Super Fight League – Thankfully Its More Than Bob “Tap” Sapp

Super Fight League – Thankfully Its More Than Bob “Tap” Sapp

Published on March 1, 2012 by The Editor in Opinion, Super Fight League

With The Super Fight Leagues First Event Getting Closer I Ask The Question, Whats It All About?

With the news that SFL has signed Todd Duffee, Trevor Prangley, Paul Kelly, Xavier Foupa-Pokamand Joey Guel for future events one has to wonder what the plan is for SFL?

Todd Duffee (6-2-0) had two fights for the UFC (finishing 1-1) and last fought in Dec 2010 at a K1event losing in just 19 seconds to Alistar Overeem. One has to wonder what has suddenly motivated him to get back in the cage and why he has chosen India to do it in. Surely, Bellator, Pro-Elite or ONE FCwould have been bigger stages, or does he know something?

Trevor Prangley (23-9-1) is 39 and his last appearance in UFC  was all the way back in 2006, his record since then is reasonable. He has fought at Strikeforce, Dream and Bellator in his last three fights, however these were all loses.

Paul Kelly (12-4-0), is a true UFC veteren as his last nine fights were in the Octagon and his UFC record is a solid (5-4). His last fight a loss to Donald Cerrone just over a year ago is nothing to be ashamed of.

Xavier Foupa-Pokam (21-17-0) who has just one win in his last nine fights and has been matched up with Joey Guel (14-7-0) who has not had a fight for four years and has not had a win in five!

Add these signings to Bob Sapp (11-10-0) a man who cannot tap quick enough nowadays and is a pathetic 1-7 going into this event – He has not made it out of the first round win or lose for 10 years and he never looks very fit. His recent loses are pretty much to people you have never heard of and never will. The most shocking thing of all is he is the main event at SFL 1. Yes, the main event at the first show of a big new fighting organisation is a fighter I would not even waste time walking across the road to watch.

Really think about it, if he is the main event what does that say for the undercard fighters?

Sharing the limelight with him on that fight is the Brit James Thompson (16-14-and 1 n/c)  his recent record is 4-10-1 n/c

So what is the plan with SFL? Is it a home for the washed up, the has beens and the never will be’s? Is it a launching pad back into the big show. I mean surely Paul Kelly still has a high level MMA career left in him.

Looking at the fight card it would appear that the fights are a mish mash, but let’s delve deeper

Let’s check it out:

We have already discussed Xavier “Professor X” Foupa-Pokam (21-17-0) vs Joey “Coyote” Guel (14-7-0)

Satish “Crazy Indian” Jha (0-0-0) Vs Jimmy “The Titan” Ambriz (15-18-1)

Sadly, I know little about Jha, He is an Indian, so that’s a good start because for the sport to grow in India, the locals need somebody to cheer. His amateur record is 3-0 and apparently he is a European Shooto Champion. Ambriz on the other hand is an American who I presume has been brought in to provide a test but not too much of one to allow a local winner.

Lakhwinder “Lightning”  Sekhon (2-0-0) Vs Madura Rathnayake (3-0-0)

Sekhon is a British Indian who has two wins to his name in the UK under the Fusion Fighting Championship flag and Rathnayake has three wins at Sri Lanka’s Colombo Fight Nights. I guess it’s a question of who has been fighting in the tougher organisation. I think you should put your money onSekhon, he very smartly has seen a chance to get himself a really big following by returning to his Indian roots and his last win was a storming 25 second TKO due to punches, an Indian star will be born.

Mohammed “The Hawk” Shahid (0-0-0) Vs Mayura Dissanayake (2-0-0)

I am afraid I know nothing about Shahid. Dissanayake has two wins both at Colombo Fight Night events in Sri Langka.

The good news is it looks like we will get to see some ladies MMA as they have also signed: Lena “Hunter” Ovchynnikova (8-0-0) and she will be facing Sanja Sucevic (2-1-0). However, Ovchynnikova is such an exceptional fighter that I really cannot see Sucefvic living with her, look out for an arm bar victory by the Hunter.

Hardeep “Hardcore” Singh (9-2-0) Vs Jeff Bailey (6-5-0)  Singh is a Canadian Indian who I am sure has also been tempted back to his roots with the chance to tap into the massive potential of Indian fight fans. And he is no mug, he has been fighting in an established MMA nation and therefore has got a solid winning record against quality opposition. Bailey is an American who I am sure will be trying to keepSingh away from victory in front of the Indian fans. It should be an exciting fight but I ultimately thinkSingh will win and another  ”Indian” star will be born.

Chaitanya “Dangerous” Gavali (0-0-0) Vs Tiran Thakshala (2-0-0) – Indian, Gavali has an amateur record of 4-1-0, but his debut against another fighter from the Colombo Fight Night series will be no walk in the park, both Thakshala’s previous fights were won by Rear Naked Choke.

Neil “Real” Natasadu (0-0-0) Vs Travis Bell (0-0-0) Natasadu is an accomplished Kick Boxer and it will be interesting to see how he manages in MMA. I am afraid I know nothing of Bells previous work.

So, the Super Fight League is it to be a home for fighters who are no longer good enough for the big show or for fighters who make bad decisions or for fighters looking for a good pay day?

Or………

Is the Super Fight League a new organisation attempting to gain some favorable press by giving the fans a great opportunity to see some fun fights, to introduce them to some Indian fighters who are already established overseas in the process creating some immediate fans favorites and a chance for some local fighters to get some real experience?

I actually think it’s a bit of both and I think we need to give them time to get settled before we judge them. After all they are not going around like ONE FC claiming to be the biggest, greatest, most prestigious and I don’t recall Raj Kundra claiming to be India’s answer to Dana White.

What they are going to do is bring us in their own word ‘Sportainment’ and good luck to them.

Just please no more Bob Sapp!