LUIS RIVERA vs. SLAID “SLEDGE” SAINEVIL (BOXING EXHIBITION)
Round 1: Sledge (black shorts) is able to poke his jab through Rivera’s defense early, especially to the body. After Sledge connects with a good left hook, Rivera starts doubling up his jab and is the busier boxer as the round winds down. Slaid lands another good left hook, but it’s not enough to stop or slow down Rivera. Round 2: Rivera is again the busier fighter, jabbing and avoiding any real damage from Sledge. Sledge connects with a right to the body and then brings it up to the head. Both fighters are putting out more work, and the crowd energy is picking up. Round 3: The final frame sees both men letting the gloves go. Rivera’s left jab and follow-up uppercut is the highlight of an exciting final couple of minutes. A winner was not determined for this bout. These guys are friends in an exhibition and still put on a good show; I’d love to see either one knuckle up against a stranger.
ROB KOSTER vs. GERSON ALVAREZ (BOXING)
Round 1: Koster (orange shorts) establishes early on that he is the bigger, stronger fighter. By my count, he lands 11 big right hands to Alvarez, who somehow keeps coming – and is fighting back. Round 2: More rights from Koster, and Alvarez is dropped. He answers the mandatory eight-count tired and battered, but still ready to fight. Both me are swinging for the KO, one because he needs it, the other because he senses it. Round 3: Alvarez lands a good left-right-left that backs up Koster and knocks his headgear askew for the first time all night. Koster shakes it off and counters with another strong right. The fight ends with both men swinging like they mean it. Great fight from both guys. Rob Koster takes the decision.
MATTHEW ESPINAL vs. JOE RAGUSA (GRAPPLING)
The more powerful Ragusa (black shirt) scores an early takedown, is reversed as both guys hit the ground, and locks up Espinal in his guard. Ragusa sweeps off the taller Espinal after both men fight for wrist control. Espinal shoots, and Ragusa nearly locks in the choke but doesn’t quite have back control. Espinal is soon back in Ragusa’s guard. After a scramble, Ragusa slams Espinal down hard, Espinal sweeps him, and we’re back on our feet. Even people who don’t understand submission grappling are getting into this. Ragusa shoots, but cannot take down Espinal, who looks tired and is standing straight up. Ragusa eventually drags down Espinal, who lands on top of Ragusa and works for an armbar. Ragusa reverses and finishes in Espinal’s guard in the final seconds of the match. Because no one submitted after the six-minute period, a winner was not determined.
BILLY CAMPBELL vs. TYLER KOTARSKI (FULL CONTACT KICKBOXING)
Round 1: Kotarski (white shorts) is in complete control, punishing the head and face with hooks and jabs, rights and lefts. Campbell’s hands are down, his head is high, he’s not fighting back, and his nose is bloody. Kotarski ends the round with a couple of good head kicks. Round 2: And here comes Campbell! Kotarski looks tired. Campbell ignites the crowd with a big right hand, the best punch of the round, during a furious exchange. He’s still bleeding a bit, but he’s dictating the pace and the action of the fight. Kotarski seems to be winding down. Round 3: Looks like Kotarski found a second wind: He opens the third round with some crisp 1-2s. Campbell lands a good right hand. I think Kotarski just hip tossed Campbell, judo style. Campbell is not happy and scores again with the right as the closing bell sounds. This fight brought up the crowd intensity to a whole new level. This fight is ruled a draw. A case can be made that either guy won, so I have no problem with the decision. Pictured below are Campbell (black shorts) and Kotarski with the titillating Nicole after the fight.
Round 1: Kotarski (white shorts) is in complete control, punishing the head and face with hooks and jabs, rights and lefts. Campbell’s hands are down, his head is high, he’s not fighting back, and his nose is bloody. Kotarski ends the round with a couple of good head kicks. Round 2: And here comes Campbell! Kotarski looks tired. Campbell ignites the crowd with a big right hand, the best punch of the round, during a furious exchange. He’s still bleeding a bit, but he’s dictating the pace and the action of the fight. Kotarski seems to be winding down. Round 3: Looks like Kotarski found a second wind: He opens the third round with some crisp 1-2s. Campbell lands a good right hand. I think Kotarski just hip tossed Campbell, judo style. Campbell is not happy and scores again with the right as the closing bell sounds. This fight brought up the crowd intensity to a whole new level. This fight is ruled a draw. A case can be made that either guy won, so I have no problem with the decision. Pictured below are Campbell (black shorts) and Kotarski with the titillating Nicole after the fight.
FRED LAMARCA vs. STEVE CURATOLO (GRAPPLING)
Curatolo stuffs an early takedown attempt, snatches Lamarca’s leg, kicks it out, and lands in Lamarca’s guard. The crowd is fired up from Campbell-Kotarski and loving this fast early action. Lamarca (red shorts) is back up. Curatola tries for a standing arm-in guillotine. Lamarca gets the takedown passes to Curatola’s left side, and mounts. Curatola is breathing harder, and works for the armbar. Both men are back on their feet, Curatola slams Lamarca and ends up in top position after a fast scramble. Curatols and Lamarca work for legs and ankles, and try to kick one another off. Both men’s lower bodies come free, and Lamarca pulls guard. He brings up his left shin to what looks like the Lochness Monster of submission grappling: the gogplata. The lower shin is beneath Curatolo’s chin, but Curatola wisely keeps his back and chin up so that Lamarca cannot pull down and force the tap. The red-faced Curatola shakes his way out of Lamarca’s guard. This is sick. Lamarca takes Curatolo’s back and sinks in the rear naked choke, but not deep or fast enough to beat the closing bell. Curatolo controlled early; Lamarca finished stonger. Awesome match. Because no one submitted after the six-minute period, a winner was not determined.
