Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Combat Zone 35 results

Submitted by Lynne Snierson
John Benoit needed every bit of his considerable strength and skill to best a talented and tough Don Carlo Clauss in an extraordinary and bloody mixed martial arts battle in the sold out Sports Club at Rockingham Park on Friday night.
Benoit, the Methuen, Mass., native fighting in front of an energized crowd clearly in his corner, battled back late in the intensely fierce third round of the Combat Zone MMA main event to trap Carlo Clauss with a guillotine choke hold and force the former star wrestler at the University of Virginia to tap out at 3:02.
“This is really disappointing," said Clauss, who dropped to 7-4-0 and fights for Team Bomb Squad in New York. “I made just one mistake at the end and that was it. You can fight a great fight for over 14 minutes and then in one second you lose it all. One second and one mistake is all it takes in this game. But that’s the nature of the beast.”
Benoit, who improved to 10-2-0 and fights for Renzo Gracie NH, was losing points in the first two rounds when the superior wrestler pinned him on the mat, which was covered with blood pouring from Clauss’ broken nose.
“I knew I broke his nose in the first round and after he took me down, I tried to get up. But there were times when I couldn’t get up,” said Benoit. “I knew I was down on points in the third round and my coaches knew it too, so they told me to just let my hands go. But I said to myself I’m going to take him down and beat him at his own game.”
That is precisely what Benoit was finally able to accomplish in the marquis event at 165 pounds that lived up to all of the pre-fight billing.
“I was trying to mix up my strikes and my take downs,” said Clauss, “I knew that time was running out on that last round and I went for it. I didn’t set it up right and I paid for it. I never had a bloody nose before and after he broke it in the first round, it affected my breathing. I was getting tired because of that and rushed that last takedown. That one mistake cost me the fight. It’s going to be an awfully long ride home.”
Benoit, a Global Fight League title holder who has made his living in his last few fights with his guillotine choke hold, was able to celebrate this important victory with his hometown fans.
“You can’t beat fighting in front of that many people screaming your name” he said.
In the eagerly anticipated co-main event in which another local favorite, Will “The Brown Bomber” Santiago was making his pro debut after an undefeated amateur career, the Lawrence, Mass., native needed a scant 31 seconds of the first round before the referee ended his brutal punishment of Glenn Reaves.
Reaves (0-3-0) took the fight at the 11th hour after the original opponent for Santiago (1-0-0) tipped the scales 13 pounds too heavy for the match at 185 pounds when he showed up for the weigh-in on the eve of the fight.
While Santiago and his powerful strikes made it look easy against his clearly overmatched and out of shape opponent, he was gracious in victory.
“I train hard for every fight and go in there and try to do my best every time,” said the America Top Team standard bearer. “I was disappointed when my original match didn’t hold together, but in this game somebody is always going out at the last minute with an injury or something. It’s just a part of the game.”
Santiago’s fight was captured on videotape by a private company in hopes that he can catch the eye of the powers running the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the sport’s top echelon.
“I’m just going to continue on my path and hope to make it all the way to the UFC,” said the 27-year-old Santiago.
On the undercard, Team Fury’s Nick Santos, who entered the cage without a win under his belt, and Derek Lamb, who was making his pro debut, started off the professional action but the referee stopped the fight in 1:24 of the second round between the 135 pounders. Lamb (1-0-0), also fighting for Team Bomb Squad, used a relentless ground and pound attack to score the TKO over the Derry native, who dropped to 0-4-0.
