Written by: Lance Findley

Darren Elkins (11-1)  vs  Charles Oliveira (12-0)

Oliveira has multiple wins in one-day tournaments against some experienced and game opponents, top that with only one of his 12 wins going to the judges and we’re sure to see a top performer in this fight.  Not to take away from Elkins, but most of his opponents have had bad records.  Anything can happen, right?

Oliveira to win by submission.

Rob Kimmons (22-5)  vs  Steve Steinbeiss (4-3)

Both fighters are coming off about a year’s break.  Steinbeiss is looking to avenge his two losses in the Zuffa organization, but Rob Kimmons may have something to say about that.  He has a load of fights and it honestly looks like they are throwing him a toy to better his record.

Kimmons to win by submission.

Brian Stann (8-3)  vs  Mike Massenzio (11-3)

Stann and Massenzio are both solid fighters with decent records against tough opponents.  Both are going to bring it.  After being absent from the Octagon for a year and a half, can Massenzio wrap up and tap this decorated Marine before getting TKO’d?  Let’s see if he learned anything from the Dolloway fight.

Stann to win by TKO(punches).

Thiago Tavares (14-3-1)  vs  Willamy Freire (17-3)

In this Brazilian vs. Brazilian, UFC veteran vs. UFC debut, Freire is trying for his third win of the year.  Tavares, an excellent competitor and a long time UFC veteran, could trample the newcomer, earning him another win after a disappointing draw.

Tavares to win by submission.

James Irvin (14-6)  vs  Igor Pokrajac (21-7)

Both fighters are coming off of double losses.  They both have a wealth of experience to pull from so we could get to see two guys fighting hard to keep their jobs!  Irvin took almost a 2 year break before his latest loss, maybe rust is setting in?

Pokrajac to win by TKO(punches).

Paul Kelly (10-2)  vs  Jacob Volkmann (10-2)

With even records of 10-2, it seems this could be a good fight.  Jacob Volkmann has had much tougher opponents than Paul, who has shown promise amongst veterans of the sport in the UK.

Volkman to win by submission.

DaMarques Johnson (11-7)  vs  Matt Riddle (4-1)

Damarques likes to finish his fights but he does have some chinks in his armor.  If Riddle can’t last the whole fight this time, his inexperience could prove fatal.

Damarques to win by submission, maybe another triangle.

Takanori Gomi (31-6)  vs  Tyson Griffin (14-3)

Gomi is coming off a tough loss to Kenny Florian in his UFC debut and will have his hands full with Griffin.  Tyson is coming off a tough decision loss to teammate Evan Dunham less than a month ago.  Let’s see if “The Fireball Kid” can rekindle what some say is now just smoke, and pull out a win over Griffin.

Gomi to win by decision.

Jake Ellenberger (22-5)  vs  John Howard (14-4)

This one promises to be a brawl!  Both men have plenty of experience.  Ellenberger has a solid foundation in wrestling and some heavy hands, but he needs to look out for Howard’s speedy sledgehammers coming from all angles.  This could go either way.

Howard wins by KO.

Yushin Okami (24-5) vs Mark Munoz (8-1)

This should be a good fight, both are excellent grapplers but I think Mark Munoz’s hands will win this for him.  Okami has technically beaten some of the best in the business, has a ton of experience, and can pull out a win at anytime.  Munoz looks hungry; this one comes down to who wants it more.

Munoz to win by TKO(punches)

Jon “Bones” Jones (10-1) vs Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko (24-4)

With a solid and active wrestling game mixed with a reach that allows him the luxury of being a little bit wild, Jon “Bones” Jones has become one of the UFC’s more exciting fighters.  “The Janitor”, however, has a wealth of experience against some of the toughest fighters in the business.  The judges seem to love Vladimir and he has shown an incredible ability to avoid the takedown and to control the ground.  If Jones can beat through Matyushenko’s iron chin, he has a strong chance.  It will be interesting to see how Matyushenko can get around Jones’ reach and avoid his insane take-downs.  There is no doubt Jones could be meeting his stiffest competition yet, and may not have to lose this one on his own.

Matyushenko will win by decision if he can establish control early and nullify Jones’ reach.

Our experts are back to provide you with more insight on the upcoming LFC fights on July 31st.  After many request, we are now having them pick ALL of the fights.

Do you agree with them or do you think they are crazy?  Either way, let ‘em know!  When you’re done reading all the pics, feel free to leave your own picks and comments below and let our experts and Houston know who you think is going to win and why.

Meet the experts

Mike Calimbas (mopthemats.com) – (9-9-0) Mike Calimbas is an MMA Writer, devotee, and fan that has been a part of the Mixed Martial Arts community for over fifteen years. He has served as a ring official & timekeeper for amateur MMA in numerous local events in Texas with the USACA/Lonestar Beatdown. Mike has also written and provided analysis on the topic of MMA & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for various online publications, including FightLine, Ploomy, and MoptheMats.com. Mike has been training BJJ, etc. on-and-off for the past six years. Off the mats, he spends most of his time with his family, including his baby son, Nicholas and girlfriend, Megan. For more on Mike, check him out on http://twitter.com/mikecalimbas.

