Johnny Z Returns at "Coronation" on May 12

“Coronation” on May 12 marks the return of the founder, owner and life blood of IZW, Johnny Z.  Nobody has put more blood, sweat and tears into the thriving Oklahoma organization then its gun slinging owner.  Johnny Z makes his return after a long injury layoff that required surgery to repair years of damage and trauma to his knee which he received while being a professional wrestler and giving the fans’ their monies worth.  It’s only because of extensive rehab, grit and determination that Johnny Z is able to step back into the Impact Arena on May 12 and compete in the squared circle so soon.  In fact, Johnny Z’s mending has gone much faster than normal for an injury as gruesome as his and that can be directly attributed to the mental toughness and physical work ethic that Z has displayed in tackling this injury head on, the same way that he stepped up to every challenge he ever faced inside of the squared circle throughout his illustrious career. 

At the end of 2011, Johnny Z was in a hot feud with former NWA Champion and ROH competitor Brent “The Shooter” Albright when an unfortunate injury put him on the shelf.  Since that time, an old foe has inserted himself into the day-to-day operations of IZW and managed to turn Johnny Z’s best friend into an egotistical, underhanded, cheating, prima donna. For Johnny Z, this return is much more than a simple match where he gets to prove he can come back from an injury, go through the motions and work off the ring rust.  He’s going in to a fight where the very soul of IZW will be at stake.  He will be stepping onto the mat with one of his longtime adversaries and a man that has run rampant in Z’s absence, IZW Commissioner Brandon Bishop.  Bishop has been on a power trip ever since his return in early 2012 and that’s partly due to Johnny Z’s absence.  It’s an oversight that Johnny Z fully intends to correct while the two square off in the ring.  Then there’s Z’s former right hand man and dear friend, Aaron “The Bronze Bull” Neil who has turned over a new leaf and sold out everything he ever stood for by aligning with Bishop over the last few months.  Johnny Z provided the very platform for Neil to work in the profession he loves and be seen by millions watching worldwide on GFL.tv and this is the thanks Johnny Z gets?  

The worst infraction made in Johnny Z’s absence might very well be Brandon Bishop and his cronies re-branding themselves as the new and improved Impact Inc.  Impact Inc. is as much a part of who Johnny Z is as IZW itself.  For someone, anyone, to use the name Impact Inc. without Johnny Z’s blessing and to keep him out of the group entirely is a deed only left for the stupid or insane.  Either way, this has only motivated Johnny Z to come back and dish out heaping piles of destruction and punishment on Bishop and Neil.  Johnny Z’s blood has been boiling for some time now and the Oklahoma trailblazer along with Jermaine Johnson are ready to take Bishop and Neil to the learning tree at “Coronation”, and it will be right there in front of a worldwide audience on GFL.tv live and in HD.

Nearly every wrestler in the IZW locker-room has had to choose sides as Nemesis, Jordan Jacobs, Damon Windsor, Shawn McHale and even Starr Venus have aligned themselves with Bishop on more than one occasion.  On the flip side, grapplers like Jermaine Johnson, Double D, Cody Jones, The Old School Suckas and Erica have formed a resistance that has battled back against Bishop and Neil and the rest of Impact Inc.  But unlike Impact Inc., the loyal IZW wrestlers have been missing a leader, a “Natural Born Leader”.  It might be too late for the likes of Aaron Neil who has truly reveled in his new role as Bishop’s pawn, brainwashed by the manipulative Commissioner for months.  But if anyone or anything can refocus or recalibrate a person’s head it is Johnny Z and his big boot.

May 12 at “Coronation” will prove to be much more than a regular wrestling pay-per-view.  It will be two competing factions vying for the future of the most prestigious and respected wrestling promotion in the Mid-South territory today.  Luckily for the wrestlers of IZW who live by an honor code they will be getting their General back to lead the charge and rally the troops in this assault as “The Natural Born Leader” Johnny Z makes his triumphant return to IZW on its biggest iPPV of the year “Coronation” broadcast worldwide exclusively on GFL.tv.

April 28 IZW Broadcast on GFL.tv

In the final segment of the April 28 IZW broadcast which was dubbed “Brandon Bishop Appreciation Night”, Brandon Bishop, Aaron Neil, Jordan Jacobs, Damon Windsor, Shawn McHale and Starr Venus crowded the ring to give themselves one long round of applause and congratulations.  The whole display was set up to disrespect Johnny Z and his eventual return at “Coronation” on May 12, while at the same time Bishop used the opportunity to re-brand Team Bishop as the new and improved Impact Inc.  It was quite a slap in the face to Johnny Z who created Impact Inc. 10 years ago and poured his heart and soul into the faction.  It was even an affront to Jermaine Johnson, who was the leader of Impact Inc. in its most recent incarnation.  Finally, Jermaine Johnson couldn’t take Impact Inc.’s grandstanding any longer and came out to confront the 6 “delusional douchebags” as Johnson referred to them.  He promised Johnny Z would be at “Coronation” and then recruited Double D, Cody Jones and Monte Osmond who came from behind the curtain to take on the new Impact Inc. right then and there as the broadcast went off the air.

As for the wrestling portion of the night, Jermaine Johnson defeated Jordan Jacobs earlier in the evening.  Jacobs might be the Impact Division Champion, but Johnson was in rare form and has very few peers in IZW when he’s all in.  Jacobs did a great job controlling the match for the most part including using his speed and quickness advantages to keep Johnson off balance.  Jacobs even dodged an ES2 attempt by Johnson, but then Johnson one upped Jacobs by side-stepping an Anaikolra Kick and finally landing his patented ES2 for the pinfall.

In other action, IZW Heavyweight Champion Aaron “The Bronze Bull” Neil and Brandon Bishop defeated Soto Miyagi and The Midnite Rider.  It was a solid showing by Bishop who stepped into the IZW ring for the first time in years.  Bishop squared off against Rider first, and then Miyagi who he manhandled finally hoisting him up in a fireman’s carry, spinning him around like a rag doll and slamming him down hard to the mat for the easy 1-2-3 pinfall.  Neil put Rider in the Boston Crab after the match for good measure. 

In still more action, Double D defeated Kevin Morgan via disqualification when Jacobs interfered in the match that had been back and forth up to that point by jumping Double D from behind (a specialty of Jacobs) adding more fuel to the fire for their Ladder Match at “Coronation”. 

Watch all of these matches and more now on video on demand for free at GFL.tv as IZW continues to change the wrestling world!

Cut Throat MMA "Invasion Chicago" Review

Cut Throat MMA returned with another stellar card as “Invasion Chicago” took place at the Congress Theatre in front of a rowdy crowd.  The show featured two title fights and proved that Cut Throat MMA is one of the most consistent organizations in the Midwest as the organization always gives the fans quality fights. 

In the main event, Danny “The Machine” Morales defeated Shane Grenko via unanimous decision to win the Cut Throat MMA Welterweight Title after a wild back and forth fight.  The fight looked like a kickboxing fight as both men struck and struck each other landing kicks, knees, punches and elbows in the fight.  Morales got off to an early lead by landing the stronger shots in round one that took a lot of steam out of Grenko in the early going.  Morales used great angles to find open shots and underhooks to work the clinch where he landed knees and close range shots.  The middle of the fight was more of the same as Morales moved in and out and landed the harder shots, but Grenko was resilient and kept coming forward.  Later in the fight, Grenko went for broke and landed some solid shots to Morales, but Morales’ combination of inside leg kicks mixed with head kicks kept Grenko off balance and winded.  In the end, both men were spent as they delivered a great five round championship main event to the rowdy crowd.

