World Series of Fighting

World Series of Fighting 

November 3rd 2012 ~ Planet Hollywood Resort Las Vegas

I'm not really sure where the World Series of Fighting is going to fit in to the International MMA scene.

Is it going to be like Bellator which is helping bring fighters through to lead them on to bigger things (UFC) to help create future stars or sift that those not good enough for the final step,or is it going to go down the road of bringing out fighters who are past their best or are journeymen in the lesser organisations?

Is it a seed organisation for up coming fighters or a rest home for those on the way down.

The Fight Card has been announced for their first event and let's have a quick look at it and see what is happening.

Preliminary Card

Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante (16-6-1-2) vs TJ O'Brien (18-5-0)

Cavalcante has been a star in K1, almost unbeatable but almost every time he takes a step up he falls short. His record looks solid until you delve deeper. In the last four years he has had nine fights and has just two wins both via split decision. One at Dream and one at Strikeforce. The simple fact is DREAM is nowhere near UFC quality and he has one win in four fights there in the last 4 years and the same in Strikeforce. I guess he's never going to make the UFC.

O'Brien is a submission specialist with 17 of his wins coming that way, He has had a couple of UFC fights but fell short both times. This looks to be an interesting match-up.

Tyrone Spong (no record) vs Travis Bartlett (7-2-0) 

Waylon Lowe (13-4-0) vs Fabio Mello (11-6-0) 

David Branch (10-3-0) vs Dustin Jacoby (8-2-0) 

Steve Carl vs (18-3-0) vs Ramico Blackmon (8-1-0)

Gregor Gracie (7-2-0) vs Tyson Steele (9-1-0) 

Gracies last three fights have been in Asia's ONE FC where he is 2-1. Steele is a submission expert so expect these two to take it to the ground.

Brian Cobb (19-7-0) vs Ronys Torres (25-4-0) 

Cobb, has had one shot at the UFC, he fell short beaten by Terry Etim in 2009 and he has not been brought back, he has a lot to prove. Torre is unbeaten in his last eleven fights, this could be a very exciting bout.

Josh Burkman (23-9-0) vs Gerald Harris (21-4-0) 

Burkman is another UFC veteren although he has not fought under that banner for four years after a three fight losing streak, in the lesser leagues he has been an impressive 5-1.  Harris had a solid 3-1 UFC record and his only loss was a decision but he was still dropped, since then he has been working his way back up however he's doing it the hard way his last six fights have all gone the distance.

Anthony Johnson (13-4-0)  vs DJ Linderman (14-3-0) 

Johnson blew his UFC contract by continually missing weight three times even after stepping up a class, when he missed it my and even wider magin. However since then he has gone 3-0. Nobody can be sure what Johnson will turn up, the one who is ready to fight or the one who is badly prepared. The one who is ready to fight has a great record. Linderman has yet to hit the heady heights of the UFC but outside of that he has proven himself a durable fighter maybe too many of his fights go to decision, but that proves he has the stamina to go all the way. Does Johnson?

Miguel Torres (40-5-0) vs Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) 

This is all about Torres, his massive experience should be too much for Moraes who has never fought at the highest level.

Andre Arlovski (17-9-0)  vs Devin Cole (20-9-1) 

I'm not keen on this fight as the Main Event, it's a fading UFC star who last fought a no contest at Asia's ONE FC against Tim Sylvia against Cole who is best described as a Strikeforce veteren and he is coming in on a two fight winning streak. Whilst Arlovski may be on the way down and never likely to grace a UFC cage again he is six years younger and much more experienced than Cole.

I will be interested to see how WSoF progresses, how it matures, for now I guess we just sit back and enjoy the show.