Justin Trapp (fighterportraits.com) – (10-8-0) Justin Trapp is a photographer, designer and one of the premier marketing minds in the MMA industry. He manages the branding and marketing for mma companies, fighters and gyms. He has been a loyal fan of the sport since its inception and works to educate the biased. To see some of his work visit his website, fighterportraits.com.

Richard Burmaster (thecagedoor.net) – (8-10-0) Richard Burmaster is co-owner of (and a writer for) thecagedoor.net. He has been active in the MMA scene for close to 8 years and has trained in MMA for the last 5 years. His job keeps him on the go across the United States, and thus has afforded him the opportunity to train in many of the top gyms across the nation. From Army combatives to the Militech Fighting Systems, he has been able to try out many of the martial arts from coast to coast. When Richard is not working on his full time job, training in MMA or working on thecagedoor.net, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son.

	Ike Villanueva	Name	Artenas Young
	Hurricane	Nickname	The Machine Gun
	#2	TCD rank	#6
	205	Weight	205
	3-3-0	Record	2-1-0
	Rocky Long MMA	Gym	Hoger MMA
	Mike	Picks	Justin, Rich

Mike: In this fight, we have one fighter in Young who is being promoted as one of the most explosive counter-punchers in the Houston MMA Scene. On the other side of the cage, he will face Ike Villanueva, a fighter known for packing some offensive power of his own in his hands. One would likely conclude that this bout will result in a knockout either way. I still think that’s the case but I also look for Artenas to try to catch Ike in the area he is likely at his weakest, on the ground. Will Artenas be able to take Villanueva down without getting caught? If he does, I look for him to grind out a win via multiple takedowns. But my gut also tells me that Ike’s power is not to be discounted. I think he just might catch MGY coming in.  Prediction: Ike Villanueva via knockout.

Justin: Dont Blink…..Ike is aggressive and has Knockout power but so does Artenas.  Machine Gun is a counter puncher so we will see if Ike goes right at him or tries to get Artenas to engage first.  Overall, i think Artenas has a better overall game so I think he will end up on top but with those small gloves on anything can happen anytime.  (Young TKO Rd2).  Prediction: Young, TKO Rd 2

Rich: This fight will be decided by Ike.  If he can stay back and avoid rushing in, he stands a very good chance of ending Artenas’s night quickly. However, if he rushes in, he risks running into a flurry of punches that will end his night. Do not be surprised to see Artenas look for the takedown to frustrate Ike and with his superior ground game. Artenas would be very smart to stay off the feet and nullify the power of Ike. Prediction: Artenas Young via TKO

	Craig Gardner	Name	Jeff Rexroad
		Nickname	The Executioner
	NR (Pro Debut)	TCD rank	#7
	170	Weight	170
	0-0-0	Record	1-0-0
	Westside MMA	Gym	Paradigm
	Justin	Picks	Mike, Rich

Mike: These two up-and-coming fighters get a chance to settle the score definitively after their last bout ended in a draw. These guys are both such well-rounded, smart, fighters that this bout could end up being a battle of attrition until someone makes a critical mistake. I’m sure both fighters have prepared well and will be a load to handle in all aspects of the game. Truly hard to pick a winner.  Prediction: I think this could go either way but I’lll have to go with Jeff Rexroad via submission.

Justin: Jeff looked really good in his fight vs Danny Taylor but I really think Craig’s overall game is very solid so I’m going with Gardner in this one. give the decision to Gardner (UD).  Prediction: Gardner via Unanmous Decision

Rich: Craig is coming off of a disappointing loss in his last ammy fight and with the recent changes at Westside, he may not be in his usual state of mind for this fight. Jeff will have his hands full but should be able to pull this one out.  This will be the closest fight of the night and I will be happy to see either guy get their hand raised at the end. Prediction: Jeff Rexroad via Decision.

	Daniel Pineda	Name	Rey Trujillo
	The Pit	Nickname	The Truth
	#4 (@145)	TCD rank	#1 (@155)
	145	Weight	155
	11-7-0	Record	7-1-0
	4oz Fight Club	Gym
	Mike, Rich	Picks	Justin

Mike: They often say styles make fights. If that adage holds true, this bout between Trujillo and Pineda is certain to be an early favorite for fight of the night honors. Trujillo is relentless and often fights like a Tazmanian Devil with a motor that never stops. Pineda is known to have an extremely fast shot and enough power in his hands to keep it honest. I say the ex-factor in this fight goes to whoever is able to dictate where the action takes place. Will Trujillo be able to stop the barrage of takedown attempts that Pineda is bound to come in with? Ray normally overwhelms his opponents with his relentless pace on the feet but I think Pineda nullifies that with his wrestling and positioning.  Prediction: Daniel Pineda via unanimous decision.