Next up Adam Toussaint from Team Havoc in North Berwick, Maine, improved to 2-1-0 when he submitted Nate Ainsworth, who was also fighting for the first time as a professional. Ainsworth, carrying the banner of Team Kaze in Lisbon, submitted in 3:55 of round one when Toussaint (2-1-0) executed an arm bar in the battle at 150 pounders.
In the first of the amateur fights of the night, Colten Blanchet (2-0-0) of Byfield, Mass., made light work of John Santos (2-4-0) of Derry, and Team Fury to remain undefeated by submitting him with an arm bar in just 1:39 on the first round. The only women’s fight of the night was up next and Heather Lambert of Team Kaze in Lisbon (1-0-0) won her debut in the cage when she sent Shannon Harney (2-2-0) of Lynn, Mass., down to her second straight defeat with a guillotine choke hold in :69 of round one.
In the third match, Peter San Antonio (3-1-0) of North Andover, Mass., and Warriors Pride survived a flurry of strikes to his kidneys from Wayne Alquist (1-2-0) of Meredith in round one to come back and submit his opponent in 1:37 of the same round with a guillotine choke hold. Then in a spirited battle waged on the ground and on their feet, 20-year-old Devin Lenfest (2-0-0) out of Londonderry and Team Valor and 30-year-old Ivan Sanchez (0-2-0) from Lawrence, Mass., and American Top Team got the packed house on its feet and screaming before a bloodied Lenfest submitted his tough opponent in :53 of round three with a rear naked choke hold. Lenfest earned the respect of the judges as well as the crowd and walked away with the trophy awarded to the best amateur fighter on the card.
Next up, Taylor Trahan, who is only 19 years old but was in his 10th career fight, evened the record of James Grant at 2-2-0 when he forced the 28-year-old Londonderry native to tap out in 2:27 of round two. Trahan, from Lunenburg, Vt., executed an arm bar to improve to 6-4-0 under the banner of the Atlas Grappling Academy. Warriors Pride then saw its other fighter on the card, Anthony Loycano (2-0-0) of North Andover, Mass., remain undefeated when he spoiled the first fight for John Healey (0-1-0) of Wakefield, Mass., by getting him to tap out after a rear naked choke hold in 2:03 of round two.
The best and most evenly matched of the amateur fights was the last as Kenny Murphy (1-0-0), who was stepping into the cage for the first time, won a razor thin 29-28 split decision over Chris Caterino (1-1-0) of Nahsua and the Bucket Brigade. Murphy, who is trained by the Militech Fighting System in Hooksett, showed a lot of heart along with solid boxing skills to overcome trouble in the early going. The loss was tough for Caterino, who had the better ground and pound game throughout.
Combat Zone 36 returns to Rockingham Park on January 28, 2011 with another competitive full card of thrilling mixed martial arts action.
RESULTS:
AMATEURS:
Colten Blanchet (2-0-0) of Byfield, MA def. John Santos (2-4-0) of Derry, NH by arm bar
submission in 1:39, Round 1. 135 lbs.
Heather Lambert (1-0-0) of Lisbon, NH def. Shannon Harney (2-2-0) of Lynn MA by guillotine choke in :69 Round 1. 120 lbs.
Peter San Antonio (3-1-0) of North Andover, MA def. Wayne Alquist (1-2-0) of Meredith, NH by guillotine choke in 1:37 Round 1. 170 lbs.
Devin Lenfest (2-0-0) of Londonderry, NH def. Ivan Sanchez (0-2-0) of Lawrence, MA by rear naked choke in :53 Round 3. 145 lbs.
Taylor Trahan (6-4-0) of Lunenburg, VT def. James Grant (2-2-0) of Londonderry, NH by arm bar in 2:27 Round 2. 155 pounds.
Anthony Loycano (2-0-0) of North Andover, MA def. John Healey (0-1-0) of Wakefield, MA by rear naked choke hold in 2:03 Round 2. 155 pounds.
Kenny Murphy (1-0-0) of Hooksett, NH def. Chris Caterino (1-1-0) of Nashua, NH by split decision. 135 pounds.
PROS:
Derek Lamb (1-0-0) of Ithaca, NY def. Nick Santos (0-4-0) of Derry, NH by TKO in 1:24 Round 2. 135 pounds.
Adam Toussaint (2-1-0) of No. Berwick, ME def. Nate Ainsworth (0-1-0) by arm bar in 3:55 Round 1. 150 pounds.
Will Santiago (1-0-0) of Lawrence, MA def. Glenn Reaves (0-4-0) of Weymouth, MA by TKO in :31 Round 1. 185 lbs.
John Benoit (10-2-0) of Methuen, MA def. Don Carlo Clauss (7-4-0) of Ithaca, NY by guillotine choke in 3:02 Round 3.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Moreau gives his students a fighting chance