In the co-main event for the Cut Throat MMA Flyweight Championship, JJ “The Joker” Gilmer defeated Sean Silver by rear naked choke in round one.  Gilmer came out smoking as he landed a takedown got side control, threw a series of punches, grabbed a body triangle and then secured a rear naked choke all in under a minute to retain his championship.  It was an impressive showing from the champ as he wasted no movements in accomplishing his goal.  Gilmer looks tough to beat at 125 lb as he was strong and fast and did not suffer any damage, so he will likely be in a Cut Throat MMA cage again very soon to defend his title yet again.

Don’t miss this exciting mixed card.  Cut Throat MMA brings you another fully loaded event with “Invasion Chicago”.  Watch the hottest Midwest MMA prospects compete in the Cut Throat MMA cage.  Order this event now, exclusively through the GFL Combat Sport Network at GFL.tv.

CFX "Japan VS Minnesota" Review

One of the premier Midwest MMA organizations debuted on GFL.tv and made a huge statement as Cage Fighting Xtreme (CFX) presented “Japan VS Minnesota” at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The event featured 21 fights and when all was said and done was 6.5 hours long! CFX is owned and operated by former UFC and WEC fighter Brock Larson and has featured a plethora of top level fighters throughout its existence including, Sean Sherk, Tim Sylvia, Jacob Volkmann and Chris Tuchscherer.  “Japan VS Minnesota” raised the ante once again on first rate MMA as 21 fights are scheduled and the main event features one of Japan best welterweights who is a UFC veteran in a showdown with a rising Minnesotan prospect.  

In the main event, UFC veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida (13-6) defeated Strikeforce veteran Jeremy “The Hawk” Hamilton (8-2) by rear naked choke in round two in a welterweight showdown.  Earlier in the fight Hamilton used his range and disrupted Yoshida’s offense by landing stiff strikes in the standup including heavy knees that found their mark.  On the ground Yoshida landed several stiff hammer fists, but Hamilton hung in even securing an armbar that kept Yoshida honest as he had to work a bit to get out of it.  But that seemed to light a fire under Yoshida as he landed a judo throw but then Hamilton got up and ended the first round with a flurry of strikes.  In round two, Yoshida got a takedown, but once again Hamilton was able to secure a submission, this time a triangle and he unloaded on the Japanese fighter with a series of elbows.  But Yoshida managed to break free from the submission and gained side control.  The end came after Yoshida moved to mount on Hamilton and landed several punches and hard elbows.  Hamilton turned to his belly and that was when the judoka Yoshida sunk in the fight ending submission.  It was a strong win for Yoshida and might get him back to the UFC, but if it doesn’t there was already talk going around that CFX would bring back Yoshida and have him face CFX owner Brock Larson, which would be a mega-fight that would do great business for the Midwest organization. 

In co-main event, Yoshihiro Koyama (13-2-1) beat Travis Perzynski (13-6) my majority decision after a three round battle that saw both men use their wrestling skills to impose their wills.  It could have been a draw as many observers believed that Perzynski won the first round 10-8 and one judge agreed.  But the other two judges scored the first round a 10-9 in Perzynski’s favor with all of the judges agreeing that rounds two and three went to Koyama as 10-9 rounds.  The Shooto and DEEP veteran, Koyama, showed great heart in battling back from the first round and was able to grind away for the rest of the fight to earn the decision as his wrestling stifled Perzynski for most of the rest of the bout. 

Don’t miss this electrifying event featuring the finest MMA athletes compete in front of a packed house at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.   This truly is the most BANG for your buck as this show went on and on with exciting back and forth fights and brutal stoppages.  Watch all of the action as CFX presents “Japan VS Minnesota” only at GFL.tv!

NAAFS "Caged Fury 17" Review

The North American Allied Fight Series (NAAFS) returned on GFL.tv with “Caged Fury 17” at the Community Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown, West Virginia.  The 11-bout card was highlighted by a NAAFS title fight and featured 7 finishes.

In the main event, a new NAAFS Pro Middleweight Champion was crowned as Bellator veteran Hector Urbina (17-6-1) from Team El Toro/Team Wolfpack defeated former champion Travis Clark (12-1) from Evolve MMA/Wolfs Lair by guillotine choke in round one giving Clark the first defeat in his career.  Urbina threw an overhand right to start the fight, but Clark ducked it and worked relentlessly for a takedown.  Urbina was able to block the attempt in the beginning, but Clark was determined and got Urbina to the mat.  From there, Urbina applied a guillotine choke on the bottom and it was tight as Clark tapped out.  Urbina has now finished 14 of his opponents via KO or submission and has jumped out of the pack as someone on the regional circuit that needs to be called up to the UFC or Strikeforce or even back to Bellator.   

In the co-main event, Adam Milstead (11-3) from Fight Club Pittsburgh defeated Nathan Bryant (8-8) from Ground Zero by TKO in round two of a heavyweight tussle.  In round one, Bryant controlled where the fight which was pressed up against the cage but Milstead landed the much more damaging shots including knees in the clinch.  In round two, it was once again striking at least in the beginning as Milstead landed several kicks including a solid body shot, mixed with a series of hammer fists while the two wrestled for positioning in the clinch.  The fighters found themselves on the mat and after Milstead worked for a rear naked choke there was a scramble with Milstead getting to his feet first.  Bryant paused on his knees, almost looking as if he was catching his breath and from there Milstead teed off on Bryant with heavy right hands that knocked Bryant out.  It was a devastating win for Milstead.

With 7 out of 11 fights ending by KO or submission this is an explosive card that will whet the appetite of any MMA fan.  Be sure to catch all of the action from this exciting event as NAAFS presents “Caged Fury 17” exclusively at GFL.tv

Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW) - "New Horizons 2012"

Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW) returned to GFL.tv with “New Horizons 2012” and proved once again why MCW is the most decorated and well received wrestling organization in all of Australia as “New Horizons” delivered a fantastic 7 bout card in front of a hot crowd at the Thornbury Theatre highlighted by the main event between defending MCW Champion Matt Silva versus former TNA Superstar Sonjay Dutt in the pinnacle of the long history Australia VS India have in sports the hottest faceoff might between the two countries might very well have been inside the MCW ring. 

In the main event, Matt Silva defeated Sonjay Dutt to retain his MCW Championship.  It was a back and forth bout with lots of near falls and submission attempts and reversals.  Silva looked to have the bout won when he had Dutt high in the air ready to deliver a brain buster, but the veteran Dutt stuffed the move and rolled up Silva in the process getting as close as two from the ref.  But as any great champion, Silva would not give Dutt an opportunity like that again as he caught Dutt’s top rope cross-body attempt and made good on his modified suplex/brain buster and finally got the 1-2-3 after a long, hard fought battle.  

In the co-main event, Shazza McKenzie defeated Eliza Sway in a hard hitting women’s bout.  Sway had the upper hand for most of the match, at one point coming close to choking Shazza unconscious, but Shazza would not give up and managed to turn the tide starting with a bulldog.  Shazza was able to seal the deal after Andy Roy disrupted the action in the ring and distracted Sway allowing Shazza an opening to get a roll up pin.

Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW) presents “New Horizons 2012” exclusively for worldwide consumption at GFL.tv.  Watch wrestling from Down Under as MCW shows that its grapplers are a force to be reckoned with.

Ring of Combat "XL" Review

Ring of Combat returned with hard hitting action as “Ring of Combat XL” gave the fans a great night of fights once again under the ROC banner.  The 12-bout card featured some great in cage throwdowns and some devastating knockouts. ROC continues to be the linchpin of East Coast MMA and “XL” once again proves why it will continue to dominate MMA in the Tri-State area.  

In the main event, former UFC fighter Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman (18-14-1) defeated Dmitry Zabolotny (5-3) via unanimous decision in a hotly anticipated showdown.  Zabolotny was having a hard time finding opponents so ROC reached far outside their region to land Eastman who lives and trains in Las Vegas.  Eastman made the most of his opportunity as he was able to nullify most of Zabolotny’s offensive attacks while overwhelming the Russian with constant pressure.  Eastman has fought everyone from Quinton Jackson to Vitor Belfort in his impressive career and was not in the least bit gun-shy as he attacked Zabolotny from the very beginning and over the course of a three round fight continually outstruck and outwrestled Zabolotny.  

In the co-main event, Ed Gordon (4-0) remained undefeated as he beat Ryan Contaldi (8-6-1) by KO in round one in a light heavyweight fight.  It was a wild fight with both men throwing haymakers until finally one landed that did the job.  It was a pinpoint punch as Gordon unloaded and caught Contaldi flush and the fight was stopped shortly after.

In other action, Carlos Brooks (4-1) defeated Danny Babcock (8-5) by KO in round one.  It took less than a minute as Brooks landed a spinning back kick and followed up with a series of devastating punches until the referee intervened.  

You won’t find a more thrilling card then this one. Be sure to catch all of the action LIVE on April 27 as Ring of Combat presents “ROC XL” exclusively on pay-per-view at GFL.tv.

World Combat Series 4 "Cinco de Mayo" Preview

World Combat Series makes its hotly anticipated return with the GFL Combat Sports Network on May 5 with World Combat Series 4 – “Cinco de Mayo”.  The California-based organization looks to spread its wings to neighboring states like Nevada in the near future, but for now, WCS is going to stay in the Golden State and work towards becoming the top amateur MMA organization in California.  “Cinco de Mayo” is a stacked 11-bout card and features fights from flyweight (125 lb) all the way up to heavyweight (265 lb).

In the main event, a pair of bantamweights lock horns as Team Jhanex’s Coby Hollier (1-3-0-1) fights Richard Bowen (0-1).  Hollier has an odd record as his first bout ended in a no contest.  Since then, he has gone to decision 4 straight times, losing three hard fought fights, including one split decision.  Hollier looks to take it out of the judges’ hands on May 5 and finish Bowen before the final bell.  For Bowen, he has taken some time off, over a year, since his first fight, refining his craft and will no doubt be a completely different fighter this time around.  Both men are looking to start a winning streak and for one of them they will do just that, but more than that, one of these fighters needs a convincing win to get their career headed in the direction they want it.  Both Hollier and Bowen will come out guns a blazing as this is a career-changing fight for both men and neither one wants to let this opportunity slide away.  Especially in the main event.  

In the co-main event, Oscar Ortega (3-2) from Escondido Fight Club battles Corey Miller (0-0) from Finish Strong MMA in a lightweight tussle.  Ortega is on a 3-fight win streak including 2 by submission.  He will go into the cage with the experience advantage and look to put the heat on Miller early on.  Miller on the other hand is an unknown quantity as this is his first bout ever.  He will have an advantage of at least knowing what Ortega’s strengths and weaknesses are if he has scouted him, while Ortega will have to go on instinct once the cage door slams shut.  Fights with debuting fighters are always fun because you never know what you’re going to get.  This fight could be fight of the night or end early but for the fans either way, it should be exciting.

World Combat Series 4 “Cinco de Mayo” is a stacked lineup of the top up and coming prospects in Southern California.  California has always been a leader in MMA, so tune in to watch the stars of tomorrow compete today.  Order this iPPV exclusively at GFL.tv

April 28 IZW Preview on GFL.tv

With less than three weeks until “Coronation” on May 12 what’s next for Aaron “The Bronze Bull” Neil’s reign at the top of IZW?  Since becoming the only 6-time champion in Impact Zone Wrestling history, Neil has turned his back on all of his fans, sided with a bottom-feeding wretch like Brandon Bishop and destroyed his legacy.  All eyes point to his main event tag team match alongside Bishop against the team of Jermaine Johnson and the returning Johnny Z at “Coronation” as a historic bout, but what will Neil do in the meantime to make sure the odds are stacked in his favor for that hotly anticipated bout.

Will Nemesis be looking for revenge against Double D and Johnson over last week’s defeat, and what about the Old School Suckas?  They have flown under the radar but are ready to defend their tag titles against anyone from the IZW roster.  What’s Jordan “Lights Out” Jacobs planning for Double D at “Coronation” when the two meet in a Ladder Match?  All these questions and more will be answered as the final countdown begins for May 12 when everything in IZW will change forever.

Watch all the feuds and all the rivalries inside and outside of the squared circle.  Tune in to the Mid-South’s premiere wrestling federation and find out what will happen next.  Watch professional wrestling like it’s supposed to be, rough and tumble and always in HD!  Watch IZW!

GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting.  Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1300 live events with over 6000 combat sports videos in 196 countries.  GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network.  GFL is also available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices. Check the event page for details.

If Combat Sports is your game...Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network.

"Ring of Combat Amateurs XIII" Review

Ring of Combat returned with “ROC AMXIII" from Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey. This 10-bout event featured 2 title fights (lightweight and middleweight) and had 4 stoppages throughout the stacked lineup of some of the East Coast’s top amateur fighters.  ROC has conquered the professional circuit in the Tri-State area and now looks to do the same with its amateur series. 

In the main event, Frank Buenafuente (5-0) defeated Mark Agnew (3-3-1) via decision for the ROC Amateur Lightweight Title. The undefeated Buenafuente, made good in his first attempt at championship gold by keeping Agnew off balance and mixing up his attacks throughout the three round fight.  Buenafuente is a grinder and likes to outwork his opponents and wear them down. This strategy has proven successful as he has won 4 of 5 fights by decision and continues to impose his will and offset his opponents through strong wrestling and constant striking. Agnew posed one of the toughest tests to date as he would not go away and was in Buenafuente’s face whenever he could get to him.  The future looks bright for both of these up and coming fighters.

In the second title bout of the night Eddie Lenoci (6-1) defeated Joseph Curcio (2-3) by armbar in round two to defend his ROC Amateur Middleweight Title.  Lenoci has never had a fight go to the third round as he has stopped all of his opponents, usually by submission, making him one of the most sought after amateurs on the East Coast because of his exciting style.  Lenoci might want to consider turning pro as he has conquered the amateur ranks and now is ready for the big time. 

You won't find a more sizzling card then this. Be sure to catch all of the action on video on demand as Ring of Combat presents "ROC AMXIII" exclusively on pay-per-view at GFL.tv.