Justin: Ray is a monster at 155 and now he is dropping to 145.  I think Daniel has his hands full unless the cut really affects Ray.  Ultimately I see Ray winning.  Prediction: Trujillo, KO Rd 2

Rich: This match-up has the potential to outshine the Rivera/ Trujillo fight that set the Houston scene on fire. Rey has the striking ability to overwhelm almost any opponent who stands in front of him. His iron chin was put on display against Rivera and no one has been able to beat him yet. Pineda is the type of fighter that causes nightmares for his opponents.  He’s almost impossible to hurt and hard to control, plus he can end anyone’s night very quickly. This fight will be a battle of who can impose their will. If Daniel can get the fight to the ground he has a great chance of being the first person to beat Rey. On the flip side if Rey can keep the fight standing, he has the ability to overwhelm Daniel with a barrage of strikes unlike anyone else can bring. This fight was the hardest for me to pick out of all of the fights. I am a fan of the underdog and I think many believe Daniel to be the underdog here. If Daniel can’t stop Rey, then I’m not sure if anyone around will be able to. Prediction: Daniel Pineda via TKO

	Brian Melancon	Name	Todd Moore
		Nickname	The Maniac
	#3	TCD rank	NR (Houston Debut)
	155	Weight	155
	3-1-0	Record	11-3-0
	Paradigm	Gym	Gracie Barra The Woodlands
		Picks	Mike, Justin, Rich

Mike: Todd Moore certainly walks into this fight as the definitive favorite due to his lengthy 11-3 record over stiff competition internationally. Sporting a BJJ brown belt in addition to a solid striking arsenal, Moore would be a lot to handle in every aspect of the fight game. At 3-1 and coming off a loss against Adam Schindler at Bellator, Melancon is looking to right the ship and pick up this momentum-shifting win against his much more experienced adversary. I see Brian as an extremely hard-workiing grinder with strong wrestling and ground and pound. He’ll make a fight out of this one and won’t be finished but I just don’t see him controlling where this fight takes place enough to get the victory..  Prediction: Todd Moore via unanimous decision.

Justin: I have seen Brian in the gym training with the Metro guys and he looked very good, but I really think Todd’s style of breaking guys down will eventually get the best of Brian.  Prediction: Moore via TKO, Rd 3

Rich: This will be the biggest test in the young career of Melancon.  Todd Moore is a handful for anyone at 155lbs and with his experience he rarely seems rattled. Big question here will be if Todd can handle the punching power of what may be his strongest opponent to date. Brian will have a long successful career but if he cannot land the big shot early, I think Todd will drag him into deep waters where it will be hard for him to swim with Moore.  Prediction: Todd Moore via TKO

Quick Picks

Want to see who our forum members are picking? Click here to find out.

Looking for tickets? Head on over to http://www.legacyfightingchampionship.com/

On Saturday July 24, the Houston MMA community once again came together to help out one of our own.  Big Boy Sports and B3 Sports teamed up to help raise money for local fighter John Malbrough’s mother, who is in need of heart surgery.  The weather was perfect and the turnout was amazing.  In just 4 short hours, the event raised $1000 to put towards Mrs. Malbrough’s surgery.  Fighters from all over the city made the trip out to show their support, some coming from as far as College Station.  Gym represent included 4oz fight club, Gracie Barra North Houston, McCall’s, Kingwood MMA, United Kombat Academy and Windy Sport and Fitness.  Even Legacy’s own Mick Maynard made the trip out to show his support.

“Having all the guys in the community there to back me was awesome.  I definitely felt the love.  It’s great to know that people who don’t even know me can come out and help make a difference,” John said of the support he and his family received.

He added, ” I learned something from this this whole situation with my mom, that there are truly great people in this world.”

As for an update on his mom, “We almost have the money to get her surgery done.  She is still pretty much the same right now.  She’s really not supposed to do too much, but she walked to the end of the driveway the other day and was completely out of breath.  My hope is that after this surgery, everything will be back to normal with her.”

Finally, John had a few words to say to the Houston MMA community.

“I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the help and for coming together for me.  It will never be forgotten. I want to thank you guys at TheCageDoor.net, Adam Villareal on In The Cage, Big Rob (my manager with Big Boy Sports), Ragan McDaniel of B3 Sports, all of the guys from all the gyms that came out to help and show support and the good folks at Tailgaters.  I love all of you guys!”

Enjoy the pics!

Preview by: Richard Burmaster

Brian Melancon and Todd Moore will meet up in one of the most anticipated lightweight matches ever in Houston MMA. Todd has fought on some of the biggest stages across the globe and has even matched up with Shinya Aoki one of the top lightweights in the world. Brian is a huge 155lber with power very few can match. Can Brian’s power overcome Todd’s experience? Lets break it down.

	Brian Melancon	Name	Todd Moore
		Nickname	The Maniac
	5′8″	Height	5′9″
	155	Weight	155
	3-1-0	Record	12-3-0
	Paradigm	Gym	Gracie Barra The Woodlands
	Vs

