Already about 2,000 people here and the fighting hasn't even started yet.
Highlights of the first Pedro Gonzalez/Matt Smith fight are airing on the big screens, as well as previews for the major fights on tonight's card.
Friday, September 17, 2010
GFL 9
Sitting ringside at GFL 9 in the Whittemore Center.
First impressions are that the setup is great. Really professional.
The ring is in the center of where the ice rinl would typically be. There are maybe a couple hundred seats on the floor, then the rest of the usual seating.
Visibility should not be a factor for anybody. There are five big screens hanging from the rafters, a huge one at one end of the rink and four above the octagon.
There is also professional lighting over the ring, a runway to the cage for the fighters and a great soundsystem.
First impressions are that the setup is great. Really professional.
The ring is in the center of where the ice rinl would typically be. There are maybe a couple hundred seats on the floor, then the rest of the usual seating.
Visibility should not be a factor for anybody. There are five big screens hanging from the rafters, a huge one at one end of the rink and four above the octagon.
There is also professional lighting over the ring, a runway to the cage for the fighters and a great soundsystem.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
GFL looking to make history Friday
Friday night is a big one on the local mixed martial arts scene.
At Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, the Kings of the Cage makes its East Coast debut with a full slate on fights including Manchester's Nate Lamotte. The main event of that card will feature Jimmy Rivera against former WBO boxing champion Ray Mercer.
That event will be televised on HDNet starting at 10 p.m.
Even closer to home, in Durham, MMA history could be made in the Granite State when Global Fight League hosts GFL 9 at the Whittemore Center on the campus of the University of New Hampshire. I will be giving live updates from the event here at "End of the Line."
With a capacity for nearly 6,000 people, the Whitt is the largest venue in the state to ever host an MMA event.
GFL is taking a chance with this, but has played its hand quite brilliantly by targeting college students, which make up a huge fan base for the sport. The GFL has also recently hosted a couple other events down the road at the Dover Ice Arena, planting the seed for local interest.
It will be interesting to see how many people turn out on Friday. The GFL has certainly put together a good card to attract fans.
The event's headliner is a bantam weight championship between Pedro Gonzalez (6-3) and Matt Smith (7-2).
The fight that catches my eye, however, is for the middle weight championship, where Tom Moreau (6-2) of Derry will take on Dennis Olson (11-5) of Amherst. Moreau and Olson are two of the best fighters in New Hampshire, but have struggled lately. They each have a ton of talent and one will get back on the right track Friday.
And one of my favorite fighters, Cody Lightfoot (4-1), will compete in the heavyweight class when he takes on Kym Sturdivant (4-2).
The rest of the card is as follows: Brandon Cyr (2-0) vs. Nick Rivera (2-0); 155lb GFL Lightweight Championship - Josh Hersey (4-1) vs. John Benoit (8-2); Chris Fisette (3-3) vs. Ben Hudson (2-1); Jeremy Ross (3-2) vs. Justin Homsey (7-1); TBA vs. Josh Bourque (3-2); Trevor Stone (3-3) vs. Yann Oliveira (1-0); Devin Powell (1-1) vs. Ryan Thomas Clark (0-0); Brandon Fleming (2-0) vs. Austin Perault (0-0); Keegan Hornstra (1-4) vs. Billy Bonnell (0-0); Aaron Smith (3-0) vs. Christian Fenderson (1-0); Bobby Flynn (2-1) vs. Adam Gaudreault (0-1); Colton Blanchette (0-0) vs. Gordan Smith (0-0).
The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
At Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, the Kings of the Cage makes its East Coast debut with a full slate on fights including Manchester's Nate Lamotte. The main event of that card will feature Jimmy Rivera against former WBO boxing champion Ray Mercer.
That event will be televised on HDNet starting at 10 p.m.
Even closer to home, in Durham, MMA history could be made in the Granite State when Global Fight League hosts GFL 9 at the Whittemore Center on the campus of the University of New Hampshire. I will be giving live updates from the event here at "End of the Line."
