Okay everyone, I finished the blow-by-blow accounting of all the matches at last weekend’s Combate Extremo / Vale Tudo Mexico event in Nuevo Laredo, MX.ÿ Full descriptions of the action for each round for each fight, as always, the most complete descriptions anywhere.ÿ Click on READ MORE below to read the full writeup.
Combate Extremo / Vale Tudo Mexico
Nuevo Laredo, MX
August 30th, 2003
Match 1: Lane Yarborough vs Felix Lopez
Round 1
Both circle, Lopez closes, both fight for control in the clinch, both using knees and punches, Lane backing Lopez against the ropes, Lopez takes a guillotine and Lane elevates him for a slam. Lane is able to pull his head of danger and pass to half guard, Lopez attempts to go for another submission that Lane blocks, Lopez goes back to full guard. Lane escapes and kicks at Lopez on the ground, then tries a stomp in the air Sakuraba-style. Lane gets out and avoids Lopez’s kicks from buttscoot to get to Lopez’s half guard. Lopez gets to knees and tries to drive for the takedown as Lane sprawls and lands a good knee in the transition. They both get to standing clinch, where Lane executes an outside trip to take Lopez down at the end of the round.
Round 2
Both skirmish, trade blows as Lane closes again, Lopez takes another guillotine and Lane goes with it so Lopez lands hard on the mat on his back, Lopez cannot maintain the guillotine and Lane is able to get back to standing and kicks at a buttscooting Lopez. Lane tries to jump back into guard as Lopez lands a good up kick, Lane continues and is able to get past into side control but Lopez defends and Lane is back to standing. Lane passes into Lopez’s half guard as Lopez attempts to buck and escape out the back but Lane takes his back in the process and puts hooks in, landing several good shots to the back of the head. Lopez attempts to roll but Lane stays with him and rolls to his side, still on Lopez’s back. now with an arm in on Lopez’s neck. Lane is just about to start trying to finalize the rear naked when the bell sounds.
Round 3.
Both trade shots and Lopez tries another guillotine which Lane avoids and he attempts another Sak stomp, Lopez defends and manages to go for a heelhook in the process, which Lane spins through and gets back to standing, then jumps into Lopez’s guard. Lopez locks up both of Lane’s arms and Lane picks up Lopez who is still locked on to him, and jumps forward to slam Lopez. The ref stands them up after a stalemate and the two trade punches, with Lane able to back Lopez to the corner, landing a good knee in the process. . Both escape the corner and begin to trade punches on the feet, closing and skirmishing with Lopez landing a good low kick to end the round.
Round 4.
Lane lands a mid kick and punch to Lopez and Lopez chases him, both fight within the clinch and Lane is able to take Lopez down and land in half mount. Lopez gets to full guard and tries to work from there, as Lane works some ground and pound and backs out to standing, then going for another flying stomp and kicking at Lopez’ legs. The ref stands them up and the two try to trade again, with Lane landing two good knees from the clinch that seem to stun Lopez . Lopez recovers and the round ends with both still in the clinch.
Round 5.
Lopez and Lane both probe with jabs, Lopez tries a combo and lands a low kick, both clinch and Lane drives Lopez to the corner. Lane throws side knees to Lopez’ legs, Lopez escapes and the two trade blows, Lopez lands a good low kick that looks almost illegal, Lane fights on and the two clinch again, Lane takes Lopez down and lands in half mount again, Lopez gets back to full guard and Lane backs out to standing. Lane tries to stomp Lopez again, who goes for and misses a heel hook. Lane gets out of the attempt, both get to standing, and Lane takes Lopez down to end the round. Lane Yarborough wins by Unanimous Decision.
Match 2: Ben Brown vs. Jonathan Ivey
Round 1
Brown throws a couple of blows that miss but drives Ivey to the corner, Ivey drives back out of the corner clinching up with Brown on the ropes at the opposite side of the ring, Brown effortlessly takes Ivey down from the clinch and mounts him immediately, and begins to rain blows down on Ivey’s head. Ivey turns to his stomach and gives his back, covering up as Brown tries to put hooks in and lands a couple of hard shots to the back of Ivey’s head (legal in this event). Ivey forgets that they are legal, and complains to the ref during the action about the blows, Brown throws a couple more and, seemingly thinking that maybe he really *is* doing something illegal because of Ivey’s complaints, Brown shifts a little to the side to throw blows at the side of Ivey’s head. This gives Ivey an opening, and from underneath Brown he rolls through and takes the kneebar. Brown defends and blocks it for a few seconds, but does not try to explode out of it, allowing Ivey the time to lock it out and finalize for the victory at 1:01 of Round 1. This was an unfortunate turn of events for Brown, who was seemingly dominating Ivey up until the kneebar.