GFL now offers full access to over 6,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 subscribe now at www.GFL.tv

GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting.  Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1300 live events with over 6000 combat sports videos in 196 countries.  GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network.  GFL is also available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices. Check the event page for details.

If Combat Sports is your game...Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

NAAFS "Combat Challenge 20" Review

The North American Allied Fight Series (NAAFS) returned to GFL.tv with “Combat Challenge 20” at Chapparells Community Center in Akron, Ohio. NAAFS is one of the most prolific MMA organizations in the country as it runs a monthly event in and around the Ohio area. The 12-bout card featured many of the rising stars in the Midwest region and had an assortment of finishes including knockouts, submissions and hard fought decisions. 

In the main event, Nick Browne (3-0) of Uniontown Fight Club defeated Josh Kallai (3-2) from Evolve MMA via unanimous decision in a lightweight tussle.  Round one saw a mostly standup fight as Browne and Kallai traded leg kicks, knees and punches.  Browne got the lone takedown of the round with a slam while Kallai had secured a guillotine choke even holding on as the fight hit the mat.    Round two was more standup with Browne landing the straighter more effective punches as he now started to rack up points on the scorecards.  Round three saw Brown land even more power shots but Kallai was a game opponent throughout the fight as he was able to get a takedown of his own but in the end Browne had accumulated enough points and done enough damage to walk away with the decision.

In a co-main event, Jarred Zarlingo (6-2) from Wrecking Crew defeated Alex Brown (4-4) from Team Black Dragon/Warlords Gym in a 170 lb fight by rear naked choke in round two.  Zarlingo is on a 4-fight win streak and is quickly rising up through the ranks in NAAFS.  The first round was a back and forth with Zarlingo gaining the advantage by putting Brown on the mat from a hook and later in the round scoring a takedown.  Zarlingo was able to score another takedown in the second and from there he worked his submission game getting the choke and tapout for the win.

“Combat Challenge 20” was an explosive card that will whet the appetite of any MMA fan. Be sure to catch all of the action from this event as the men and women of NAAFS tore the house down, exclusively at GFL.tv

IZW April 21 Review

In the main event of the April 21 IZW free HD broadcast on GFL.tv it Jermaine Johnson and Double D defeated Nemesis (Rage Logan and Damien Morte) in a wild free-for-all tag team match.  Nemesis has by far the most experience as a tag team so it was quite an accomplishment for Johnson and Double D to defeat the #1 Challenger’s to the IZW Tag Team Titles.  The finish came when Damon Windsor left the broadcast booth to assist Nemesis only to have his running clothesline ducked by Johnson and connect squarely with Morte.  Johnson then gave Windsor a taste of his own medicine by landing a running clothesline of his own knocking both he and Windsor out of the ring.  This setup a Double D cross-body from the top rope on Morte who was still on dream street and the pinfall followed.  Windsor got back in to the ring to attack Double D put it was all for naught as he got choked by his tie by D, while Johnson delivered a series of kicks to the midsection.  This was then followed up by a Double D cross-body and a Johnson ES2 putting the lights out on one of the hitman for Team Bishop.

In other action, IZW Heavyweight Champion Aaron “The Bronze Bull” Neil handily defeated another handpicked opponent, do to a “Champion’s Provision” instituted by Commissioner Bishop, as The Midnite Rider was no match for Neil.  Neil landed a series of devastating moves including slams, punches and knees and finished the Rider off with a spinebuster-Boson Crab combo.  Neil spent most of his time showing off to the crowd with a series of poses that were greeted with boos from the Impact Arena faithful.  If he takes this approach in his tag team match with Bishop when they face Jermaine Johnson and the returning Johnny Z at “Coronation” on May 12, Neil will be in for a rude awakening.  Neil’s own ego could be his downfall.

Impact Division Champion Jordan Jacobs defeated rising star Cody Jones to retain his title as he continues to build more steam for his showdown with Double D at “Coronation” in a Ladder Match to determine the 2012 Impact Player of the Year.  The match with Jones was a barnburner as Jones looked to have the title when he landed a springboard DDT from the second rope, slamming Jacobs head into the mat.  The Champion proved his mettle by kicking out and only seconds later landing his patented Anaikolra Kick for the 1-2-3.

Watch all of the action now on video on demand for free at GFL.tv as IZW continues to change the wrestling world!

"Rise of a Warrior 6" Review

“Rise of a Warrior 6” delivered on GFL.tv as the card featured a lightweight title fight and a featherweight title fight.  This card showcased some of the rising talent in South Florida and gave the  1,600 fans in attendance and those watching worldwide on GFL.tv, two spectacular finishes in the main and co-main events. 

In the main event, IFG Champion Charles Rosa (11-2) defeated Fernando Tovar (3-2)  via armbar in the first round.  It was an action-packed fight with Tovar landing the better of the exchanges on the feet.  Tovar was pushing the pace as he threw everything at Rosa in the opening minute.  The fight made its way to the ground and from there Rosa showed a very active guard as he was constantly going for submission after submission.  He finally sunk in an armbar, but Tovar would not tapout and Rosa had to really crank on the hold to finally get the tapout from Tovar who showed tremendous heart in defeat.  After the bout it was announced that Rosa was turning professional as he has already proven everything he needs to as an amateur.  The future looks bright for the new pro.

In the co-main event for the IFG Featherweight Championship, Chad Livingston (6-1) defeated James Pessagno (0-3) by armbar submission in round two to once again become champion in the Rise of a Warrior cage.   Livingston was in control from the opening bell and landed several takedowns throughout the fight as he wanted the fight to remain on the mat where he could work his grappling.  After the bout Livingston also hinted at turning pro and being the only man to hold two IFG Championships (he won the lightweight tourney last year) it looks like a smart move for the 145 lb fighter to ply his trade professionally now.

The Rise of a Warrior promotion is a force to be reckoned with as they always present a great night of fights and entertainment and have definitely thrown down the gauntlet for MMA in the Miami-area.  Don’t miss this electrifying event featuring South Florida’s finest amateur MMA athletes competing in front of a packed house with the IFG Lightweight Title and IFL Featherweight Title on the line.   Watch “The Rise of a Warrior 6” only at GFL.tv!

"Epic Fighting 12" Preview

“Epic Fighting 12” returns on the GFL Combat Sports Network on May 4 at the Four Points Sheraton in San Diego, California.  For the 15-bout card, Epic Fighting has collected some of the deepest local talent in the country to provide the fans of SoCal and worldwide watching live on the Internet, a great night of action packed amateur fights.  

In the main event, Kaiyana Rain Tan (2-1) battles Lena Hellgvist (1-1) in a women’s 115 bout. Tan has great cardio as she has gone to a decision in all 3 of her bouts, including her lone loss which was by split decision.  Tan is a grinder that likes to outwork her opponents in the cage and constantly put pressure on her foes to keep up with her rapid pace.  Tan will look to outstrike Hellgvist early on and then build up points from there.  For Hellgvist, is coming off a win in her last fight that ended in the first round via TKO.  A heavy hitter, Hellgvist will probably be the stronger of the two women in the cage.  She will look to take advantage of the strength difference by landing the harder strikes and causing more damage to Tan and if the fight goes to the ground she will look to control the action on the mat and out wrestle Tan for dominant position.  Both Tan and Hellgvist are very exciting fighters and this bout should be full throttle.

