UFC tonight on Spike

The UFC returns to Charlotte tonight for an event that will air live on Spike TV at 8 p.m. The card at the Bojangles Coliseum, the site of two of the first five UFC events, includes the lightweight showdown between two-time title challenger Kenny Florian and Japanese superstar and former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi. This bout will headline the latest edition of Spike TV's hit UFC Fight Night series.

LaMotte to fight on television

With his win by submission on the first round over Davin Wesinger in Milford on Saturday night, former Manchester Memorial High School wrestling standout Nate LaMotte has earned a fight that will be aired on television.
LaMotte is now 11-5 and will fight in Bellator XVII pn May 6 at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre in Boston. The fight will be shown on Fox Sportsnet, but it is unclear if it will be a live broadcast. LaMotte said the fight might also be aired on ESPN Deportes.
LaMotte said his opponent has not yet been determined.

Getting to know Dennis Olson

This weekend, Dennis Olson will fight Nuri Shakir in the main event during Triumph Promotions' debut show at the Hampshire Dome in Milford. Olson is described by his peers as a "beast" who is ripped up and ruthless in the cage. The Amherst native is 9-2, loves pizza and would be spending a lot of time in the garden if he weren't fighting.
Just check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUXlIeSbVq4 and you'll see why people call him a beast.
Q: You were a good wrestler at Souhegan. How has that sport helped you with your career in MMA?
A: I would have to say that wrestling in high school and after high school was one of the biggest keys in my success in MMA. Even though I did not wrestle all the way through college, I have been active in wrestling for almost 15 years now. I feel that wrestling builds extreme conditioning and mental toughness needed to be a successful fighter.
Q: What attracted you to MMA?
A: My initial attraction to MMA began about 15 or 16 years ago, back in the days of Tank Abbot, Ken Shamrock and other pioneers of the sport. My father and I were renting UFC tapes from the video store for as long as I can remember the sport being around. I went and watched my first live show in 2005 and actually ended up filling in for one of the fighters. I have been hooked ever since.
Q: Over the past decade or so, Norwich University has produced some pretty good fighters. There are Mike Brown, Cody Lightfoot and you (even though you were only there for a short time). Is there something special about the school that helps mold great fighters?
A: I would have to say no… However their wrestling program is of the highest caliber and they are very serious about training and competing.
Q: Six of your nine wins have come by submission. Is that your style?
A: I definitely love to submit people, but I wouldn’t say that I have any specific way of finishing fights. Stylistically I would say that I am more of a grinder, I go where the fight takes me and finish it when I see an opportunity.
Q: What would you say are your best strengths as a fighter?
A: I would have to say that my conditioning and mental toughness are my most prized abilities in the ring. Also the fact that I absolutely hate losing helps me a lot as well, haha.
Q: Who has been your toughest opponent?
A: Hands down my toughest opponent has to be John Manley. In our fight he showed tremendous heart and perseverance. I threw everything I had at him and he would not quit. I was very impressed with how tough he turned out to be.
Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
A: Haha, I would have to say that there is a tie between the Rocky movies and The Hangover. As random and cliché as that may seem.
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Firecracker pizza from Kinsley House of Pizza. Delicious!
Q: What is your favorite song of all time?
A: I love all kinds of different music. I don’t think that I could give an answer to that question, I listen to everything from Kenney Chesney to Cam’ron and back.
Q: What is something most people don't know about you that may come as a surprise?
A: Even though I love this sport and all that it has done for me, if I could do anything else I would be running my own landscape design business. I love being outdoors and working with my hands.

Sneak Peak at St. Pierre-Hardy

UFC Primetime will air Wednesday at 10 P.M. on Spike TV. The shoe is a look into the lives of perhaps the world’s best pound for pound fighter, St-Pierre, and Hardy, the man looking to unseat him at the top of the welterweight ladder. As the two prepare for their meeting in late March, Spike TV will present three special weekly installments that will take viewers across the pond to Nottingham, England as Hardy trains with the rest of his Rough House team, and back to North America to Montreal to see how St-Pierre, one of the most beloved athletes in Canada, is preparing for his title defense. UFC Primetime delivers an extraordinary amount of access to two of mixed martial arts’ best, as they head into what could be the signature fight of 2010 at UFC 111.

