World Series of Fighting ~ A New Show In Town
OK so we have all heard the news, the stories have been gathered, the pundits have spoken, finally it's here: This coming weekend we shall get the first event from a new organisation the World Series of Fighting.
For a new organisation they have certainly come out of the traps at a fair pace with a TV deal in their pockets. In America the event will be shown live on NBC Sports Network.
The event is being held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino which is about as mid strip as you can get in Las Vegas. It's a great venue and the early reports are it's going to be a sell out. That's an American sell-out not an Asian one.
So as with all MMA organisations they need a front man. Who is WSoF's Dana White? Only New Zealander Ray Sefo that's all. A man who has built a massive reputation as a fighter, he has fought professionally as a Boxer, Kickboxer and MMA fighter and is a multiple world champion. He knows the business very well and he is not even officially retired at age 41. In fact rumours persist that he may indeed fight on a future WSoF card.
Of course at the moment WSoF cannot hope to compete with the UFC on quality of fighters, but let's have a look at the card and see what they are working with for this first show:
One thing is for sure WSoF is not some playground for unproven amateurs to fight and be hyped like they are the next big thing when in fact they are not and never will be. This is a real organisation with real potential. Looking at this card I think that Bellator should be very worried about their number 2 status, the card over all is very strong.
Bout 1:
Waylon Lowe (13-4-0) vs Fabio Mello (11-6-0)
Lowe at 31 with a six year profesional career must be pleased to see the arrival of the WSoF after two failed attempts at the UFC this is another chance in the International limelight. He is no joke, he has a seriously good career only really failing once he hits UFC level and frankly losing to Nick Lentz or Melvin Guillard is nothing to be ashamed of and the simple fact is he is still a respectable 2-2 with the UFC.
Mello has never reached the UFC heights although he has a solid Bellator record and seems to have fought in almost every organisation known to man. he is coming into this fight on a seven fight win streak and at age 37 must know this is his last chance to really shine. He is a submission specialist and will want to take this to the ground.
Bout 2:
Gesias Cavalcante (16-6-1-2) vs T J O'Brien (18-5-0)
Cavalcante is a K1 and Dream veteren out of Brazil. He once had a very solid record and seemed destined for great things but since a 2008 no contest against Shinya Aoki (Cavalcante alleged to have used illegal elbows) and then he lost the rematch. His record from 2008 is (2-5-0-2).
O'Brien has failed in his two attempts at UFC stardom but his record outside of it is stunning. This could be a great fight. One on the way down the other on the way up, who will win? I think that O'Briend ground skills (he has won 17 fights via submission) could provide the answer.
Bout 3:
Steve Carl (18-3-0) vs Ramico Blackmon (8-1-0)
Carl is a Bellator veteren with a great ground game and aged just 27 seems poised for greater success if he can get past blackmon.
Blackmon is going to find it tough and will have to pull something special out of the hat, he is durable, his record shows that but I am not sure he can defend against a more effective ground game.
Bout 4:
David Branch (10-3-0) vs Dustin Jacoby (8-2-0)
Branch a Bellator and UFC veteren is still only 30 he must be itching to get back into the big time. This sold out televised show will ease that itch, now it's down to him.
Jacoby also had a stint in the UFC although not as successful as Branch, but he does have age on his side and out side of the UF C he is unbeaten, does he have the knock out power to stop Branch.
Bout 5:
Gerald Harris (21-4-0) vs Josh Burkman (23-9-0)
Harris is a real all rounder with his wins coming in almost equal measure through ko's, submissions and decisions. He has skill, a good engine and we should be assured of a great fight when he enters the cage.
Burkman had a much longer UFC career than Harris and like Harris he is very well rounded. This should prove to be a very exciting fight.
Bout 6:
Ronys Torres (25-4-0) vs Brian Cobb (19-7-0)
Torres is another fighter with a failed UFC campaign behind him, however since then he has gone of a bit of a tear up and is riding high on a eleven fight winning streak. being a Brazilian it's almost obligatory that he have great ground skills, however he can also back it up with knock out power.
Cobb had his brief moment in the UFC and since then has struggled to build a real winning run. He also has a great ground game.
Bout 7:
Tyrone Spong (no record) vs Travis Bartlett (7-2-0)
Spong may be new to MMA but he is a well known kick boxer having fought in K-1. He has fought the likes of Alistair Overeem so this wont faze him.
Bartlett may well have been hand picked for Spong. His strength is his stand-up and he has proven knock-out power. Expect fireworks from these two. big explosions and if it goes to the ground I will be surprised.
Bout 8:
Gregor Gracie (7-2-0) vs Tyson Steel (9-1-0)
Gracie looks to be outclassed on this card, he may carry a famous name but he has not been fighting anywhere near the top of the tree.
Steel like Gracie is a ground expert and the hope must be that these two do not put on a very technical ground bout that although it will excite the purists will surely annoy the notoriously fickle Las Vegas crowd.
Bout 9:
Miguel Torres (40-5-0) vs Marlon Moraes (8-4-1)
Torres is loaded with experience and at just 31 years of age potentially has many more years fighting left in him. He has powerful hands and an impressive ground game. He had a great record in the now defunct WEC and a 2-2 UFC record. However his last seven fights covering 2009 onwards see him with a 3-4 record. This is is chance to get back into the headlines.
Moraes on the other hand is in a win win situation, he has fought at a much lower level and if he loses most would say they expected it, if he wins his stock would jump up massively.
Bout 10:
Anthony Johnson (13-4-0) vs DJ Linderman (13-3-0)
Johnson has been fighting at a much higher level than Linderman.
Linderman is going to need to really bring his A game to stop Johnson.
Main Event:
Andrei Arlovski (17-9-0) vs Devin Cole (20-9-1)
Arlovski is finished he should retire, sure he can win this but what will it prove, he will never make the UFC again unless it is a can for some up and coming young gun to knock over.
Cole has knock out power.
Sadly the last two bouts on this card are all about the names, sure they can sell tickets but the fights lower down the card promise much more excitement and I hope that in later events WSoF will be big enough to ignore these sort of fights and give us what we want. The best of the rest. 80% of this card promises big things for what could very quickly become the worlds number two MMA organisation.
Just For Fun: The pickathon
The Coffee Boy and The Editor have made their picks for this event: You will be able to follow their progress on the pickathon page as they battle it out over the coming months for the right to with the grand prize. The Golden Rivit
The Coffee Boys Picks:
1) Lowe def Mello via decision
2) O'Brien def Cavalcante via TKO round 1
3) Carl def Blackmon via Submission round 2
4) Jacoby def Branch via Decision
5) Burkman def Harris via Decision
6) Torres def Cobb via submission round 1
7) Spong def Bartlett via KO round 1
8)Gracie def Steele via Submission round 1
9) Torres def Moraes via decision
10) Johnson def Linderman via TKO round 1
11)Arlovski def. Cole via KO round 1
The Editors Picks:
1) Lowe via TKo rd 2
2) O'Brien via Sub rd 2
3) Carl via Sub rd 1
4) Jacoby via TKO rd 3
5) Harris via Sub rd 2
6) Torres via Sub rd 2
7) Spong via Decision
8) Steel via TKO rd 2
9) Torres via Sub rd 2
9) Johnson via KO rd 2
10) Cole via rd 1 Ko
Scoring. 1 point correct winner - 2 points correct winner and rd or method - 5 points correct winner, rd and method
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