With a capacity for nearly 6,000 people, the Whitt is the largest venue in the state to ever host an MMA event.
GFL is taking a chance with this, but has played its hand quite brilliantly by targeting college students, which make up a huge fan base for the sport. The GFL has also recently hosted a couple other events down the road at the Dover Ice Arena, planting the seed for local interest.
It will be interesting to see how many people turn out on Friday. The GFL has certainly put together a good card to attract fans.
The event's headliner is a bantam weight championship between Pedro Gonzalez (6-3) and Matt Smith (7-2).
The fight that catches my eye, however, is for the middle weight championship, where Tom Moreau (6-2) of Derry will take on Dennis Olson (11-5) of Amherst. Moreau and Olson are two of the best fighters in New Hampshire, but have struggled lately. They each have a ton of talent and one will get back on the right track Friday.
And one of my favorite fighters, Cody Lightfoot (4-1), will compete in the heavyweight class when he takes on Kym Sturdivant (4-2).
The rest of the card is as follows: Brandon Cyr (2-0) vs. Nick Rivera (2-0); 155lb GFL Lightweight Championship - Josh Hersey (4-1) vs. John Benoit (8-2); Chris Fisette (3-3) vs. Ben Hudson (2-1); Jeremy Ross (3-2) vs. Justin Homsey (7-1); TBA vs. Josh Bourque (3-2); Trevor Stone (3-3) vs. Yann Oliveira (1-0); Devin Powell (1-1) vs. Ryan Thomas Clark (0-0); Brandon Fleming (2-0) vs. Austin Perault (0-0); Keegan Hornstra (1-4) vs. Billy Bonnell (0-0); Aaron Smith (3-0) vs. Christian Fenderson (1-0); Bobby Flynn (2-1) vs. Adam Gaudreault (0-1); Colton Blanchette (0-0) vs. Gordan Smith (0-0).
The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
Monday, August 30, 2010
UFC 118 follow up
If former boxing champ James Toney wanted to find out how tough mixed martial arts is, he certainly found out when Randy Couture slapped an arm triangle on him during the first round of their bout at UFC 118 in Boston on Saturday.
Toney tapped out and Couture, a legend in the sport, won, just one of the highlights from the UFC's first trip to Boston.
This is proof of a couple things in the world of MMA. One is that not just anyone - no matter the background or how tough he thinks he is - can just walk into the cage and win a fight. Dana White, the president of the UFC, has said numerous famous athletes have approached him about fighting. Toney was at the top of that list, so White finally decided to give him a fight and it didn't go so well for the former pugilist.
There is a lot more to the sport than what appears on the surface. There is strategy, defense, a lot of thinking and endurance. Fighters always have to be aware of where they are, their body position, what their opponent is trying to do and any possible submission moves. It's not just going toe-to-toe and slugging away.
The second thing Saturday night proved is that MMA is popular in New England, and hopefully this will open the door for more local fighters. For years, the MMA scene has been growing here, but it hasn't received the national recognition because Massachusetts, the state with the best venues in the area, did not sanction the sport until last winter.
Now that is has been sanctioned in the Bay State and the UFC has expanded its kingdom to the TD Bank Garden, more fighters from the area should get a chance to fight on the preliminary card and possibly earn a contract with the UFC, or other companies in ths sport.
Toney tapped out and Couture, a legend in the sport, won, just one of the highlights from the UFC's first trip to Boston.
This is proof of a couple things in the world of MMA. One is that not just anyone - no matter the background or how tough he thinks he is - can just walk into the cage and win a fight. Dana White, the president of the UFC, has said numerous famous athletes have approached him about fighting. Toney was at the top of that list, so White finally decided to give him a fight and it didn't go so well for the former pugilist.
There is a lot more to the sport than what appears on the surface. There is strategy, defense, a lot of thinking and endurance. Fighters always have to be aware of where they are, their body position, what their opponent is trying to do and any possible submission moves. It's not just going toe-to-toe and slugging away.
