HOUSTON, TX, February 23, 2012 – It’s time for our in-depth look at HDNet’s Legacy Fighting Championship 10. The show gets started promptly with the first undercard bout kicking off at at 7:00pM followed by the LIVE broadcast on HDNet’s Friday Night Fights beginning at 9PM CST / 10PM Eastern this Friday night, February 24, 2012.

This event will be the tenth Legacy Fighting Championship event since the promotion debuted this pro series back in November of 2009. Slowly but surely, LFC has grown by both quality and magnitude over the course of the past two years. Started in July of last year, the promotion has been televised nationally in partner with HDNet as part of HDNet’s Friday Night Fights. Now set for their fourth event in front of the national viewership watching on cable’s prime-time home for regional MMA events, Mick Maynard and crew are poised to bring about what could be their most notable event ever when it comes to the quality of matchups they are offering.

One of the top two bouts of the evening will feature four-time UFC veteran and TUF season 7 veteran Gerald “Hurricane” Harris taking on Bellator veteran D.J. Linderman. Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Gerald with 3-1 in UFC action prior to being abruptly cut after a loss to Maiquel Falcao back in November of 2010. Since then he’s gone on to post his recent 2-fight win streak which includes a victory over Kazuhiro Nakamura in the Dream promotion in his last fight. As for Linderman, he too has had his share of success and boasts an 11-2 record as a pro. The Yreka, California native has fought as high as heavyweight in the past, most recently in his last fight as a 232 lbs. fighter just little over a month ago. He’s making a 50 lbs. weight cut for this one and expects to bring heavyweight power in his bid to upset his more well-known opponent.

Also at the top of the card is another up-and-coming Houston fighter by the name of Justin Reiswerg looks to follow in the footsteps of his teammate Daniel Pineda (UFC veteran) when he takes on another UFC-veteran in Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood. At 10-2-1, Audinwood remains a top prospect despite dropping two tough fights to Thiago Tavares and John Makdessi in the octagon. He’ll be looking for 2nd win in a row since his last run in the UFC and will to use the Houstonian as a stepping stone on his way back in. As for Resiwerg, well he too is a fighter many think is on the rise. He’s actually the first Legacy fighter to post a win nationally as he opened the LFC 7 card with an exciting performance against Marc Ramirez at LFC 7 to introduce the promotion to a national audience back in July 2011. Because of that and his other performances as of late, local Houstonians are looking at him as one of the city’s top prospects to “go national” (Zuffa). A win over Audinwood on HDNet this Friday would go far in validating the hopes of local fans.

In the third highlight fight of the evening, we have a good old fashioned Texas showdown with Houston’s Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis looking to bounce back from his LFC 9 title bout loss to Jorge “Macaco” Patino when he takes on promotional first-timer and longtime Texas MMA veteran Eric “Big Head” Davila. As for the Big-Headed one, he’ll also be looking to bounce back from a loss to UFC-vet Dave Menne in his last bout. Prior to that fight, Davila had won his previous four bouts over some tough opponents including another UFC-vet in Brock Larson so he’ll definitely be looking to get back on track and do it in a big way in this televised bout.

As for the rest of the main card, it’s shaped up to be an exciting one that could bring forth many other prospects to watch out for on the national scene in the near future.

Filling out the televised card as some interesting prospects and familiar last names with a pair of Zuffa-siblings coming to Houston to use Legacy as a vehicle for their own success. Chidi Njokuani (younger brother of UFC fighter Anthony Njokuani) comes into town from Las Vegas to face another local revelation as of late in Jonathan “Hulk” Harris in what should be an exciting striking battle between the two knockout artists. Likewise, Carson Beebe (brother of UFC vet Chase Beebe) will also be looking to make his own case as a pro to watch out for when he takes on local veteran Tim Snyder. Last but not least, two of Houston’s own up-and-coming prospects face each other when Alex Morono takes on Rashon Lewis in the opening bout of the evening on HDNet.

The list of intriguing bouts and prospects to take note of continues on the local undercard as well. Let’s take a deeper look and break down all the fights on the evening with our TXMMA fight-by-fight preview after a quick look at the entire card.