In the co-main event, Mike Jenkins (2-0) fights Nick Home (0-0) in a lightweight matchup.  Jenkins has been impressive in his 2 outings as they have both men first round stoppages, one by KO which lasted 8 seconds and one by submission.  Home is an unknown so he could have the advantage in game planning as he at least knows the strengths of Jenkins, whereas Jenkins will just have to be prepared for anything and everything.  These fights, more often than not turn out to be barnburners as both fighters want to go in there and mix it up and prove from the beginning that they are the dominant fighter in the cage.

You won’t find more BANG for your buck so order this thrilling event.  Watch the stars of tomorrow compete today.  Be sure to catch all of the action LIVE on May 4 as Epic Fighting presents “Epic Fighting 12” on pay-per-view exclusively at GFL.tv.

Cage Fighting Extreme (CFX) "Japan VS Minnesota" Preview

One of the premier Midwest MMA organizations makes its debut on GFL.tv on April 28 as Cage Fighting Extreme (CFX) presents “Japan VS Minnesota” at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  CFX is owned by former UFC and WEC fighter Brock Larson and has featured a plethora of top level fighters throughout its existence including, Sean Sherk, Tim Sylvia, Jacob Volkmann and Chris Tuchscherer.  “Japan VS Minnesota” promises to raise the ante once again on first rate MMA as 21 fights are scheduled and the main event features one of Japan best welterweights who is a UFC veteran in a showdown with a rising Minnesotan prospect. 

In the main event, Strikeforce veteran Jeremy “The Hawk” Hamilton (8-1) fights UFC veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida (12-6) in a welterweight showdown.  Hamilton is a tall welterweight standing 6’3” and uses his long limbs to submit opponents as well as keep them at a distance with his striking.  Hamilton has a great finishing percentage as he has stopped 7 opponents out of 8 and looks to make a statement against the gritty Japanese fighter who can withstand tons of punishment.  A victory for Hamilton here puts him in elite standing and will no doubt make promoters from around the world take notice.  Yoshida is a world-class judoka and is coming off a victory against former UFC fighter Phil Baroni.  Yoshida also holds wins against Dan Hardy and War Machine and looks to finish Hamilton in front of what will no doubt be a partisan crowd in Hamilton’s favor.  This matchup will answer a lot of questions for both fighters and for one of them a victory here will send his career up the ladder.

In co-main event, Travis Perzynski (13-5) battles Yoshihiro Koyama (12-2-1) in a lightweight matchup.  Perzynski is a Midwest veteran and has fought for all the top organizations in the area.  On a two-fight winning streak with both fights ending in the first round, Perzynski has proven to be a fast started with excellent standup and grappling skills.  A victory over the Shooto and DEEP veteran will be the biggest victory of Perzynski’s career.  For Koyama, this will be his first fight in the United States and will be the first time most fans have a chance to watch the wrestling wizard in action.  MMA is truly a global sport and fans get the opportunity to watch two different fighters who only a few years ago would have never had the opportunity to be matched up against one another fight in a cage in Minneapolis and broadcast worldwide on GFL.tv.  This fight could be fight of the night as both men will come out guns blazing and look to make an example out of the other and gain a greater fan following at the same time.

Don’t miss this electrifying event featuring the finest MMA athletes compete in front of a packed house at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.   Cage Fighting Extreme always produces great fights and this event will be no different.  Watch all of the action on April 28 as “Japan VS Minnesota” streams live on pay-per-view only at GFL.tv!

Spartan Fighting Championship 14 Preview

Kentucky’s leading cage fighting event is back as Spartan Fighting Championship presents “Spartan Fighting Championship 14” on April 28 at The Arena at Montgomery County High in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. SFC always puts on action-packed cards and this event is no exception.  The exciting card is highlighted by a SFS Lightweight Championship bout and is sure to have the crowd rocking at The Arena and the fans watching around the world on GFL.tv jumping out of their seats.   

In the main event, it will be Ohio versus Kentucky as Chris “The Samurai” Bennett (6-3) fights JP Felty (2-3) for the Professional Spartan Fighting Championship Lightweight Title.  This is Bennett’s first fight back since recovering from neck surgery due to an injury sustained in training last year.  Bennett is a grappling wizard as all 6 wins of his have come via submission.  He has finished half of his opponents by guillotine choke so if and when the action hits the mat look for Bennett to attack Felty’s neck.  For Felty, he too likes to grapple as both of his wins have come via submission, so fans could be in for a chess match in this bout.  It also could turn in to a striking free-for-all as often times grapplers prefer to settle their differences in the standup as opposed to trying out their grappling on another strong submission specialist.  However this bout goes, someone is walking away with gold and for that very reason this fight should steal the show

.

SFC 14 will also feature more of the Ohio Valley’s toughest fighters including, Robert Montgomery, Michael Cockerham, Ben Cook, Mark Jones and Tyler Ingram.  All these fighters will be look to claw and scrape their way to the top and eventually find themselves in the same place Bennett and Felty are and that’s going for professional gold!

Don’t miss this thrilling mixed martial arts card with the top up and coming talent in region coming to scrap as Spartan Fighting Championship presents “Spartan Fighting Championship 14”. Watch the champions of tomorrow compete today on April 28 streaming live on pay-per-view exclusively at GFL.tv!

IZW April 21 Preview

Team We Got This led by Jermaine Johnson struck the first blow to Team Brandon Bishop last week when Johnson and his crew where able to defeat Bishop’s stable in an 8-man tag team throwdown.  This won’t sit well for the mastermind Bishop or the IZW Heavyweight Champion, Aaron “The Bronze Bull” Neil.  What do Bishop and company have in store for Johnson and Team We Got This on Saturday?  Will the announcement of Johnny Z’s return at “Coronation” on May 12 keep Bishop’s stable in check or will it make them that much more desperate to overthrow the IZW infrastructure?

The 2012 Impact Player of the Year Tournament Finals are now set, but what is going to happen in the mean time?  Double D has been looking for revenge on Impact Division Champion Jordan Jacobs for nearly two months.  Can D wait until “Coronation” on May 12 and his Ladder Match showdown to get his pound of flesh or will he be looking to make Jacobs pay for his misdeeds sooner than later.

Watch all the feuds and all the rivalries inside and outside of the squared circle.  Tune in to the Mid-South’s premiere wrestling federation and find out what will happen next.  Watch professional wrestling like it’s supposed to be, rough and tumble and always in HD!  Watch IZW!

Canadian Extreme Cage Rage - CECR 7 “The Beatdown” Review

Canadian Extreme Cage Rage - CECR 7 “The Beatdown” made its worldwide debut on GFL.tv with a great amateur card from Moncton Lions Club in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

In the main event, Matt Mazerolle defeated Jon Kelly by decision in a hard fought, gritty performace by both gladiators.  Mazerolle got the nod even though the fight ended with Kelly in a dominant position with Mazerolle pinned on the ground.  Mazerolle did enough in the first two rounds by mixing up his attacks that even though Kelly ended the fight with more momentum, it was too late for a comeback on the judges’ scorecards.

In other action, Eric Nevitt defeated Gary Brown by armbar submission in round two.  Nevitt showcases flawless grappling and transitions as the submission was set up beautifully.  Brown did a heck of a job in his own right in round one, but Nevitt was able to use body positioning and scrambles to defend Brown’s attacks and ultimately led to the fight ending tapout.

