacquiao says he loves and supports gays and lesbians, even though he does not approve of gay marriage. […]Associated Press
- Lemieux's comeback trail to start with Zepeda May 16, 2012Montreal middleweight David Lemieux will return to the ring in a scheduled eight-rounder on a June 8 undercard at the Bell Centre in Montreal against Jaudiel Zepeda. […]Dan Rafael
- U.S. female boxer Esparza qualifies for London May 16, 2012Flyweight Marlen Esparza has become the first American female boxer to qualify for the London Olympics. […]Associated Press
- Peterson to present case, asks for Nev. license May 15, 2012Junior welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson will seek a Nevada boxing license despite his admission that he took a banned substance, which forced the cancellation of his rematch with Amir Khan. […]Dan Rafael
- Taylor qualifies for women's boxing at Games May 15, 2012Three-time world champion Katie Taylor of Ireland qualified for the London Olympics women's boxing, defeating Saida Khassenova of Kazakhstan 20-8 in the 132-pound class at the world championships on Tuesday. […]Associated Press
- Peterson fallout spurs Golden Boy to shift card May 15, 2012Golden Boy Promotions said Monday it has decided against putting on a June 30 Showtime card in Washington, D.C., because of the continuing fallout from the Lamont Peterson failed drug test. […]Dan Rafael
- Boxer Casal recovering after being attacked May 14, 2012The father of light welterweight boxer Nick Casal considers his son lucky to be alive after sustaining several deep cuts to his head in an attack last weekend. […]Associated Press
- Margarito forced to postpone fight due to injury May 14, 2012An Achilles injury has forced former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito to postpone a return to the ring that had been planned for May 26 in Tucson, Ariz. […]Dan Rafael
- USA Boxing sending nine to compete in London May 12, 2012Six more American boxers have qualified for the Olympics with winning performances at a qualifying tournament in Brazil, allowing USA Boxing to send an impressive nine fighters to the London Games. […]Associated Press
- Pacquiao condemns critics' anti-gay allegations May 16, 2012