Adam Schindler (L – Dec.) Jarret Jones (W – TKO) Kenneth Battle (W – Sub (punches))	Last Three Fights			Derrick Krants(W – TKO) Rocky Johnson (W – Dec.) Shinya Aoki (L – Sub.)
	POWER: Todd has good power but relies more on his technique than just power. Brian maybe the strongest 155lber in Houston and very few anywhere have his power in his weight class.
	SPEED: Todd has above average speed and seems to be just as fast in the later rounds as he is in the first. Brian is not a slow 155lber by any means but he will be a step behind the speed of Moore.
DRAW	WRESTLING: Brian has worked his wrestling with the guys at Paradigm even before coming there full time and is no slouch in that department.  Todd may be the better technical wrestler but he may have a hard time with the strength of Brian			DRAW
DRAW	CLINCH: Todd is great in the clinch and finds ways to punish his opponents continuously from this position.  Brians great strength makes it hard for many to clinch with him, while not as technical here as Todd he will not get pushed around.			DRAW
	GROUND: Todd is a brown belt under Chad Robichaux and likes to get into top position and land bombs from above. Brian is lethal when in top position but may not be as effective as Moore can be from his back.
	CARDIO: Brian has only been to decision once and he had a hard time making the weight limit for that fight. Moore has been to decision seven times and rarely seems winded in the fight. Moore’s pace is hard for many to keep up with and his cardio allows him to push others to the brink.
	WINNER: Todd Moore via TKO
SUMMARY: This will be the biggest test in the young career of Melancon.  Todd Moore is a handful for anyone at 155lbs and with his experience he rarely seems rattled. Big question here will be if Todd can handle the punching power of what may be his strongest opponent to date. Brian will have a long successful career but if he cannot land the big shot early, I think Todd will drag him into deep waters where it will be hard for him to swim with Moore.

Preview by: Richard Burmaster

On any other card this fight would be the main event. Two of the best fighters in Houston matching up for the Legacy 145 title on the most anticipated fight card in recent memory. Will Trujillo’s striking be able to overwhelm the wrestling of Pineda? Let’s break it down.

Chas Skelly (L – Sub.) James King (W – TKO) Douglas Frey (W – Sub)	Last Three Fights			Jesus Rivera (W – U. Dec) Lane Yarbrough (W – TKO) Shah Bobonis (W- S. Dec.)
DRAW	POWER: Rey should be the bigger fighter in this fight and has shown big punching power in all of his fights. Daniel has big pop on the ground and might have a physical power edge.			DRAW
	SPEED: No one starts a fight quite like Trujillo. His blazing speed and unorthodox striking style makes his speed even more of a problem for his opponents. Pineda has shown above average speed but might be a step behind Rey in this department.
	WRESTLING: Rey trains out of one of the best wrestling schools in the state in Paradigm but he will have a hard time stopping the take-downs of Pineda. Pineda was ranked as one of the top wrestlers in Texas during his senior year and has shown the ability to take the fight to the ground when he wants to.
	CLINCH: Rey showed great clinch work against Rivera, he was able to land a lot of punishing blows from inside the clinch. Pineda uses the clinch game to wear down his opponents and likes to dirty box against the cage.
	GROUND: We have not seen much of Rey on the ground as he prefers to strike with his opponents. Daniel loves to ground and pound and with his wrestling base he is able to maintain top position and land big shots.
	CARDIO: No one pushes the pace like Trujillo.  He is constantly pushing forward looking to end the fight. Daniel has only been to the third round once in his career.
	WINNER: Daniel Pineda via TKO
SUMMARY: This match-up has the potential to outshine the Rivera/ Trujillo fight that set the Houston scene on fire. Rey has the striking ability to overwhelm almost any opponent who stands in front of him. His iron chin was put on display against Rivera and no one has been able to beat him yet. Pineda is the type of fighter that causes nightmares for his opponents.  He’s almost impossible to hurt and hard to control, plus he can end anyone’s night very quickly. This fight will be a battle of who can impose their will. If Daniel can get the fight to the ground he has a great chance of being the first person to beat Rey. On the flip side if Rey can keep the fight standing, he has the ability to overwhelm Daniel with a barrage of strikes unlike anyone else can bring. This fight was the hardest for me to pick out of all of the fights. I am a fan of the underdog and I think many believe Daniel to be the underdog here. If Daniel can’t stop Rey, then I’m not sure if anyone around will be able to.

Preview by: Richard Burmaster

You rarely see a draw in MMA and for good reasons, usually at some point in the fight one of the fighters has the advantage. The first time Craig and Jeff matched up neither was able to push the other person around and the two evenly matched fighters battled to a draw. Since then both have had impressive careers and now they are prepared to face off once again in the pros’. Let’s break down this fight.

	Craig Gardner	Name	Jeff Rexroad
		Nickname
	6′2″	Height	6′3″
	170	Weight	170
	0-0	Record	1-0
	Westside MMA	Gym	Paradigm
	Vs