3 more fights ended in either KO or submission on “The Beatdown”.  CECR is branching out of New Brunswick, Canada and looks to be a solid proving ground for MMA in Eastern Canada where the fighters are separated from the other Canadian hotbeds of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and as such have their own unique fighting circuit.  Look for CECR to continue to present hard hitting MMA action on GFL.tv.  

Armageddon Fighting Championships - AFC 8 – “Vengeance” Review

Armageddon Fighting Championships returned on GFL.tv with AFC 8 - "Vengeance" in front of a vocal crowd at the Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The thrilling 9-bout pro/am card had knockouts, submissions and a great action throughout the night. The fans of BC, Canada are some of the most vocal anywhere on the planet and now with AFC joining forces with Aggression MMA and AXE Combat the future looks extremely bright for Western Canada’s MMA scene.

In the main event, Diego Wilson (6-1) defeated Corey "The Hatchet" Gower (3-2) by TKO in round two of their epic bantamweight showdown.  Wilson proved his grappling superiority as in the first round he had Gower down and was landing strike after strike while Gower could not get off the mat because of Wilson’s great control  Round two was more of the same as Wilson controlled the standup landing several inside leg kicks that kept Gower at bay and off balance.  Wilson finished the fight by landing a big right elbow that knocked Gower down and the referee called a halt to the bout as Gower was hurt and disoriented.  It was a great showing for Wilson as he got to grapple and strike and showed future opponents that he is solid in both areas. 

In the co-main event, Adam Smith (4-0) defeated  Karl "The Viking" Bergen (5-1) by split decision in what was fight of the night in the welterweight division.   Smith did enough to win in the eyes of two judges and it was probably the right call, although the fight was extremely close and could have gone either way.  Smith controlled the action in the first two rounds with wrestling and landing the cleaner strikes, but Bergen proved his cardio was in tip-top shape as he was the fresher of the two fighters in the final round and reversed Smith’s momentum and started landing strikes as the two wrestled for control in the final minutes.  It was a great fight and this can only help both men’s careers as anyone who saw this fight got their monies worth.

AFC returns with the best MMA action in Western Canada with AFC 8 - "Vengeance".  If you missed the live event, order the replay on video on demand and watch some of the best blue chip prospects Canada has to offer all fighting in the MMA hotbed of British Columbia.  Order now!

Caged Chaos 5 "Vendetta" Preview

South Carolina’s #1 MMA promotion makes its debut on the GFL Combat Sports Network as Caged Chaos 5 presents “Vendetta”.  Caged Chaos is pulling out all the stops as 3 championship titles will be on the line as all the action takes place at Jamil Temple in Columbia, South Carolina on May 5. 

In the main event, Tim “The Terror” Goodwin (5-3) faces Chris “The Constrictor” Cain (5-2) in the long awaited Cage Chaos Bantamweight Championship.  Goodwin come into the fight looking to bang as 3 of his 5 wins have come via KO or TKO.  Goodwin is a well-rounded fighter as he also has a slick ground game evidenced by his victory by arm triangle.  Goodwin is a superstar in the MMA scene in South Carolina and looks to make a name for himself nationally by defeating Cain and becoming the new Caged Chaos 135 lb champion.  Cain is on a 3-fight win streak and previously fought at lightweight, so he will be the bigger, stronger fighter in the cage come fight night.  Cain likes to grind away at his opponents and push the pace stacking up rounds while controlling the fight.  A strong wrestler, Cain likes to dictate where the fight goes and will look to make Goodwin fight his fight.  The winner of this bout will be considered the top 135 lb fighter in the region as a whole.

In the co-main event, Solon “Sharktooth” Staley (10-3) fights Ronnie “The Heat” Lawrence (3-3) for the ISKA Regional Bantamweight Championship.  Staley holds titles with numerous other organizations, so he will be ready to fight in this championship bout.  Staley is a strong grappler and especially likes the guillotine choke as half his wins have come from this submission alone.  Staley will look to get the fight to the ground and attack Lawrence’s neck either with a guillotine or rear naked choke.  For Lawrence, he fights a high reward-high risk style as evidenced by his .500 record.  You never know what Lawrence will do in the ring as he can wrestle and strike so it will be interesting to see which strategy Lawrence tries to implement.

The third title fight of the evening features Jason “The Nightmare” Faglier Jr. (6-0) fighting Nicholas Vecchione (2-5) with the ISKA SC Bantamweight Championship at stake.  For the undefeated Faglier Jr., he already holds two titles in his young career and has only gone to a decision once, submitting his other 5 opponents.  Faglier is a tremendous grappler who can beat you with a choke, armbar or any other finishing hold so look for him to try for a takedown early on.  This is a career defining fight for Vecchione as a victory over Faglier Jr. could put his career on an upward swing in a hurry.  Vecchione is coming off a great victory in his last fight where he scored a submission victory in the final round.  With momentum at his back Vecchione believes now is the time for him to make his mark and show the crowd in Columbia that his record is very deceiving.

You won’t find better matchups then this!  Be sure to catch all of the action LIVE on May 5 including 3 title fights as Caged Chaos 5 presents “Vendetta” on pay-per-view exclusively at GFL.tv.

April 14 IZW Review

In the main event of the April 14 IZW free HD broadcast on GFL.tv it was an 8-man tag team match as Team We Got This (Jermaine Johnson, Double D, Gary Tool and Randy Price) defeated Team Brandon Bishop (Aaron Neil, Jordan Jacobs, Rage Logan and Damon Windsor) in front of a amped crowd in what has been the biggest push back to the Brandon Bishop regime since he took a stranglehold on IZW.  While craziness ensued outside of the ring, Johnson had Windsor one on one inside the squared circle.  Johnson delivered a slam that might have sealed the deal, but Bishop interfered breaking up the pin attempt by Johnson.  Bishop ate a right hand for his trouble, which knocked him out of the ring.  But in the distraction, Windsor recovered and clobbered Johnson from behind only to have Coach Tool deliver a Samoan drop on the big man setting up Johnson’s finisher, the ES2 for the win.  What is most interesting in the entire melee is how IZW Heavyweight Champion Aaron Neil wanted no part of getting in the ring with Johnson one on one.  Everybody knows Johnson has been Neil’s toughest foe and the man Neil beat for the title.  Neil used to take on all comers no matter what the odds. But now “The Bronze Bull” seems to shy away from even competition.  Maybe the bleach he used to dye his hair blonde seeped into his head and caused some brain damage…

The 2012 Impact Player of the Year Tournament continued as Double D defeated Rage Logan in a high flying-grappling classic semifinal match.  The end came when Logan went for a moonsault but missed allowing Double D to rise to the top rope and land a cross body followed by a pinfall for the win. Double D will now face Jordan Jacobs at “Coronation” on May 12 in a Ladder Match to crown the Impact Player of the Year.

In other big news, “The Natural Born Leader” Johnny Z will finally make his long awaited in ring return to IZW and the Impact Arena after suffering a severe knee injury at the end of 2011.  The news was broke courtesy of Jermaine Johnson who let everybody know that come “Coronation” on May 12, Johnny Z would be back tag teaming with Jermaine Johnson against the team of Aaron Neil and Brandon Bishop.