Legacy Fighting Championship 10 – Quick Card

Legacy FC 10 – Main Card (HDNet)

155 lbs.:  Justin Reiswerg (4-1) vs. Pat Audinwood (10-2-1)

185 lbs.: DJ Linderman (10-2) vs. Gerald Harris (19-4)

170 lbs.: Mike Bronzoulis (13-4-1) vs. Eric “Big Head” Davila (20-11)

170 lbs.: Jonathan Harris (6-1) vs. Chidi Njokuani (5-3)

135 lbs.: Carson Beebe (9-1) vs. Tim Snyder (12-8-1)

170 lbs.: Alex Morono (3-1) vs. Rashon Lewis (2-1)

Legacy FC 10 – Prelims (Untelevised)

135 lbs.: Angel Huerta (4-0) vs. Mike Sierra (4-5)

135 lbs.: Cody Williams (3-1) vs. Jesus Mendez (0-0)

185 lbs.: Bubba Bush (3-1) vs. Patrick Hutton (3-3)

170 lbs.: Lee King (14-17-1) vs. Shawn Machado (2-1)

155 lbs.: Munil Adriano (7-7) vs. Rey Trujillo (9-6)

Legacy FC 10 In-Depth Main Card Preview

Middleweight Bout: DJ “Da Protege” Linderman (10-2) vs. Gerald “Hurricane” Harris (19-4)

As we’ve mentioned above and in our TXMMA Tale of the Tape piece featuring these two, we’re expecting this one to be one heck of a barn burner between two guys with the talent to make a splash in any organization they end up in. “Hurricane” Harris has already proven himself to be worthy of that type of praise with his octagon performances after his run on The Ultimate Fighter and Linderman is looking for his own respect in this one as he comes down two weight classes to challenge what should be his toughest opponent yet after taking on other tough guys like ATT vet Mario Rinaldi at heavyweight.

“I took this fight on 27 days notice and actually fought a week before that at 232 lbs. against a guy that was 270,” said Linderman in his TXMMA pre-fight interview.  Now I’m doing a 50 lbs. cut in 27 days and not that many people can do that. No cut is ever easy. I don’t know if fighters ever say that but it’s definitely not true. I’m getting pretty versatile though in being able to fight in different weight classes and bringing this power down from heavyweight to middleweight is going to be a great thing.”

Analysis / Prediction

Both of this guys are known for their explosive nature. Harris has 2 ‘knockout of the night’ bonuses from his days plying his trade in the UFC In fact, his slam knockout of Dave Branch at UFC 116 remains on that promotion’s top knockout list (UFC Top 1oo). In addition to his pedigreed prowess as a powerful wrestler, Gerald also carries hurting ability in his hands – something he might had to use against “Da Protege.” Although he wasn’t a wrestler, D.J. Linderman has made his own MMA living by taking his opponents and slamming them into the canvass. He loves to ground-and-pound his opponents and it will be interesting to see what type of power he brings down coming from heavyweight all the way down to middleweight. Couple that in with the fact that he’s faced tough wrestlers like Rinaldi before and he knows what could happen in this one. Will Harris be too fast for the Californian? Will Linderman be the stronger fighter? And who has the better cardio if this one goes all three rounds? All those questions remain the be answered. Until then, I guess we have to make a prediction.

Prediction – D.J. Linderman over Gerald Harris by unanimous decision.

Lightweight Bout – Justin “Wolverine” Reiswerg (4-1) vs. Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood (10-2-1)

We talked about Justin in our TXMMA Fighter Profiles piece for this card, saying “might just be the next breakout star hailing from the Houston area if his performances of 2011 are of any indication.” Justin is headed into this bout after going 3-0 last year, all after taking a two-year hiatus from the sport while focusing on his academics. He’s finally due to graduate from the University of Houston this summer and he’ll be looking to graduate into MMA fame if he can get past Audinwood in this one. As for the New York based wrestler, Audinwood is also a fighter that commands keeping an eye on despite his two uFC lsoses. He started his career undefeated at 9-0 before he dropped his two bouts in the octagon. He’s still only 25 years old so that could have proved a valuable learning experience for him. When it’s all said and done, the winner of this bout could be marked for some big things ahead – either in LFC or elsewhere.