None – Pro Debut	Last Three Fights			Danny Taylor (W – TKO)
	POWER: Jeff showed good power in his last fight ending Danny Taylors night in 44 seconds with a barrage of crisp strikes. Craig has shown decent power but is more of a technical striker than a power puncher.
DRAW	SPEED: Both fighters have shown above average speed throughout their careers and neither will hold an advantage here.			DRAW
DRAW	WRESTLING: Both fighter have shown good take-down defense and are rarely pushed around in the cage.			DRAW
	CLINCH: I have not seen Jeff work much from the clinch but I am sure working with the guys at Paradigm he has improved in this department. Craig has shown a very good clinch in his last few fights in both MMA and MT minus the experiment at 185 in his last fight.
DRAW	GROUND: Jeff is a brown belt in BJJ but rarely has to show his skills on the ground as he likes to stand and trade. Craig is a blue belt out of Westside, a school known for its great ground coaches and techniques. Craig likes to submit his opponents but will have problems with Jeff here. The difference in belt rank was not apparent in their last fight.			DRAW
DRAW	CARDIO: Neither fighter ever seems to be tired. Both of them come from schools that focus heavily on conditioning and I would expect nothing less than full tanks from both fighters.			DRAW
	WINNER: Jeff Rexroad via Decision
SUMMARY: By far this was the hardest fight for me to pick. These two fighters match up so evenly it seems the fight will be decided by who wakes up in a better mood that day. Jeff likes to strike early and often and should be the aggressor in this fight. Craig starts a little slower but usually finds his rhythm after a short bit. Craig has used his BJJ more in the cage but Jeff is no slouch on the ground. I think this fight will come down to can Craig pressure Jeff against the fence and wear him down. I don’t see that happening this time. Craig is coming off of a disappointing loss in his last ammy fight and with the recent changes at Westside, he may not be in his usual state of mind for this fight. Jeff will have his hands full but should be able to pull this one out.  This will be the closest fight of the night and I will be happy to see either guy get their hand raised at the end.

Preview by: Richard Burmaster

This fight has KO of the night written all over it. Both fighters have shown a flair for the dramatic with highlight reel KO’s over several opponents and they also have a general dislike for each other. Each fighter is riding a two fight win streak and both look to continue their winning ways.

	Ike Villanueva	Name	Artenas Young
	Hurricane	Nickname	Machine Gun
	6′3″	Height	6′1″
	205	Weight	205
	3-3	Record	2-1
	Rocky Long MMA	Gym	Hoger MMA
	Vs

Cody Watson (W – U. Dec.) Josh Luna (W – KO) Cody Donovan (L – Sub)	Last Three Fights			Lex Pappas(W – U. Dec) James Hall (W – TKO) Brian Lightfoot (L S. Dec.)
	POWER: Ike may be the hardest hitting 205lber in the city and has shown to be able to end the fight with either hand. Artenas has shown good pop in both hands and is able to generate power when backing up similar to Chuck Liddell.
	SPEED: Ike has shown good speed for a 205lber but does not seem to be very agile.  Artenas has the speed of a lightweight and is very good at creating angles for counter attacks.
DRAW	WRESTLING: Neither fighter has shown much in the wrestling department as both like to stand and trade.			DRAW
DRAW	CLINCH: Ike has shown decent clinch skills with the ability to remove himself from the clinch effectively. Artenas has not had to use his clinch game at the pro level but he should good use of the clinch against the cage in some of his amateur fights.			DRAW
	GROUND: Ike does not hide the fact that he does not care for the ground game. Artenas is a BJJ blue belt and has won a few tournaments including Naga.
	CARDIO: Ike has only had two fights that went past the first round. His last fight was a three rounder that Ike had no problem with. Artenas has shown good conditioning in all of his fights and rarely seems to slow down.
	WINNER: Artenas Young via TKO
SUMMARY: These two fighters use exact opposite game plans. Ike likes to hunt down his opponents and punish them with big body shots to set up his big KO shots, while Artenas like to wait like a snake in the grass for his opportunity to strike with fast lethal shots. When gameplans like these collide fireworks usually follow. The fight will be decided by Ike, if Ike can stay back and avoid rushing in he stands a very good chance of ending Artenas’s night quickly. If Ike rushes in he risks running into a flurry of punches that will end his night. Do not be surprised to see Artenas look for the takedown to frustrate Ike and with his superior ground game. Artenas would be very smart to stay off the feet and nullify the power of Ike.

Written by: Lance Edwards

Fifteen years ago I went to see some friends fight on a kickboxing card. One of the fights was a women’s Muay Thai bout. I remember it well, because it influenced my thinking. After the bell rang both women threw front kicks, exchanged punches, and then one of them leg kicked the other. At that moment I saw the will to fight drain from the receiver of the kicks face; she backed off, got hit a couple more times, and folded under a flurry of blows. I remember thinking to myself that I wasn’t ever interested in seeing a bout between two women. Since then I’ve trained with a few female fighters, but never had any interest in watching women fight. How wrong I was!

Cyborg Santos vs. Gina Carrano had interest from all sorts of media coverage; they were even talking about the fight on the radio. Gina had those beautiful girl next door, American sweetheart looks, and Cyborg had the intensity of a beast, I clicked on videos of her training and was spellbound, she showed a training intensity of a professional athlete, driving herself on, pushing her limits of strength and endurance. I decided I would watch the fight, and after a hiccup, as my satellite provider didn’t have it scheduled, I ended up at a friend’s house to watch it. Anyone reading this knows the result, the dominant Santos won a convincing victory; my interest was piqued.

YouTube is a fantastic thing, I love it, thanks to this site we can watch fights from fighters who before we wouldn’t have been able to watch. The Internet has been a huge component in raising the knowledge of fans and hype of fighters. With my new found interest in women’s MMA it was the perfect resource, and what’s more I discovered a wealth of great fights. Women’s MMA it turned out was far from boring, with many of the fighters being technically skilled and incredibly game.

