Jason Frank wins MMA Debut, Craig Gardner Captures 170lb title.

Photos courtesy of 

(Houston, TX) – Last night (01/30/10) at the Lonestar Beatdown, Houston area MMA fans got a taste of the big time.  HDNet was set up cage side to cover a very special event involving a special fighter. Everywhere you looked there were media guys running around, cameras at the ready. Fans too were running around, looking to get a signed poster from one fighter in particular. Not just any fighter would do though.  Tonight they wanted one who used to wear spandex and beat up bad guys; they wanted Jason David Frank.  Houston fight fans packed the Arena Theater in anticipation of Frank’s MMA debut.

For those of you who don’t know who Jason David Frank (JDF)  is, let me give you a quick refresher.  He is a hall of fame Karateka with a sixth degree black belt and was twice was named Master of the Year, but what put him on the map so to speak was his long standing role as a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. Yes, JDF is in fact Tommy from the Power Rangers.  I would try to name all the colors he played, but it’s easier to just say he played mostly all of them. Many times we have seen former TV stars step into a combat sport and get embarrassed (thank you Celebrity Boxing), but this is not your average TV star. JDF is a very accomplished Karateka, and he also did very well in the few amateur muay thai fights that he has competed in.

Starting Off on the Right Foot

While the night may have belonged to Frank and his debut, the other 26 fighters on the card wanted to make sure the crowd would remember them too, and they did not disappoint.  Getting the night off to an extremely fast pace was the Carlos Jimenez vs Gurzan Chaw (Bushi Ban) fight, which ending up winning our inaugural TCD.net Fight of the Night award.  I lost track of the number of submissions that Gurzan attempted, and Jimenez was able to escape each and every one. These two fighters gave it their all, and the crowd loved it. Chaw pulled off the unanimous decision win, but the attendees in the crowd were the real winners watching with this gem.

The Phenom Gets a Victory

Later in the night, the fans were treated to another great fight when seventeen-year old Corey Allmand made his debut against a tough fighter in Brandon Ferris. Ferris blitzed the young newcomer and took him straight to the ground where Corey transitioned into a beautiful armbar that had the entire audience on their feet. It only took 37 seconds for the young phenom to earn his first victory and also capture the TCD.net Submission of the Night award. Keep your eyes out for this kid, he has the potential to be very very special.

A Title Fight Finish with Flair

Also on tap for the fans was the 170lb LSB title fight that matched Hossan Walker against Craig “The Gentleman Mauler” Gardner.  Flipping the script on all the experts, it was Craig (not Hossan) who came out and scored the first take down to control the action early. The first round was spent with Craig on top controlling Hossan. Hossan was able to escape as the round ended, but he wasn’t able to land any damage. The second round was more of the same with Craig controlling the action on the ground. Craig applied a standing guillotine at one point, and Hossan walked his feet up the cage and pushed his body off sending both fighters halfway across the cage. Craig was able to sink in what he calls the Stache Choke (more commonly known as an anaconda choke) with a gator roll to earn the submission win. Congratulation to Craig on his title win and on his award from weigh-ins for Stache of the Night.

The Ranger Stops the Truck.

It was now time for the main event. The arena darkened as Jonathan “The Mack Truck” Mack made his way to the cage. The crowd was very pro Power Ranger, and they showered Mack with a steady barrage of boos as he entered the cage.  Mack, always the showman, played to the crowd dancing along with the music. A smile never leaving his face. Once again the arena darkened, and as the pre fight video for JDF played the crowed began to buzz with excitement.  You could feel the anticipation in the air. Lil Flip’s Game Over started up on the sound system, and down the walkway came Jason David Frank along with his entourage of trainers and fans. The crowd was deafening at this point, and JDF could hardly walk down the aisle as the crowd had pushed in very close to gain a closer glimpse of the star of the night.

When the fight finally started, Frank came out with a hard leg kick that Mack shrugged off. The two exchanged punches, and Frank slipped on a punch and went down. Standing back up Jason motioned to Mack to bring it on. Jason pressed forward, and threw a couple leg kicks and a high kick that was blocked by Mack. As Mack circled left he landed a big left hook that wobbled Jason badly. Jason stumbled across the cage on very wobbly legs, desperately trying to right the ship. Mack had a Heath Herring moment, and did not capitalize on a golden opportunity to take control of the fight.  It would be a mistake that would cost him dearly.  Eventually Mack moved forward,and for reasons not known, picked up Jason and slammed him to the ground. Jason seemed to be out of the brief fog and he quickly secured full guard before transitioning into an omoplata that would have had Joe Rogan screaming his heart out. As Mack tapped, the crowd erupted  into cheers for their hero, and the ovation would not stop for what seemed like forever. The TV star had come out and proved the critics wrong,  against a very game opponent.

Lonestar Shining Bright

Mick Maynard, Ragan McDaniel, and the entire staff at Lonestar Beatdown have once again outdone themselves with the quality of show that they put on. Almost every fight they put on the card was a great match up. The intensity of the Houston crowd was outstanding even before the night’s main event. With the turnout last night and the quality of the show, LoneStar Beatdown stands alone as the number one Amateur show in Houston.