The second thing Saturday night proved is that MMA is popular in New England, and hopefully this will open the door for more local fighters. For years, the MMA scene has been growing here, but it hasn't received the national recognition because Massachusetts, the state with the best venues in the area, did not sanction the sport until last winter.
Now that is has been sanctioned in the Bay State and the UFC has expanded its kingdom to the TD Bank Garden, more fighters from the area should get a chance to fight on the preliminary card and possibly earn a contract with the UFC, or other companies in ths sport.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The wait is over.
This weekend, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will come to Massachusetts with UFC 118 at the TD Bank Garden on Saturday.
It is the first time the UFC has come to the Bay State since mixed martial arts was sanctioned last winter. As usual, the card is an impressive one and features some local fighters.
There are co-main events. One is for the lightweight championship when Frank Edgar (12-1) takes on BJ Penn (15-6-1). The other features MMA legend Randy Couture (18-10) against former boxer James Toney (0-0), whom UFC President Dana White said has been practically begging him for a fight.
On the local scene, former Boston College soccer standout and Massachusettts native Kenny Florian (13-4) will battle Gray Maynard (9-0) in the lightweight division during the main card. The preliminary card features some local fighters such as Joe Lauzon (18-4) of Massachusetts, who will take on Gabe Ruediger (17-5) of Liverpool, England, in the lightweight division.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Some Grit at the Whitt
Mixed martial arts continues to grow in New Hampshire, and next month Global Fight League will host an event at what is believed to be the biggest venue ever in the state when GFL 9 comes to the Whittemore Center on the campus of the University of New Hampshire.
The arena, which holds nearly 6,000 people for an event like this, will play host to an extraordinary card featurning several of the best local fighters.
The most intriguing match on paper is at 170 pounds, where Dennis Olson (11-5) of Amherst takes on Tom Moreau (5-1-1) of Derry. The most recent Northeast MMA rankings have Olson at No. 1 in the weight class and Moreau at No. 3.
Other matches on the card so far include: Justin Homsey (4-1) against Josh Laberge (7-4) at 145 pounds, Matt Smith (7-2) against Pedro Gonzalez (6-3) at 135 pounds, John Benoit (9-2) against Josh Hersey (4-1) at 155 pounds and Cody Lightfoot (4-1) against Shawn Gallano (4-1) at heavyweight.
The Northeast MMA rankings for this fighters are as follows: Homsey 5, Laberge 2; Smith 8, Gonzalez 9; Benoit 8, Hersey unranked; Lightfoot unranked, Gallano 5.
The arena, which holds nearly 6,000 people for an event like this, will play host to an extraordinary card featurning several of the best local fighters.
The most intriguing match on paper is at 170 pounds, where Dennis Olson (11-5) of Amherst takes on Tom Moreau (5-1-1) of Derry. The most recent Northeast MMA rankings have Olson at No. 1 in the weight class and Moreau at No. 3.
Other matches on the card so far include: Justin Homsey (4-1) against Josh Laberge (7-4) at 145 pounds, Matt Smith (7-2) against Pedro Gonzalez (6-3) at 135 pounds, John Benoit (9-2) against Josh Hersey (4-1) at 155 pounds and Cody Lightfoot (4-1) against Shawn Gallano (4-1) at heavyweight.
The Northeast MMA rankings for this fighters are as follows: Homsey 5, Laberge 2; Smith 8, Gonzalez 9; Benoit 8, Hersey unranked; Lightfoot unranked, Gallano 5.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Local talent taking the stage at "Massacre in the Meadow"
Calvin "The Boston Finisher" Kattar, the reigning NCAB champion in mixed martial arts and one of the top ranked professional fighters in the Northeast, will return to the cage for the co-main event when Combat Zone MMA 33 moves to the Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion as part of the Laconia Bike Week events. The "Massacre in the Meadow" will be held June 19.
Kattar (9-2-0), who hails from Methuen, Mass., and is one of the most popular fighters in the region, takes on Chris Connor (5-2-0) from Winchester, Va., in the highly anticipated bout in the 155-pound class. Connor's record is deceiving because while he has had just seven professional matches, he won 10 of 13 amateur fights before turning pro.