Jones win highlights an otherwise forgettable night

Don't get me wrong, it was great to see UFC for free on Versus last night, but overall I'd have to say the show was pretty lame.
The most memorable things about the event were two monstrous blows - one by Jon Jones to knock out Brandon Vera, and the other by John Howard that knocked Daniel Roberts into a different century.
None of the fights were that exciting, and the only one of television that went more than one round (Kongo vs. Buentello) was spent mostly on the mat and one-sided.
I must say I was impressed with Kongo, however, as he never even let the veteran Buentello have a chance in the fight. Kongo had a plan and stuck with it.
He continuously backed Buentello into the cage and took him down, thereby taking away Bunetello's ability to strike. It was genius because not only was Kong safe from Buentello's blows on the mat, but Buentello also used a lot of energy trying to defend himself from submissions and to get up.
Once Buentello got tired he got sloppy. Kongo noticed the openings and started punishing Bunetello with knees. It was a great strategy, but not one UFC fans like to see.
Kongo proved to me that he is a very cerebral fighter and a tremendous physical specimen who is a definite threat in the heavyweight class.
As for the main event, Brandon Vera vs. Jon Jones, I don't feel it lived up to the hype.
One thing is for sure -- Jones is the real deal. He absolutely slaughtered Vera and has an unorthodox style that can pose problems for anybody looking to go up against him.
That elbow he nailed Vera with was SICK, and must have sent shivers down the spines of any potential UFC opponents.
I love the attitude from Jones, I love how he called referee Herb Dean "sir" in a respectful manner during the fight and I'd love to see him get a title shot.
As for the Howard/Daniels fight, which seemed to be an afterthought to fill time for the broadcast, that was just scary.
The way Daniels's eyes rolled back into his head after Howard hit him with that first left made me nervous. It was good to see him sitting up by the time they announced Howard as the winner, but MAN, what a blow.

UFC on TV Sunday night

Two of the most dynamic light heavyweights in the game clash on Sunday, when Muay Thai ace Brandon “The Truth” Vera takes on dangerous 22-year-old phenom Jon “Bones” at the 1STBANK Center (formerly Odeum Colorado) in Broomfield, Colo.
The fight will air live on VERSUS at 9 p.m. marking the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) on VERSUS and the first time that a live UFC event will air on a national sports cable network.

Technical difficulties

Sorry to all my EOTL fans out there that I haven't been posting much lately. I've been battling food poisoning and that has taken a lot out of me.
I assure you, I will have a lot leading up to the Triumph Promotions debut event next weekend in Milford over the next week or so.
Sorry for the delay,
Mark

Ortolani on the rise

He has been in the sport less than a year, but John Ortolani has already made a name for himself in mixed martial arts.
Ortolani won his first two fights before losing to the much-more experienced Mike Littlefield last November. Still, he is being hyped as one of the best fighters to come out of New England since Mike Brown.
His trainer, John Fain of Gracie Barra in Nashua, said he is confident Ortolani can give any 155-pounder in the country a good fight.
“He‘s the most gifted fighter I‘ve ever seen,” Fain said. “He’s ready now. He’s one of the best right now.”
The native of Billerica, Mass., juggles a busy schedule. Not only is Ortolani a pro in MMA, but he is also a professional lacrosse player with the Boston Blazers of the National Lacrosse League.
Ortolani got his first taste of MMA when he helped train his friend, Steve Butler, for a fight in January of 2009. Ortolani decided to train himself, and got his first pro fight four months later.
A four-sport standout in high school, Ortolani said there is one thing he loves about MMA that sets it apart.
“I like the one-on-one stuff,” Ortolani said. “If I lose, it’s all on me. But if I win it’s because of something I’ve done.”
Ortolani describes himself as an aggressive fighter, which becomes obvious with one look at his professional record. None of his fights have made it out of the first round and his longest fight was three minutes, the loss to Littlefield. He also has a no decision in his pro career. Ortolani’s next fight is on June 5 in Milford.
“I don’t like to sit back,” Ortolani said. “I like to push the pace.”
He said his style is to “ground and pound,” but he will go for a submission if the opportunity arises. His two wins were by referee stoppage from strikes, one 2:16 into the first round and the other 1:58 in.
Fain said Ortolani is a natural to the sport. His competitive fire fuels Ortolani and he has an uncanny acumen for any sports he tries out.
“(A strength is) His ability to learn,” Fain said. “Anything you teach him, he becomes an expert at it.”
It doesn’t hurt that he has a great training partner in Dennis Olson, another up-and-coming young fighter in New England. He said Olson, who is 9-2 as a pro, pushes him every day and has taught him a lot about avoiding submission moves, one of Olson’s fortes.
“It’s awesome,” Ortolani said of training with Olson. “I think he’s the best fighter in New England. I think he would beat anyone right now.”
It may seem tough to carry on a professional career in two sports, but Ortolani said he isn’t having a problem with it. He trains for MMA during the week and his work for lacrosse is limited to the weekends. He said the team typically practices the night before a game and plays on Saturdays.
He knows at some point he’s going to have to choose between lacrosse and MMA, but for now he’s just enjoying both, which is something he hopes will go on for a while.
“Right now they’re both just starting out,” Ortolani said. “I’m going to do both of them as long as possible.”