Watch all of the action now on video on demand for free at GFL.tv as IZW continues to change the wrestling world!

Ultimate Reno Combat 32 Review

Northern Nevada’s premier cage fighting event returned as Ultimate Reno Combat presented “Ultimate Reno Combat 32” in front of a lively crowd at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.  9 of 10 bouts ended in either KO or submission as URC proved once again, nobody puts on more exciting MMA shows then them.

In the main event, Brandon Ricetti (5-2) defeated Jesse Romero (2-2) via TKO in round two, to become the new URC Lightweight Champion.  It was a back and forth first round with the former champion mixing things up as Ricetti tried to settle in and implement his attack.  In the second, after some Greco-Roman clinch work, Ricetti got a takedown on the winded Romero.  From there, Ricetti took half mount and delivered a series of punches until the ref finally called a halt to the action.  Ricetti’s best weapon was his conditioning as the stoppage was more due to the continuation of punches rather than the strength of them.  Ricetti took Romero’s back and continued to punch.  Romero was too tired to defend himself while Ricetti kept punching and punching until the end.

In the co-main event, Terrell Bosen (3-0) defeated Will Hinrichs (1-1) by kimura submission hold in round one to become the new URC Heavyweight Champion.  Bosen is a heavy puncher with both previous wins coming via first round KO but he showed he is equally as dangerous on the ground getting a tapout victory in under a minute.   Bosen attacked from the opening bell landing a huge right that dropped Hinrichs.  Hinrichs got back to his feet and was able to land a takedown himself but when things hit the mat Bosen isolated Hinrichs’ left arm to set up the fight ending submission.  With only 3 amateur fights under his belt, the sky is the limit on how great Bosen can eventually become. 

Watch the champions of tomorrow compete today!  Don’t miss this loaded event with 10 high octane bouts and 9 finishes as Northern Nevada’s Ultimate Reno Combat presents “Ultimate Reno Combat 32”, exclusively on GFL.tv.

"Ring of Combat XL" Preview

 

Ring of Combat returns April 27 with “ROC XL”.  This event has another stacked lineup, something Ring of Combat has become synonymous with and emanates from the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey or on iPPV through the GFL Combat Sports Network to watch this exciting card.   ROC continues to be the linchpin of East Coast MMA and this 15-bout card reiterates its dominance as the top dog of MMA in the Tri-State area.  

In a featured bout, Uriah Hall (6-2) faces Dominique “Non-Stop Action Packed” Steele (7-2) in a light heavyweight scrap.  Former ROC Champion, Hall, is a ROC fan favorite as the New Yorker always brings it.  His last bout he won via the seldom used heel hook submission and is in the midst of a 2-fight win streak.  All of Hall’s wins have come via stoppage either KO or submission so he will look to do the same against Steele in their hotly anticipated battle.  Steele is a veteran of Strikeforce and looks to get back in the win column after losing a tough decision in his last outing.  Steele has only had 1 of his 9 bouts go to a decision so his fight with Hall is shaping up to be a barnburner as neither man likes to go for the decision.  Don’t blink as Hall and Steele have the power and technique to end the fight early.

Also on the card, former UFC fighter Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman (17-14-1) fights Dmitry Zabolotny (5-2) in a light heavyweight showdown.  Eastman is traveling from Las Vegas and for the veteran fighter, this is an opportunity to get back in the win column against a tough up and coming East Coast prospect.  Eastman has fought everyone from Quinton Jackson to Vitor Belfort in his impressive career and this will be one more top fighter on his list.  Eastman is hungry to prove he still belongs in the upper echelon of fighters in the 205 lb division.  Zabolotny is one of the new breed of Russian fighters, though he currently trains and lives in New York.  Zabolotny has a varied arsenal of attacks including a great submission game.  Winning all of his last 5 fights, Zabolotny looks to add a UFC veteran’s name to that list on April 27.  It will be Eastman’s striking versus Zabolotny’s ground skills.

You won’t find a more thrilling card then this one. Be sure to catch all of the action LIVE on April 27 as Ring of Combat presents “ROC XL” exclusively on pay-per-view at GFL.tv.

"Rise of a Warrior 6" Preview

“Rise of a Warrior 6” is back on GFL.tv and the card features a lightweight title fight and the continuation of a welterweight tournament.  This free event will showcase some of the rising talent in South Florida along with giving the fans a title match in the stacked lightweight division.  It all goes down on April 21 at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce, Florida.  

In the main event, IFG Champion Charles Rosa (10-2) fights Fernando Tovar (3-1) in a 155 lb contest.  Rosa won the title by defeating former Champion, Chad Livingston by unanimous decision.  Livingston previously defeated Tovar to win a tournament and be crowned champion so things have come full circle for Tovar who again finds himself battling for the IFG title.  Rosa is a well-rounded fighter with wins by both KO and submission and holds a significant advantage in experience over the challenger.  But Tovar has had plenty of time to re-tool and regroup and work on a different strategy since his last bout and fans expect to see a completely re-vamped Tovar once he steps into the cage on April 21.  This is going to be a wild fight as both fighters like to bring the fight to their opponents and they should meet in the center of the cage and start throwing bombs or looking for takedowns.  Expect fireworks early on.

Also on the card is the IFG Welterweight Quarterfinals featuring 8 of the toughest 170 lb fighters in South Florida.  Last year was a rousing success with the Lightweight Tournament and you can bet this year will be no different.  Whoever finally comes out of this tournament as champion will be a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division for anyone. 

The Rise of a Warrior promotion is a force to be reckoned with as they always present a great night of fights and entertainment and have definitely thrown down the gauntlet for MMA in the Miami-area.  Don’t miss this electrifying event featuring South Florida’s finest amateur MMA athletes competing in front of a packed house on April 21.   Watch “The Rise of a Warrior 6” for FREE only at GFL.tv!

NAAFS - "Combat Challenge 20" Preview

The North American Allied Fight Series (NAAFS) returns to GFL.tv with “Combat Challenge 20” at Chapparells Community Center in Akron, Ohio on April 21. NAAFS is one of the most prolific MMA organizations in the country as it runs a monthly event in and around the Ohio area. The 15-bout card features many of the rising stars in the Midwest region and looks to create new stars for the future. 

In a co-main event, James Pfieffer (6-0) from Kim’s Martial Arts battles Jared Zarlingo (5-2) from Wrecking Crew.  Both fighters come into the bout holding titles with different organizations.   Pfieffer is a grinder and likes to wear out his opponents and put them through the ringer every round.  He has 4 of 6 wins by decision and it’s in large part thanks to his awesome cardio condition which allows him to take the fight to another level in the later rounds while his opponents are sucking for wind.  A fight with Pfieffer is a fight his opponents remember.  For Zarlingo, he is on a 3-fight win streak and looks to give Pfieffer his first loss.  A well-rounder fighter, Zarlingo has wins by KO and submission and is a very different styled fighter than his opponent.  This will be a clash of wills as these two athletes will butt heads in the cage as soon as the bell rings.  Whoever can dictate the pace will be at a huge advantage.

In a featured bout of the night, Josh Kallai (3-1) from Evolve MMA takes on Nick Browne (2-0) of Uniontown Fight Club in a lightweight scrap.  Kallai looks to regroup as he suffered his first defeat in his last fight, losing a tough decision.  Browne is a slick grappler who holds two submission win victories.  This should be a great matchup of two, young, hungry lightweights at the beginning of their careers.