Local fight fans are well acquainted with the charismatic Kattar, who is enormously tough, talented, and strong in the cage. But they might think they're seeing double when Connor is introduced by the ringmaster. That's because Chris Connor is the twin brother of Robert Connor, who lost for the first time in his pro career when defeated by Derry's Tom Moreau by unanimous decision in the main event of Combat Zone 32 at Rockingham Park this past March.
In the co-main event also for 155 pounders, up-and-coming fighter Luiz Rodriguez (2-0-0) of Somerville, Mass., will face an opponent to be named as the complete card of 15 fights takes shape in the final weeks.
In addition to Kattar, there will be plenty of star power in the cage. UFC veteran Josh "Heavy" Hendricks (15-6-0) from Ohio will match up against Carlos Lovato (2-0-0) of Haverhill, Mass., in a test of the heavyweights. Lovato, who trains at the Guy Chase Academy of MMA in Greenland, is another with more experience than his record shows. He is undefeated in Muay Thai and as both an amateur and pro boxer, so he is highly skilled in the various mixed martial arts necessary to score submissions.
Another fight that is sure to garner a great deal of interest is the one in the 185-pound class between Will "The Brown Bomber" Santiago of Lawrence, Mass., and Lowell Zangri of Manchester. Both of the young fighters are undefeated at 2-0-0 and match up well in their abilities.
Other combatants who figure to draw attention include RJ LeTendre (1-0-0), who is a police officer in his hometown of Rollinsford, Jared Dumais (2-1-0) of Derry, and Taylor Trahan (4-3-0) of Lunenburg, Vt., who has redeemed himself from a slow start in the cage by winning his last four fights decisively.
Tickets are available through www.czmma.com or through www.meadowbrook.net and range from $120 to $25, plus a service charge. For more information about the event or any of the fighters, visit www.czmma.com.
Kattar (9-2-0), who hails from Methuen, Mass., and is one of the most popular fighters in the region, takes on Chris Connor (5-2-0) from Winchester, Va., in the highly anticipated bout in the 155-pound class. Connor's record is deceiving because while he has had just seven professional matches, he won 10 of 13 amateur fights before turning pro.
Local fight fans are well acquainted with the charismatic Kattar, who is enormously tough, talented, and strong in the cage. But they might think they're seeing double when Connor is introduced by the ringmaster. That's because Chris Connor is the twin brother of Robert Connor, who lost for the first time in his pro career when defeated by Derry's Tom Moreau by unanimous decision in the main event of Combat Zone 32 at Rockingham Park this past March.
In the co-main event also for 155 pounders, up-and-coming fighter Luiz Rodriguez (2-0-0) of Somerville, Mass., will face an opponent to be named as the complete card of 15 fights takes shape in the final weeks.
In addition to Kattar, there will be plenty of star power in the cage. UFC veteran Josh "Heavy" Hendricks (15-6-0) from Ohio will match up against Carlos Lovato (2-0-0) of Haverhill, Mass., in a test of the heavyweights. Lovato, who trains at the Guy Chase Academy of MMA in Greenland, is another with more experience than his record shows. He is undefeated in Muay Thai and as both an amateur and pro boxer, so he is highly skilled in the various mixed martial arts necessary to score submissions.
Another fight that is sure to garner a great deal of interest is the one in the 185-pound class between Will "The Brown Bomber" Santiago of Lawrence, Mass., and Lowell Zangri of Manchester. Both of the young fighters are undefeated at 2-0-0 and match up well in their abilities.
Other combatants who figure to draw attention include RJ LeTendre (1-0-0), who is a police officer in his hometown of Rollinsford, Jared Dumais (2-1-0) of Derry, and Taylor Trahan (4-3-0) of Lunenburg, Vt., who has redeemed himself from a slow start in the cage by winning his last four fights decisively.
Tickets are available through www.czmma.com or through www.meadowbrook.net and range from $120 to $25, plus a service charge. For more information about the event or any of the fighters, visit www.czmma.com.
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