By MARK QUIRK
New Hampshire Union Leader

LONDONDERRY -- Over the past four years, Tom Moreau has made an impact not only on the faces of the nine fighters he has battled during his professional mixed martial arts career, but on the lives of numerous people in the area as well.
And while his opponents in the cage, seven of whom he has beaten, may not particularly appreciate what Moreau did for them, there are lots of people he has trained who do.
“I was in a lot of trouble,” said 26-year-old Eddie Brito, one of Moreau’s students at the Moreau Training Center. “I think it would have been tough (without Moreau). He just changed me, talked to me, calmed me down.”
With a record of 7-2, Moreau is one of the most popular local MMA fighters. About four years ago he decided to share his love for the sport with others by opening a training center. Now in its third and largest site, Moreau’s Training Center is located in the YMCA of Greater Londonderry.
Brito grew up in Dorchester, Mass., and said he used to run with gangs when he was in high school. He got into a lot of fights and drank and smoked a lot. Then a friend of his suggested Brito should stop by Moreau’s gym, and it was a life-changing experience for the young father of one.
“It’s calmed me down a lot,” Brito said. “I wish my parents put me in the sport when I was young.”
Now Brito is a lot more focused and productive. He has a full-time job and helps train the younger kids at the center in ju-jitsu.
Brito has lost 50 pounds and said he hasn’t had a drink or smoked at all since he started his training. But the training isn’t just for physical well being, Moreau said it also helps people with other parts of their everyday life.
“Within three months I’ve seen students go from Cs and Ds to Cs and Bs,” Moreau said. “The focus is improving.”
Moreau didn’t have a tough life growing up in Derry, but it wasn’t an easy one either. His mother left when he was 8 and he was raised by his father after that. Having such a strong role model in his life has resonated within Moreau, who is now the father figure to many at his gym.
“I wanted to be him,” said Lenfest, who has been following Moreau ever since he started fighting. “(His training) gave me a lot of confidence. It let me see who I want to be.”
That is why Moreau opened the gym.
It didn’t have anything to do with money. In fact, Moreau sold off most of his other business, Moreau’s Tree Cutting, so he could devote more time to his center. He sold almost all of his equipment and went from having five full-time employees working for him to just two part timers now.
“I knew getting into it, if anything it was going to cost me money,” Moreau said. “This is what I want to do full time.”
It did cost him at first, Moreau said, and now he’s just about breaking even. He trains about 50 people ranging in age from 4 to 49, including his own 8-year-old son Tommy who is part of a youth program called the Little Spartans. Classes at the gym include judo, ju-jitsu, strength conditioning, boxing and MMA. Moreau also has a nine-man fighting team called Team Valor that takes part in local MMA events.
One of his fighters, Devin Lenfest, will be on the card Friday night at Combat Zone 35 being held at Rockingham Park. Moreau, who is likely be No. 1 in the region at 170 pounds when the next local rankings come out, was supposed to be part of the co-main event there, but had to be scratched on Monday when he was diagnosed with an infection.
Although the infection is temporarily keeping Moreau from ruining the physical appearance of his opponent, it won’t stop him from helping others at his training center.
“If I can be that person I’ll be that person,” Moreau said. “If I can help one person out of 20, at least I helped someone.”

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Who will be the face of MMA in New Hampshire?


With mixed martial arts gaining popularity here, the Granite State needs a face in the sport so it can gain some national recognition.

Maine has Mike Brown and Massachusetts has Kenny Florian, both established fighters who have made it to the big time in either the UFC or WEC.

Now New Hampshire needs an identity, and right now it's hard to tell who that will be. If I had to pick a fighter who is at the top of his game right now and seems to be the emerging "best of the best" in the state, that would be Tom Moreau.

The Derry native is coming off the biggest win of his career, a second-round TKO of Dennis Olson, and has now won five of his last six fights since losing to Dan Keefe, another local rising star, in 2008 for a 7-2 record.

Unlike other fighters, Moreau is staying busy and will be back in the cage Oct. 22 at Combat Zone 35 against Derrick Kennington (6-2) of South Carolina.

Another fighter who was on a hot streak until recently was Matt Smith, who lost to Pedro Gonzalez at GFL 9 on Sept. 17. Before that, Smith, one of the best high school wrestlers in New England history, had won seven in a row and he could be a fighter to watch out for at 7-2.

Speaking of Olson, he looked to be the next big thing for a while. He won eight of nine fights between 2008-2010, but has now lost three in a row and has a record of 11-6.

Woody Weatherby is in the same category as Olson. His stock was on the rise too after he started 6-1 and almost made it into the house for The Ultimate Fighter season 11, but has now lost three of his last five fights and has a record of 8-4.

Two fighters with great potential who have been out of action for a while are Keefe, who is 7-1 according to his website, and Nate LaMotte, who is 11-5. Keefe hasn't fought since March 26 and LaMotte has been out of the cage since March 27.

Both have had fights scratched since then. LaMotte was supposed to fight at Bellator XVII in Boston last spring, but got hurt just days before the match and had to scratch. He was also supposed to fight at King of the Cage at Foxwoods in September, but his opponent was a scratch. He has won three of his last four matches.

Keefe was supposed to fight at God of Martial Arts in Worcester on May 21, but his fight was scratched.

Monday, October 4, 2010

GFL sets another date with the Whitt

Following up on the success of their show last month, the Global Fight League has booked the Whittemore Center once again for a show on Sept. 22, 2011.
Nearly 4,000 fight fans showed up for the promotion company's GFL 9 on Sept. 17 of this year and according to the New Hampshire Boxing and Wrestling Commission website, they plan to do it again next year on Sept. 22.
Things are slowing down on the local scene for the winter months, however, with just one more mixed martial arts event scheduled in the state this year. That's Combat Zone 35, which will take place at Rockingham Park on Oct. 22.
Tom Moreau (7-2) of Derry, who scored a huge win by TKO over Denis Olson at GFL 9, will headline the card at CZ 35. He will take on Derrick Kennington (6-2) of South Carolina.