“Combat Challenge 20” will no doubt be an explosive card that will whet the appetite of any MMA fan. Be sure to catch all of the action from this event live on April 21 exclusively at GFL.tv.

CFA 6 - “Palomino VS Warfield” Review

CFA 6 presented another night of exciting fights with “Palomino VS Warfield” as the rising promotion showcased internationally recognized stars in combination with up and coming local prospects all on an amazing 10 bout card that featured 8 stoppages either via KO or submission.  The event took place from the BankUnited Center on the campus of the University of Miami and was anchored by a Lightweight Championship battle.

In the main event, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (19-7) defeated James “The Unbreakable Heavy Hitter” Warfield (22-10) by unanimous decision in a hard fought grueling match that went the distance but provided plenty of in cage action.  In what turned out to be a wild striking match, both men through everything they had at one another, including spinning back kicks and flying knees by Palomino and vicious left hooks by Warfield.  Warfield was bloodied before it was all over, but no worse for the wear as both men fought with their hearts on this night.  Palomino was to slick as Warfield could never connect with more than one big shot and spent a lot of the fight walking down Palomino only to have Palomino change angles and attack.  It was a terrific win by Palomino who showed that his standup game is very deadly even against a skilled fighter like Warfield.

In the co-main event, Abe Trujillo (8-4) defeated James Edson Berto (16-9-1) by submission in a lightweight contenders match.  Trujillo came out jabbing as Berto looked for a takedown that was partially stuffed by Trujillo.  The fighters ended up on the mat with Trujillo on top.  Berto went for a heel hook but Trujillo stuffed it.  Trujillo then landed several hard punches to Berto’s face and head as Berto yelled to the ref that they were to the back of the head.  The first punch was clearly to the face and the second clearly landed in the back of the head as Berto turned to avoid the punch.  The referee called a halt to the action and in fact stopped the fight shortly after this series of events.  It was an odd stoppage and put a damper on an otherwise very exciting first round.  Hopefully Trujillo and Berto will get to fight again as this could have been fight of the night.

Don’t miss this thrilling mixed martial arts card as it’s still available for viewing on video on demand as some of the best fighters in the world bring down the house on the campus of The U! “Palomino VS Warfield” proved why MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world.  There are talented fighters everywhere and CFA is a breeding ground for the champions of tomorrow.  Order now only on GFL.tv.

Ultimate Reno Combat 32 Preview

Northern Nevada’s premier cage fighting event returns as Ultimate Reno Combat presents “Ultimate Reno Combat 32” LIVE on April 13, a 12-bout card featuring 2 title fights, from the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.  

In the main event, Brandon Ricetti (4-2) battles Jesse Romero (2-1) in a lightweight title fight.  Ricetti is coming off of a great first round submission win and it caught the eyes of the URC brass.  The Californian has fought all 6 of his bouts in the URC cage and is a fan favorite for his fighting style which has never seen him go the distance in any fight.  Ricetti looks to wow the crowd again and in the process take home gold.  His opponent, Romero has less experience but is equally dangerous as he has been in the cage with some of the toughest amateurs in the West and has proven he can hang with an unrelenting pace and pressure he imposes on his opponents.  Romero is always first to the punch and will look to take the fight to Ricetti from the very beginning.  This 155 lb title fight should be a barnburner.

In the co-main event, with the URC Heavyweight Championship on the line, Terrell Bosen (2-0) fights Will Hinrichs (1-0).  Bosen is a heavy puncher with both wins coming via first round KO.  Bosen can instantly end any fight as one of his wins came in just 10 seconds.  Bosen throws punches with only bad intentions so don’t blink.  Hinrichs is more of a grappler and won his lone fight by second round submission.  This title fight will be a contrast in skills and strategy as Bosen will look to land bombs while Hinrichs will look for a takedown where he can work his submission game.  Whoever is able to implement their gameplan with be at a definite advantage and probably walk away with gold.

Watch the champions of tomorrow compete today!  Don’t miss this loaded event with 12 high octane bouts as Northern Nevada’s Ultimate Reno Combat presents “Ultimate Reno Combat 32” on April 13, exclusively on GFL.tv.

April 14 IZW Preview

 IZW Heavyweight Champion Aaron “The Bronze Bull” Neil and his minions cannot be stopped.  Neil has hit his stride inside the ring and now that he is aligned with the Brandon Bishop faction, every wrestler in IZW is watching their backs.  Last week Double D and Jermaine Johnson faced the brunt of this new group as they were summarily destroyed by Jordan Jacobs, Damon Windsor, Nemesis and finally Neil at the end of the night.  What will Neil and his cohorts plan next? 

The 2012 Impact Player of the Year Tournament is also front and center this week as Double D faces Rage Logan with the winner wrestling Jordan Jacobs at “Coronation” on May 12 in a Ladder Match.

Watch all the feuds and all the rivalries inside and outside of the squared circle.  Tune in to the Mid-South’s premiere wrestling federation and find out what will happen next.  Watch professional wrestling like it’s supposed to be, rough and tumble and always in HD!  Watch IZW!

Ring of Combat "ROC AMXII" Preview

Ring of Combat returns April 21 with “ROC AMXII” from Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey.  This 17-bout event has another stacked lineup, something Ring of Combat has become synonymous with, as this time the amateurs are showcased and the 170 lb and 155 lb titles are on the line.  ROC continues to be the linchpin of East Coast MMA and this card reiterates its dominance as the top dog in the Tri-State area.  

In the main event, Eddie Lenoci (5-1) battles Greg Quarantello (6-2) for the ROC Amateur Welterweight Title.  Lenoci won the title in 2011 at AMXI by choke and looks to defend the belt for the first time at AMXII.  All of Lenoci’s victories have come via KO or submission, and even his lone defeat has come via stoppage so expect this bout not to do to the distance.  Lenoci has been very successful with his fast paced, high risk/high reward style and fighting in the main event will only sharpen Lenoci’s resolve to put on an entertaining show for the fans.  For Quarantello, he too is a finisher as 5 of his 6 wins have come via KO or submission.  He has experience fighting for a title, so he will not be overcome by the moment when he steps into the cage to face Lenoci.  Quarantello is coming off a KO victory in his last fight too so his confidence will be at an all-time high when he squares off against the ROC Champ.  Expect fireworks in this bout and the odds are somebody is getting stopped when these two young lions square off.  

In the co-main event, Johnathan Pecnya (5-3) fights Frank Buenafuente (4-0) for the ROC Amateur Lightweight Title.  Pecnya has been a champion with another organization already so he is used to fighting in championship bouts.  A versatile mixed martial artist, Pecnya can beat you on his feet or on the ground with Kos and submissions both on his resume.  For the undefeated Buenafuente, this is his first shot at gold and he has proven worthy of the opportunity.  Buenafuente is a grinder and likes to outwork his opponent and wear them down.  This strategy has proven successful as he has won 3 of 4 fights by decision.  It will be a contrast in styles when Pecnya and Buenafuente lock horns inside the cage.

You won’t find a more thrilling card then this one. Be sure to catch all of the action LIVE on April 21 as Ring of Combat presents “ROC AMXII” exclusively on pay-per-view at GFL.tv.