Although women’s MMA is still not headlining many events, the WEC considered having women’s bouts, but then decided against it. Strikeforce is the lead organization in women’s mma with the fall of EliteXC, and currently have Erin Toughill signed for a seven fight deal with her sights set on Christine ‘Cyborg’ Santos. Toughill, known to the public as Steel from American Gladiators and trainer at Xtreme Couture, debuted in MMA back in September 1999, and has also had a pro-boxing career.

On July23rd, undefeated Sarah Kaufman (11-0) faces another popular female fighter on ShoMMA, the Strikeforce contender’s organization. Kaufman is a dominant force in female MMA at present having won her first seven fights by knockout. Bellator too has been adding a number of excellent female fighters to their ranks. The shocking defeat of my fellow Brit (a doctor of engineering who is studying for her second doctorate in osteopathy) Rosi Sexton by Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto was certainly not expected. A textbook knee foretells, in my opinion, and extremely exciting women’s tournament starting on August 12 for Bellator.

Women’s MMA doesn’t have the stable of fighters men’s MMA has, but with a rise in popularity of the sport more women are training and in the next few years we are going to see a rise in the number of good female fighters. Ring of Fire, the Colorado based fight org, has some excellent up-and coming female fighters including their 125lb champion Cat Albert. Albert originated in wrestling, but has become a well rounded fighter. Vegas based Tough-N-Uff is another show with a number of excellent female fighters just starting their career. This promotion often features fighters from Xtreme Couture, and includes Playboy Centerfold Latasha Marzolla amongst their fighters.

If you prefer to see fights live, which I for one love to, Houston based Legacy Fighting Championship recently featured 2 women’s bouts in their first Muay Thai show back in April. These fights featured local talents Jhin Yu, Roxanne Cardona (Kru Pong’s), Roxy Adams RSKA and Jessica Castillo (Hoger MMA). Legacy has also tried several times in the past 12 months to have women’s MMA bouts as well, only to see them fall through for one reason or another. Perhaps the most notable name among the women’s MMA fighters is Jennifer Scott, regarded by many to be the best pound for pound women’s fighter in the city.

When it comes to women’s MMA, I for one am hooked.

About The Author

At the age of 11, British born Lance joined the boy scouts and had his first experience of a three round boxing match, never having worn gloves or trained before, needless to say he was pummelled around the ring. This started his love of combat sports and martial arts. Having trained and lived in a number of countries in Europe, Asia and of course the US, Lance’s lack of skill and ability to pick up bizarre and unusual training injuries, led to him developing just enough cardio to master the use of a keyboard. Still training in the hope of honing his skills to a level higher than pathetic, Lance trained in the UK as a psychologist, and has written for UK based Martial Arts Illustrated magazine, and Fighters Only website.

When we first learned about John Marlborough’s mother we both wanted to try and help anyway we could. We did not anticipate the amazing support we would receive from the Houston MMA community. When this event was planned we had hoped to raise a couple hundred bucks and allow John to be with friends and try to get away from the burden of his mothers situation even if just for a few hours. Houston MMA showed up with wallets and hearts open, ready to help out one of the nicest guys in our community. We were able to raise almost $1650 dollars ($1645 to be exact) for John’s family with the help of the following people who so graciously donated items:

• Ragan from B3 sports came through in a huge way with autographed pair of 4oz gloves from Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin as well as a boxing glove autographed by over 20 UFC superstars. These three items alone accounted for almost half of the donation money.  Ragan also managed to score 3 American standup shirts and a Jaco shirt as well.
• Rob from Big BoySports donated multiple items to the benefit that brought in big dough, including 2 $50 gift cards to Wolfie’s, a $50 gift card to Tailgators, a $200 gift certificate at Kustom Ink Tattoo shop, a gift basket (cd’s, shirt, hat) courtesy of Swisha House records, and Head gear and gloves courtesy of Amber Boxing.
• Adam Villerreal, host of “In The Cage” on ESPN 97.5 gave away not 1, but 2 co-host spots on his show.  After raffling the first one and hearing people ask for another chance to win, he agreed to a second one via silent auction that brought in an additional $110!
• Mick from Legacy FC donated two sets of tickets for July 31st Legacy card valued over $300
• Arturo from Nine Dragons Martial Arts donated some kick ass shirts that everyone wanted for themselves
• Emmanuel Salon donated a free cut and hair care products
• Mike Jackson (Windy Sport and Fitness) unselfishly donated 2 sweet UFC shirts from his personal collection
• Gunner from Big Woodrows hooked up some lucky raffle winners with $150 worth of gift certificates.
• Alex Black and 4oz Fight Club each donated 2 hour privates – (Both won by Tony Gonzales!)

If we forgot anyone, please accept our sincere apology.

Special thanks and mention needs to be given to Cody Phillips from Bam Bam Martial Arts.  Cody came out and showed he not only has great striking but also a huge heart. Cody bid on and won two of the 3 autographed gloves at auction, spending $490 in the process, not to mention the $45 in raffle tickets he bought.

One of the goals we had in the beginning was to bring the Houston MMA scene together in a positive way that could show everyone that we are more than just fighters. We had no idea we would see so much camaraderie and support from fighter to fighter. The Houston MMA scene has some of the nicest and most respectable people attached to it and that doesn’t even include the fighting superstars we have. The attitude that was shown on Saturday night shows that we can come together as a family and support each other. It also shows others that we are not defined by only what we do in the cage or ring.