What's on tap

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, but I've been busy with other writing duties since covering Combat Zone 32 last Friday.
Here's what you can expect at EOTL over the next few days.
Trimuph Promotions will be putting on an event in Milford on March 27 and the card is shaping up to be a really good one. Two of New Hampshire's top young fighters, Dennis Olson and Nate LaMotte, will be participating.
I will be doing a lot of stuff leading up to that event, including a Q & A with Olson. I will also be doing a profile on one of Olson's teammates at Gracie Barra NH, John Ortolani. People at Gracie Barra have high expectations for Ortolani, who is also a professional lacrosse player.

Moreau keeps on winning

Maybe Thomas Moreau should try a career in baseball. After all, he’s pretty good at dealing with curveballs.
For the third fight in a row Moreau’s opponent was changed at the last minute, this time giving him less than two days to prepare for his bout. And for the third time in a row the Derry Native was victorious, scoring a unanimous decision over Robert Conner during the main event during Combat Zone 32 at Rockingham Park Friday night.
“I can’t make a career of backing out of fights,” Moreau said. “I had to take it on short notice.”
Moreau, 29, needed all of his skills to beat the 22-year-old from Virginia, who was a last-minute replacement for Marcos Maciel of Brazil. Moreau improved his record to 6-1 and got a rousing cheer from about 150 people in attendance to support him as he made a curtain call after the fight. Conner dropped to 7-2.
The fight didn’t go the way Moreau would have liked. Most of it was spent on the mat as Conner kept going for takedowns and tried to tie Moreau up.
He was successful for the most part, but Moreau still managed to get on top a few times and land some good blows.
The Pinkerton grad landed a huge blow that knocked Conner down at the beginning of the second round. Conner settled down, however, and managed to get Moreau down on the mat with him. He had Moreau in a tough situation as time expired in the period.
After apparently wining the first two rounds and having the upper hand in the third, Moreau made a dangerous move and went for a takedown with less than a minute left in the bout. The move backfired as Conner countered and got Moreau in a pretty-good choke hold against the cage.
Luckily, Conner wasn’t able to lock on until there was only 10 seconds remaining and Moreau held on.
“If he could have had maybe 20 or 30 seconds more he may have won,” Moreau said. “But if I had 20 or 30 seconds more I may have been able to knock him out too.”
Moreau was one of only four New Hampshire fighters to win during the 13-bout card and the only local pro that was victorious. In the amateur ranks, Wayne Ahlquist won by referee stoppage, Taylor Trahan won by submission and John Santos scored a technical knock out.
Santos, also from Derry, listened to some good advice from his corner and was able to shake off a couple of punches from yet another Derry resident, Jesse Menize, mount his opponent and pound away for the win 2:21 into the first round.
“I just listened to my coach,” said Santos, a 22-year old father of three who is now 2-3. “You listen to your coach and do anything he tells you.”
It was the sixth fight in less than a year for Trahan, an 18-year-old who trains out of Lisbon. He has now won three in a row and is 3-3.
“I do it for experience,” Trahan said. “They’re only amateur fights and they don’t count on my (professional) record. And it’s fun.”
In other amateur action, Logan Moore (0-2) of Kingston lost to George Lynch (2-0) by unanimous decision, Kris Kloetz of Gilford (0-1) lost to Peter Wellman (1-0) by ref stoppage, Ahlquist (1-1) of Meredith beat Keith Nelson (0-2) by ref stoppage, Lamont Milton (3-0) beat Adam Toussaint (3-3) by unanimous decision and Peter San Antonio (2-1) beat David Spero (1-2) of Atkinson in a split decision.
In the pro ranks, Mike Winters (1-0) beat Keaton Van Thof (0-2) of Salem by ref stoppage, Jesse McElligott (1-0) beat Jamie Fellows (1-3) of Meredith by ref stoppage with just four seconds left in the bout, Steve Butler (1-3) beat John Levasseur (1-2) of Hooksett by submission, Anthony Kaponis (2-0) beat Adam McQuaid (1-1) of Manchester by technical knock out and Chandler Holderness (8-2) beat Brent Kinberger (5-2) of Manchester by unanimous decision.

