Feb 28th Club Combat Results!

Club Combat
February 28, 2004
Engine Room, Houston, TX

QUICK RESULTS:

• Matthew Johnson (Vasquez Academy) vs Brad Barnes (Team Damage): Johnson by TKO R2, Ref Stop
  
• Reynaldo Gil (Vasquez Academy) vs. John Rotharmel (Grapplers Lair): Gil by Decision
  
• George Zamarron (Vasquez Academy) vs. Omar Limon (Team Pound): Zamarron by Decision
  
• Jason Lansom (Regulators Jiu-Jitsu) vs. Sheldon Osha (Precision Martial Arts): Lansom by Kimura R2
  
• JD Barbosa (Solis Martial Arts Academy) vs. Paul Knight (Mohler Jiu-Jitsu): Knight by Keylock R1
  
• Travis Lamb (Texas Powerhouse) vs. Kirk Gibson (Mohler Jiu-Jitsu): Gibson by Decision
  
• Rene Renden (Grapplers Lair) vs. Clint Watts (Team Damage): Watts by Decision
  
• Matt McAdams (Texas Powerhouse) vs. Jesse Vasquez (Bushi-Ban): McAdams by Armbar R1
  
• Paul Woo vs. Robert King (Houston Kickboxing Gym): Woo by Guillotine R1
  
• Elliott Edmunds (Houston Kickboxing Gym) vs. Tristan Foster (Texas Freefighters): Edmunds by TKO R3
  
• Jaime Lara (Team Damage) vs. Hugo Labady: Lara by Reverse Triangle R1
  
• Angel Cortez (Team Pound) vs. Hugh Brasher (Houston Kickboxing Gym): Cortez by Rear Naked Choke R1
  
• Jeff Rangel (Texas Freefighters) vs. Robert Dembek (Integrated Fighting Arts): Dembek by Decision
  
• Chris Collins (Mohler Jiu-Jitsu) vs. Lane Cheresqui (Grapplers Lair): Cheresqui by Armlock from Kesa R1
  
• Jason Lamberti (Grapplers Lair) vs. Lance Ramoth (Extreme Self Defense): Raymont by Decision

For the full review click on READ MORE.

February 28th marked the debut of Club Combat, the amateur MMA collaboration of Texas Kickfighting Organization’s Steve Armstrong and Renegades Extreme Fighting’s Saul Soliz.ÿÿ This was also one of the first MMA shows in Texas featuring a caged ring.ÿ Set in the alt/rock venue the Engine Room on Pease St. in downtown Houston, with the band Four headlining as the music act during the show, Club Combat was a venture designed to deliver fighting and hard rocking music on the same night.

The venue was packed to capacity (600) and at least a hundred people were turned away at the door.ÿ The crowd was treated to a huge number of fights (15 overall) and a blistering performance by Four.ÿ Most of the fights were exciting, with the amateur competitors trying to give it their all.ÿ Some fights were better than others but it was clear that no one came to sandbag tonight.ÿ

There were a few downsides, however.ÿ The club was standing room only and there were no monitors, so many in the crowd complained about the fact they could not see any of the action.ÿ Additionally, due to the cramped confines of the club, the warmup and staging area was outside in the cool weather, making it difficult for fighters to get and stay warm in preparation.ÿ Rumor has it that the next amateur show will be in the Verizon Wireless Theater, and will eliminate these two problems.

Overall the event went well, and Reverend Bart did his usual over the top announcing to get the crowd fired up, but most in the back of the crowd found it impossible to see the matches.ÿ Something which hopefully wont discourage some of the newer fans that came out to watch MMA.ÿ

Thereÿwere a few interesting notes to point out:

• Turnaround of the night probably would have to go to Paul Woo, who was on the receiving end of a big air high amp throw from Robert King and looked like he was going to be eventually overwhelmed, only to sink a textbook guillotine and fall to guard to finalize for the tap from King less than a minute later.


• Robert Dembek almost had an armbar and several triangles on his way to victory by decision, but Jeff Rangel fought his way out of all of them, including a seemingly-finished straight armbar.ÿ


• Travis Lamb had a great performance against Kirk Gibson, with great aggression and heavy blows landed – both I and judge Tim Credeur thought he was just plain robbed in theÿmajority decision for Gibson.

All in all, Club Combat was a decent debut for amateur MMA in the cage here in TX.ÿ Ifÿthe next show is held in the Verizon as rumored, then it would address theÿmain complaint of the night, which was being able to see the matches.ÿ Additionally, the cage (a standard boxing ring without ropes, enclosed with rubber coated chain link) held up well and seemed to do what it was supposed to, which was to help continuity (no breaks due to proximity to the ropes as before) of the fight and to quiet critics of the use of a regular roped boxing ring.ÿ

The next amateur event is on March 13th, Steve Armstrong’s Martial Arts Fight Night VI in Dallas, so be sure to catch the show to see some of Texas’ next up and comers.