Match 3: Rick Mathis vs. Vince Lucero
Round 1
Lucero and Mathis trade lowkicks and Mathis lands a punch, they clinch up and Mathis is able to take Lucero down and end in side control. Mathis goes knee on belly and then gains mount, throwing blows at Lucero, who bucks but Mathis maintains mount and works for arm control to go for a keylock. Lucero gets his arms out of danger twice and continues to defend, as Mathis throws a couple of side shots to the head. Mathis stands up then gets back down right into side control on a game Lucero. Mathis again working the arm, wants a kimura on the far arm but the ref stands them up after the stalemate. Mathis lands some more low kicks as Lucero closes and fires shots inside the clinch as the round ends.
Round 2
Mathis lands a front push kick, and the two exchange punches with both landing but Mathis getting the better of the exchange, Lucero clinches and drives Mathis to the corner and works punches inside the clinch as hi tries to pick the leg from the outside. They escape back to center ring and trade shots, Lucero lands a good shot that stuns Mathis, who fires back and manages to land solidly, but Lucero smells blood and presses Mathis, throwing hard shots, and enough get through to keep Mathis rocked. Mathis begins to lose his footing as Lucero continues to land some shots, with Mathis turning his head away and seemingly unable to defend any longer, and his corner throws in the towel. Lucero wins at approx. :45 Round 2. This was a great match to watch, with Lucero pulling out the victory after being behind on the judges scorecards, and showing a seeming invulnerability to getting punched in the head while finishing Mathis.
Match 4: R. J. Gamez vs. Michael Shoffner
Round 1
Shoffner tries a low kick which Gamez catches, Shoffner then falls to guard. Both scramble, as Shoffner goes for an armbar which Gamez escapes and then goes to side control, but Shoffner then rolls to try and take a kneebar. Gamez resists and tries to lands some knees to Shoffner’s head. The ref stands them after the stalemate, and Shoffner goes after Gamez with a kick again, and again falls to guard when Gamez catches it. Gamez is again in guard, and ties to work ground and pound as Shoffner defends and looks for submission opportunities. The ref stands the stalemated fighters up again, and again Shoffner goes after Gamez, trading a few punches and a low kick that Gamez catches again for a takedown to close the round.
Round 2.
Games goes after Shoffner this time and drives him to the corner and takes him down. He ends in Shoffner’s guard, and both flurry with punches, as Shoffner gets enough space to try and heelkick to Gamez’ face. A few land and slow Gamez down, who then closes distance into Shoffner’s closed guard again and goes for ground and pound as Shoffner tries to look for a triangle. Stalemated again they are stood up. Shoffner’s corner throws in the towel as he is apparently unable to continue, and Gamez gets the victory at 1:23 Round 2. Shoffner took the fight on one day’s notice, filling in for Isaias Martinez’ brother who could not make it to the event.
Match 5:
Helio “Soneca” Moreira vs. Carlos Ortega
Round 1
Ortega lands a loud, brutal low round kick right off the bat and Soneca immediately grabs the leg for a single and takes Ortega down. Soneca is able to pass to side, and begins to work arm control as the outmatched Ortega attempts to defend, but Soneca is way ahead of him, quickly spinning and smoothly taking the far arm for the armbar at :52 Round 1. Ortegas ankle was injured before the match but he fought anyway, however the ankle was reinjured upon landing the initial kick to Soneca, and Ortega had to try and party with a limp the rest of the night.
Match 6, Main Event:
Aaron Riley vs. Cedric Marks
Round 1
Both feel each other out with a few strikes exchanged, and Riley is able to get inside control in the clinch and take Marks down, ending in Marks’ half guard. Riley passes to mount, and Cedric escapes and rolles, only to end in a triangle/armbar attempt by Riley, who doesnt have it at first, but Marks defends once, and Riley is able to adjust the triangle tighter and get a better angle on the armbar this time, getting the tap at 1:40 Round 1. The disappointed Marks believed he was going to fight a standup war with Riley and trained for such, however the irony here is that Riley believed Marks was going to want to trade with him, and thus trained to finish Marks on the ground instead.