Combat Zone 32 - Amateurs

SALEM -- It’s always a good idea to keep your head up and your ears open in mixed martial arts.
John Santos did just that, and in his time of need got the proper instructions from is trainer, which he followed to a tee.
Santos slipped out of a choke hold Jesse Menize had on him and pounded away on his opponent to pick up a technical knock out 2:21 into the first round of his fight during Combat Zone 32 at the Sports Club at Rockingham Park last night.
“I just listened to my coach,” said Santos, a 22-year old amateur from Derry. “You listen to your coach and do anything he tells you.”
The bout between Santos and Menize, who is also from Derry, was just one of seven amateur fights during the first half of the event. Six professional fights were scheduled to take place as well after an intermission.
Although only separated by a year and from the same town, Santos said he didn’t know the younger Menize before the fight. Santos dropped out of school when he was 16 years old to support his kids, of which he now has three.
Menize initiated the action and landed a few blows right after the opening bell. The two then went to the ground and grappled for a while before Santos mounted Menize and starting reining blows upon him.
“I just let it go,” Santos said.
Another amateur who has been busy is Taylor Trahan, who won his third match in a row last night by submission in the second round.
It was the sixth match in less than a year for Trahan, who trains out of Lisbon.
“I do it for experience,” Trahan said. “They’re only amateur fights and they don’t count on my (professional) record. And it’s fun.”
Trahan landed a couple of good blows and got Jason Earl on the mat. He then maneuvered himself in to position for the arm bar and Earl tapped out.
“I don’t like losing,” Trahan said about why he has won three bouts in a row. “So I try extra hard.”
Trahan is now 3-3 and Santos is 2-3. Menize dropped to 0-2 and Earl is 1-2.
The only other local fighter to win during the amateur portion of the event was Wayne Ahlquist of Meredith. He won by referee stoppage over Keith Nelson less than a minute into the first round.
Ahlquist came out swinging and nailed his opponent. Nelson then turned his back and ran half way around the ring, where he stopped and was popped by Ahlquist again.
That led to more running by Nelson and by that point the ref had seen enough as he stopped the fight. Ahlquist improved to 1-1 and Nelson is 0-2.
In other amateur fights, George Lynch (2-0) beat Logan Moore (0-2) of Kingston by unanimous decision, Peter Wellman (1-0) beat Kris Kloetz (0-1) of Gilford by referee stoppage, and Lamont Wilson (3-0) stunned the crowd with a unanimous decision win over Adam Toussaint (3-3), who seemed to dominate the fight and almost got Milton to submit.

Conner vs. Moreau

Moreau carries the action and gets the best of the strikes in all three rounds. He makes one mistake at the very end and Conner gets a good hold on as time expires. Moreau wins by unanimous decision.

Holderness vs. Kinberger

Tough match. Lots of grappling. No real big blows by either fighter. Holderness did spend the most time on top, however, and gets the unanimous decision.

Kaponis vs. McQuaid

McQuaid lands some big blows early, but Kaponis takes them and survives. Kaponis lands a huge blow late and grounds and pounds. Kaponis by TKO.

Butler vs. Levasseur

Both fighters full of energy. Butler carries Levasseur across the ring the slams him. Levasseur is gassed and choked out.

McElligott vs. Fellows

Fellows showed a ton of courage. Even with his face covered in blood, Fellows could not be knocked out. McElligott got his licks in, however, and won by ref stoppage with just 34 seconds left in the bout.

Winters vs. Van Thof

The home-town boy goes down quickly. Winters takes Van Thof down, mounts him and pounds away. Winters by ref stoppage.

San Antonio vs. Spero

Brutal battle to the end. Back-and-forth with the decision going to San Antonio.

Milton vs. Toussaint

Amazing Milton survives. Toussaint slams Milton hard -- and I mean hard -- twice, but Milton somehow manages to survive the round without tapping. WOW!!! Milton wins a unanimous decision.