Analyis / Prediction

Just to be clear, Pat Audinwood should be stepping into this bout as a clear favorite given the level of opponents he’s faced thus far. Anybody who’s faced anybody in the UFC taking on a 4-1 fighter should be the favorite and rightfully so. Pat’s a strong wrestler and a big 155’er who also happens to be a pretty decent submission artist as well. As for Justin, this writer believes he’ll have the advantage in the striking department and while he doesn’t have the wrestling pedigree of his opponent, he’s also clearly shown that he’s no slouch when it comes to groundwork. Like Harris / Linderman, this is another wildcard type of fight where anything can happen. Objectively speaking, Reiswerg will go in as the underdog but a live one at that. I’m going to make the homer pick here and say he takes it as another fighter to watch out for coming out of the Bayou City.

Prediction – Justin Reiswerg over Pat Audinwood by submission.

Welterweight Bout – Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis (13-4-1) vs. Eric “Big Head” Davila (20-11)

This fight is a pivotal one for two hard-nosed veterans coming off losses and looking to re-propel their careers. To be quite honest, Bronzoulis didn’t seem like himself in his last bout against Jorge Patino. A twist of the ankle could have had something to do with that (or not) but either way, he’ll be looking to reclaim his mojo against Davila. Likewise, Eric Davila will also look to get back to his winning ways after a surprising loss by guillotine to Dave Menne at Ultimate Warrrior 1 back in November.

Analysis / Prediction

This fight has the potential to be an exciting one for the pure and simple fact that both these guys like to brawl and both of them have really hard heads. It’s crazy that with almost 50 bouts between them, neither guy has ever been finished by knockout or TKO. If that’s not a testament to their reinforced craniums, then I don’t know what is. Both these guys are really hard to finish. Be that as it may, this fight could come down to who wins the battle in the clinch more often and gets to tee off more often over the course of three rounds of action. Really hard fight to call but we’ll give the slightest of edges to Bronzoulis in his hometown.

Prediction – Mike Bronzoulis over Eric Davila by decision.

Middleweight -Bout  Jonathan “Hulk” Harris (6-1) vs. Chidi “Bang Bang” Njokuani (5-3)

With all respect to Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood, “Chidi Bang Bang” has got to be the most awesome nickname on this card. Anthony’s younger (yet bigger) brother will be coming to the H to prove he’s worthy of it yet once again when he faces 5-1 Jonathan “Hulk” Harris.

Analysis / Prediction

Expect this one to be a slobberknocker between two guys that clearly have knockout power. Njokuani has knocked out several of his opponents using his vaunted Muay Thai while Harris has done the same using his own striking and functional strength gained from his past as a powerlifter. I haven’t seen too much of Chidi other than what’s on tape but I have seen Harris in his last four fights and it’s clear he’s improved every single time. He’s no longer just a power striker but rather a danger wherever the fighter goes. Chidi could very well be the same but I’ll have to go with what I’ve seen.

Prediction – Jonathan Harris over Chidi Njokuani by TKO.

Featherweight Bout – Carson “Little Juggernaut” Beebe (9-1) vs. Tim “Terminator” Snyder (12-8-1)

Growing up in a family with five brothers is one thing but when they’re ALL wrestlers, it makes it something completely different altogether. Perhaps that’s why Carson “Little Juggernaught” Beebe was so highly touted headed into TUF 14 tryouts. He lost there to Texan Johnny Bedford but he counts that experience as one of his most fun fights ever; one that tested is resolve and one that he learned from. In fact, he’s learning everywhere. Carson recently went back to school and is part of his college’s wrestling team even as he’s prepared for this bout. He’ll be taking on dangerous striker Tim “The Terminator” Snyder in his debut.

Analysis / Prediction

Aside from getting caught in an early triangle choke last March and his tryout loss to Johnny Bedford, Carson Beebe has proven himself to one heck of a prospect since he started in Professional MMA almost exactly 2 yearrs ago. As for Tim, he can never be discounted as a knockout threat but he’s also lost 7 out of 10 bouts. and has not done well against grappling-based opponents. Empirical evidence suggests a win for the Illinois native in this one.