Thank you again Houston for allowing us to cover and be around so many good people.

Rich and Barry

Preview By: Eric Hostetter

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Brendan Schaub 5-1-0 (5 (t)ko)Notable Recent Matches Chase Gormley (TKO Win), Roy Nelson (TKO Loss)

vs

Chris Tuchscherer 18-2-0 (7 (t)ko, 6 submission, 5 decision). Notable Recent Matches Tim Hague (Decision Win Majority), Gabriel Gonzaga (TKO Loss).

Brendan Schaub,  after coming off a very vicious knockout loss against Roy Nelson in the Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale, looked convincing in his TKO win against Chase Gormley. Too bad he’s not catching a break here facing off against Brock Lesnar’s teammate, Chris Tuchscherer.  This will be the first of two times match up that pit a Greg Jackson fighter (Schaub) against a  Minnesota Martial Arts Academy fighter (Tuchscherer). From what I have been able to watch, Tuchscherer seems to protect himself well in the stand up game. If has not improved in this area, Schaub is going to pick him apart on his way to victory.

My Pick: Brendan Schaub TKO

Seth Petruzelli 12-4-0 (10 (t)ko, 1 submission, 1 decision). Notable Recent Matches Ryan White (Submission Win Armbar), Chris Baten (TKO Win), Kimbo Slice (TKO Win)

vs.

Ricardo Romero 10-1-0 (4 (t)ko, 5 submission, 1 decision). Notable Recent Matches Silmar Rodrigo (Submission Win Keylock), Rich Lictawa (Submission Win Kimura), James McSweeney (Submission Win RNC).

I’d be taking the easy way out if I pick the man that crushed the Kimbo Slice hype-train and gained instant fame/notoriety. So with that, I’m going to go opposite of a hype-train and go with a fighter that is relatively unknown, with a balanced win:loss record that holds a rear naked choke win over TUF 11 contestant James McSweeney.

My Pick: Ricardo Romero

Main Card

George Sotiropoulos 12-2-0 (1 (t)ko, 7 submission, 4 decision). Notable Recent Matches Joe Stevenson (Decision Win), Jason Dent (Submission Win Arm Bar), George Root (Submission Win Kimura)

vs.

Kurt Pellegrino 16-4-0 (2 (t)ko, 10 submission, 4 decision). Notable Recent Matches Fabricio Camoes (Submission Win RNC), Josh Neer (Decision Win), Robert Emerson (Submission RNC)

George Sotiropoulos absolutely destroyed “Big Daddy” at UFC 110, and showed very good hands in his match against Joe Stevenson. Even though the match was split between stand up and being on the ground, I honestly believe that he will continue to use his stand up game until he needs to fall back to his go to card on the ground. Though his last match five months ago ended up in decision, the Greek-Aussie was impressive none the less. Look for him to continue his 6 fight win streak against the submission specialist in Pellegrino by keeping the fight standing

My Pick: George Sotiropoulos Win

Krzysztof Soszynski 21-9-1 (8 (t)ko, 10 submission, 1 decision, 2 other). Notable Recent Matches Stephan Bonnar (TKO Win), Brandon Vera (Decision Loss), Andre Gusmao (KO Win)

vs.

Stephan Bonnar 11-7-0 (2 (t)ko, 7 submission, 2 decision). Notable Recent Matches Krzysztof Soszynski (TKO Loss), Mark Coleman (Decision Loss), Jon Jones (Decision Loss)

This is a return match from the bloody encounter these two had at UFC 110. Bonnar is amidst an unfortunate 3 fight losing streak and I fear that it is going to continue on. Krzysztof was outclassing Bonnar at 110, and I see no reason why he won’t continue to do so in this rematch. I really hope that this does not spell the end of Stephan Bonnar in the UFC, but one thing that we have observed from Dana White is that he does not tolerate a losing fighter for very long. If I’m right, and Bonnar loses, could we see Dana cut 1/2 of the greatest fight ever in UFC history?

My Pick: Krzysztof Soszynski

Chris Lytle 28-17-5 (4 (t)ko, 18 submission, 5 decision, 1 other). Notable Recent Matches Brian Foster (Submission Win Kneebar) , Kevin Burns (Decision Win) , Marcus Davis (Decision Loss Split)

vs

Matt Brown 11-8-0 (6 (t)ko, 5 submission). Notable Recent Matches Ricardo Almeida  (Submission Loss RNC), James Wilks (TKO Win), Pete Sell (TKO Win).

Chris Lytle is a fighter that is on an absolute role. He has won, or been a part of, fight, knockout, or submission of the night honors 7 out his last 9 UFC fights. Furthermore, this match is another repeat these two ultimate fighter alums had from a UFL fight that took place in August 2007, in which Lytle won the match via guillotine. Matt Brown will make this fight interesting in the stand up side of things. He loves to stand and bang with his opponents, so it will be interesting to see who ends up having their lights turned out.