Earl vs. Trahan

Trahan aggresive in second round. Goes right at Earl and gets him on the ground. Trahan works the arm bar and Earl taps out.

Nelson vs. Ahlquist

Only 47 seconds. Ahlquist lands a few blows and Nelson runs away. Ref calls it.

Santos vs. Menize

Quick one. Menize lands a couple of blows and Santos takes him down. Menize has Santos locked up, but Santos slithers out and whales away on Menize. Santos by TKO.

Kloetz vs. Wellman

Wellman takes Kloetz down early and pounds away. Ref stops the fight due to strikes.

Moore vs. Lynch

Most of this one spent on the mat with Lynch on top. Lynch lands a few blows while Moore just covers up. Lynch by unanimous decision.

Combat Zone 33 set

As if Bike Week wasn't rowdy enough, Combat Zone 33 will take place on June 19 on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee at the Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavillion.
Fight promoter Dave George said he has some fighters already committed, but the card has not been set yet.

UFC/WEC slate

Jens Pulver and Shogun Rua are featured in an all new episode of The Best of PRIDE®, tonight at 10pm ET/PT on SPIKE .
Brian Bowles and Dominick Cruz battle it out for the WEC® bantamweight championship, plus the return of Miguel Angel Torres as he takes on Joseph Benavidez. WEC® Bowles vs Cruz live this Saturday night on Versus.
Countdown to UFC® on Versus premieres immediately following WEC®.
UFC.com - Frank Mir - Seven Defining Moments

CZ 32 Update

The main event for Combat Zone 32 has been changed for this evening.
Thomas Moreau of Derry will still be in the bout, but Marcos Maciel has been scratched. In stead, Moreau will be fighting Robert Conner of Martinsburg, WV. Conner is 7-1 and was called to replace Maciel after Conner's match was canceled because the person he was supposed to be fighting was called to the UFC, according to sources close to the event.

CZ32 live

Check out End of the Line Friday night for live updates from Combat Zone 32. I will be blogging live from ringside and hopefully get some interviews posted as well.
Fights are scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

Moreau ready to chop down the competition

Thomas Moreau shouldn’t have any problem making weight for his fight on Friday night during Combat Zone 32 at Rockingham Park in Salem.
Last weekend Moreau, who owns a tree-cutting business, was busy cleaning up the damage left behind by the wind storm and moving his training studio to Londonderry. That kept him out of the gym, but Moreau said the workout he got may have been more intense than what his regular training would have called for.
“Between the storm and everything else it was a pretty busy weekend,” Moreau said. “I stayed busy.”
Moreau, who is 29 years old, will fight Marcos Maciel of Brazil in the main event at Combat Zone 32. There are 14 bouts on the card for the event that starts at 8 p.m.
One twist to this Combat Zone will be the new unified rules for mixed martial arts the state adopted at the beginning of this year. The new rules allows knees and elbows to be used in situations they weren’t in the past.
“It makes it a little more realistic and it definitely makes it more exciting,” Moreau said.
And, it could work to his advantage. Moreau said Maciel is good on the mat, and these new rules could make it tougher for one fighter to take another down.
“His submissions are very good,” Moreau said. “He’s really slick when he locks you up.”
Things would go better for Moreau if both fighters stay on their feet. Moreau feels he is the better striker, and that’s something he wants to use to his advantage.
“As long as I dictate the fight and take it to him I’ll be OK,” Moreau said.
Moreau graduated from Pinkerton Academy in 2000 and almost immediately started his business, Moreau’s tree cutting. He fights for Team Valor and now lives in Raymond.
Moreau is just one of numerous fighters from the state on the card. Amateurs from New Hampshire fighting include Logan Moore of Kingston (0-1), Nate Ainsworth of Lisbon (2-1), Kris Kloets of Gilford (0-0), John Santos of Derry (1-3), Jesse Menize of Derry (0-1), Wayne Ahlquist of Meredith (0-1), Taylor Trahan of Lisbon (2-3) and David Spero of Atkinson (1-1). Local professionals include Eddie Brito of Derry (1-3), Keaton Van Thof (0-1), Jamie Fellows of Meredith (1-2), John Levasseur of Hooksett (1-0), Adam McQuaid of Manchester (1-0), Brent Kinberger of Manchester (5-1) and Moreau.