Prediction – Carson Beebe over Tim Snyder by submission.

Welterweight Bout – Alex Morono (3-1) vs. Rashon “Sho-Nuff” Lewis (2-1)

The opening fight on the main card is most definitely a “fight of the night” sleeper between two young up-and-coming welterweights on the local Houston MMA scene. At just 21 years of age, Alex Morono has already posted a 3-1 record in Legacy against some tough competition. His only loss was a split decision he dropped to top 170 contender Jeff Rexroad so that should tell you a lot about his potential. As both a BJJ brown belt and a Muay Thai specialist, we could be looking at a future title contender in the near future. Likewise, Rashon Lewis can also be considered a fighter on the rise. He too is undefeated in LFC after gaining a win in his own split decision over Ricardo Talavera this past September at LFC 8.  If he is able to get past Morono, that should say a lot for the former college quarterback’s MMA potential.

Analysis / Prediction

Both these guys are definitely two of the more exciting young prospects out there and this fight should prove to be a highly-entertaining battle between Morono’s technical superiority and Lewis’ freak athleticism. In the end though. Alex just has too many tools with which he can win – both standing and on the ground. Time will tell how it happens but we see him as the favorite in this one.

Prediction – Alex Morono over Rashon Lewis by submission.

Legacy FC 10 Undercard Breakdown

Bantamweight Bout – Angel “The Chosen One” Huerta (4-0) vs. Mike “The Texas Showstopper” Sierra (4-5)

Analysis – Michael Sierra has a LOT of fights – 9 as a pro to go along with 11 as an amateur. Meanwhile, Angel Huerta only has 4 at the po level and never fought in the amateur ranks. Be that as it may, Angel is a blue chip prospect that’s already proven he’s a devastating striker after transitioning to MMA from the karate world. If his ground game catches up even a little bit (and it has), he’ll be one to watch at the upper echelons of this division.

Prediction  – Angel Huerta over Michael Sierra by knockout.

135 lbs.: Cody “Wolverine” Williams (3-1) vs. Jesus Mendez (debut)

Analysis – A much-talked about prospect from ATT in Beaumont, Cody Williams is out to come back from his first professional loss after losing by TKO to Steve Garcia at LFC 9. He’ll be taking on a former National Golden Gloves champion and USA Team boxer in Jesus Mendez in this one. Mendez should come in as advertised with nice hands but unfortunately for him, this isn’t boxing and Williams has had plenty more experience in the other facets of MMA. Look for the quick takedown and some exciting stuff from Williams in this one en route to the win.

Prediction  – Cody Williams over Jesus Mendez by submission.

Middleweight Bout – Bubba Bush (3-1) vs. Patrick Hutton (3-3)

Analysis – Bubba Bush is a TOP prospect at middleweight after his performance in a loss to current-UFC fighter Andrew Craig. I’d even go so far as to say he may have been winning that bout headed into the championship rounds. This one’s only a three-rounder and Patrick Hutton is nowhere near the level of Andrew Craig as a fighter though he has some good boxing and is always game. Look for Bubba to shine in this one.

Prediction  – Bubba Bush over Patrick Hutton by submission.

170 lbs.: Lee King (14-17-1) vs. Shawn Machado (2-1)

Analysis – Age plus experience over age and relative inexperience. That’s how I’d characterize this one. Lee King may be north of 40 but he’s always in good shape and is a very technical striker who can straight up punish his opponents in a striking contest. Also, I think his grappling may surprise some people if the bout goes there as well.

Prediction  – Lee King over Shawn Machado by technical knockout.

155 lbs.: Munil Adriano (7-7) vs. Rey Trujillo (9-6)

Analysis – I don’t know too much about the Brazilian Munil Adriano but I hear he’s a ferocious Muay Thai stylist in typical Gold Team/Chute Boxe form. Meanwhile, Rey Trujillo just got back to his winning ways after pitching a strikeout in 2011. Hard to say who will win this one given the lack of exposure I’ve had to Adriano. Let’s just go with a coinflip on this one and see if it landed right on Friday night.

Prediction  – Munil Adriano over Rey Trujillo by decision.

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