My Pick: Chris Lytle (Fight of the Night Potiential)

Yoshihiro Akiyama 13-1-1 (5 (t)ko, 7 submission, 1 decision). Notable Recent Matches Alan Belcher (Split Decision Win), Denis Kang (KO win), Melvin Manoef (Submission Win Armbar)

vs

Chris Leben 20-6-0 (11 (t)ko, 4 submission, 5 decision). Notable Recent Matches Aaron Simpson (TKO Win), Jay Silva (Decision Win), Michael Bisping (Decision Loss).

This is a very intriguing match that pits a fresh off of a fight fighter in Leben vs. the not so fresh from a fight Akiyama. Leben is taking this match 14 days removed from his 2nd round, Knockout of the Night, win over Aaron Simpson in the TUF 11 Finale. He is also replacing the injured “Axe Murder”, who was originally slated to face Akiyama. While his knock out was impressive, Leben looked a little sloppy with his hands staying pretty low the whole fight. Akiyama will make him pay if he doesn’t keep his hands up this time.

Akiyama, just like Lesnar, has not seen action for 357 days when this match takes place on Saturday, July 3rd. His win against Belcher, at UFC 100, was less than convincing, however, he does possess some nasty leg kicks that he will probably employ again to take away Leben’s striking power and mobility. But Leben will be all over Akiyama like white on rice, pressing the pace with continued, unrelenting, striking.

My Pick: Chris Leben (TKO)

MAIN EVENT

Brock Lesnar (UFC HW Champion) 4-1-0 (2 (t)ko, 1 submission, 1 decision). Notable Recent Matches Frank Mir (TKO Win), Randy Couture (Title Match, TKO Win), Heath Herring (Decision Win)

vs

Shane Carwin (Interim UFC HW Champion) 12-0-0 (7 (t)ko, 5 submission). Notable Recent Matches Frank Mir (Interim Title Match, KO Win), Gabriel Gonzaga (TKO Win), Neil Wain (TKO Win).

(Both fighters hold a win over a common opponent, Frank Mir. Both won in similar fashion, with overpowering and controlling Mir with brute strength to get the tko win.)

This is the heavyweight match up that dreams are made up of the almost unstoppable force (Lesnar with 1 loss) defending his title against the current unstoppable force (Carwin is undefeated). These Two massive human beings possess superior strength, athleticism, and hands the size of canned hams that are packed in with enough C4 to make a very large hole into whatever they connect with. The big questions surround this fight are,  is Brock fully recovered from his diverticulitis, and will the 357 days of collected octagon rust effect his performance? The only that is for certain the winner of this match will be the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Keys for Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar is a man that possesses an titan-like power that very few men can even come close to equaling. He is undeniably, an absolute freak of an athlete. In his matches against Heath Herring and Frank Mir (part 2), Lesnar exploited his size advantage.  He’s also a Division I NCAA Wrestling Champion and so expect him to quickly begin to work for the take down. Brock is going to do all that he can to get this fight to ground so that he can smother Carwin with his behemoth size and GNP.

However, Lesnar is coming off a almost a year lay off from the octagon, so his cardio is going to be the biggest question mark for him, but also his strongest ally. Shane Carwin has never been out of the first round. That unknown might be something that Brock can use to his advantage as he holds a total of 9 rounds 32:34 minutes of time in the ring/octagon over the course of 5 fights, while Carwin only has a grand total of 12 rounds and 14:17 minutes of total ring/octagon time in 12 fights. Brock’s gas tank is going to be the telling point of this fight because Carwin likes to push the pace. If Brock is not able to control the pace of the fight in the first round, he going to have to weather the storm, and  then try to drown Carwin with his sheer mass and force in the following rounds to see if Shane can keep up that high intensity and end the fight much like he did against Mir. The longer this fight goes the more it plays into the hands of the champion.

Keys for Shane Carwin

This is beyond a shadow of a doubt, Shane Carwin’s most important fight of his career. Thankfully for him, he trains out of Greg Jackson’s Gym in New Mexico, which houses current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, and 7-time Pancrease Champion Nate Marquardt. If there is anyone in the world of MMA that could create an effective, match winning game plan, it is the Yoda of MMA. It is all a matter of Shane being able to execute that plan against the leviathan Brock Lesnar.

The one strategy I think Greg Jackson will come up with for Carwin is that he has test Brock’s chin early. No one has ever laid good hands onto Brock’s jaw at all, with the exception of Randy Couture. When Randy did actually catch Brock with a strong right straight, in 3:47 seconds in round 1, again at the beginning of round 2 and 4 minutes left into the round 2, Brock seemed a bit phased by those strikes. Now with all due respect to Randy “The Natural” Couture, his hands are now where near as potent as Carwin’s bear claws. Will Brock’s chin be able to withstand the patented straight forward guns-a-blazing Carwin attack? We will all find out soon enough.

My Pick: Shane Carwin (TKO) (Knockout of the Night Potiential)

Carwin has a great shot to win this match. As recent history has shown us with octagon rust with Rampage and Chuck absolutely plays a huge role in deciding the winner of a match. Combine that factor with a chin that has not really been tested by a true heavyweight striker that has a hands made of dynamite, and it could be a great night for Team Carwin. I do not think that Brock will be able to handle the 1-2-3- flurry of strikes from Shane Carwin’s short precise bombs that will land in combination.