Curatolo stuffs an early takedown attempt, snatches Lamarca’s leg, kicks it out, and lands in Lamarca’s guard. The crowd is fired up from Campbell-Kotarski and loving this fast early action. Lamarca (red shorts) is back up. Curatola tries for a standing arm-in guillotine. Lamarca gets the takedown passes to Curatola’s left side, and mounts. Curatola is breathing harder, and works for the armbar. Both men are back on their feet, Curatola slams Lamarca and ends up in top position after a fast scramble. Curatols and Lamarca work for legs and ankles, and try to kick one another off. Both men’s lower bodies come free, and Lamarca pulls guard. He brings up his left shin to what looks like the Lochness Monster of submission grappling: the gogplata. The lower shin is beneath Curatolo’s chin, but Curatola wisely keeps his back and chin up so that Lamarca cannot pull down and force the tap. The red-faced Curatola shakes his way out of Lamarca’s guard. This is sick. Lamarca takes Curatolo’s back and sinks in the rear naked choke, but not deep or fast enough to beat the closing bell. Curatolo controlled early; Lamarca finished stonger. Awesome match. Because no one submitted after the six-minute period, a winner was not determined.
PEPPER JOHNSON vs. STEFAN EDWARDS (GRAPPLING)
Edwards (white shirt) is in his Team K2 counterpart’s guard early and escapes a triangle attempt. Both men are kneeling as Johnson slips out of a guillotine from Edwards, spins off of Edwards’s back, and works for a choke of his own. These are two big, strong guys moving at a quick pace. Edwards reverses and is in Johnson’s guard, but breaks out and is back on his feet. Johnson grabs a single leg for the takedown. Johnson escapes quickly, mounts, passes to side control, and works for a straight armbar. Both men are on their feet after Edwards frees his arm. The bell sounds with Johnson on Edwards’s back, working for the rear naked choke.
Because no one submitted after the six-minute period, a winner was not determined.
ELVIS CAMEJO vs. ADRIANO NUNEZ (KICKBOXING)
Round 1: Camejo (red shorts) jabs early and connects with a big body kick that gets the crowd’s attention. Camejo lands a beautiful left jab-right uppercut-body kick combo that takes some of the thunder out of Nunez. Nunez keeps fighting, though, pumping the jab and trading body kicks with Camejo. Camejo then lands a tough right hand and follows it with a well placed kick to the body. Nunez is slowing down; his mouthpiece is too visible, and his face is too red. Nunez lands a big right hand; Camejo counters with the same. Round 2: Camejo’s punch-kick combos are overwhelming his opponent. He starts picking Nunez apart with 1s and 2s after putting a right uppercut on the jaw. Another body kick stuns Nunez, prompting the ref to give the standard eight count. Camejo presses on, but not for long. The ref steps in for Nunez and calls for the bell. Elvis Camejo wins by TKO.
DAN LEO vs. KEVIN CORCORAN (KICKBOXING)
Round 1: Time for the heavyweights. Both men throw heavy leather early. High kicks from Corcoran just miss the mark, but he’s landing his left hooks. Leo scores with a jumping high kick (pictured above), and Corcoran counters with a hook. Lots of action in a close, high-paced opening frame. Corcoran does a nice job with the push kick and again with his hooks, especially the left. Leo attacks well, and Corcoran counters with more kicks and hooks. Leo scores with a few big overhand rights. This is extremely close. Round 2: Both men trade kicks, and Leo counters one kick with a sweet counter spinning back fist. The pace is slowing. Leo kicks low, and Corcoran takes a breather. Leo ends the round with a few straight right hands that rip through Corcoran’s defense. Round 3: Corcoran lands his own spinning back fist, but Leo counters with a 1-2. Corcoran lands a few more good left hooks as both men throw big kicks and wide hooks throughout the final minutes of the fight. Dan “The Magic Man” Leo wins by decision.
KEON SAVAGE vs. GEORGE TURNER (MUAY THAI)
Round 1: Savage (black shorts, white trim) is strong, moving ahead and swinging hard. He lands a big leg kick early. Turner doesn’t seem to mind, though, and prudently attacks the bigger man’s lead leg. Savage does some holding and headlocking before grabbing Turner in a real Thai clinch. Turner breaks free and scores with some tight body work. The crowd is clearly pro-Turner. Round 2: Savage is tired. Turner lands a good knee as Savage backs up against the ropes and keeps attacking Savage’s lead leg. Savage counters with a powerful right cross. Turner responds with punch-kick combos and keeps punishing the body. Savage is out of gas. Turner lands knees in the clinch and is still targeting those ribs. Round 3: Savage is clearly looking for the KO, but is fed a steady dose of kicks to his lead leg and punches to his body. Savage kicks back, but not with enough force to derail Turner, who connects with a big right hand and a crushing body kick. The fight ends with both men throwing heat. George Turner and his Batman shorts earn the decision victory.
JONATHAN LOPEZ vs. FRANCISCO BUSTOS (KICKBOXING TITLE FIGHT)
Round1: These guys are intense. You can hear their kicks zip through the air and sink into their targets. Nasty. Bustos throws some crazy high kicks, but does his best work with the kicks to the body. Lopez (black shorts), the lefty, lands body kicks of his own as both men charge at each other. This looks like a brawl between two guys who love to kick. Round 2: Lopez opens the scoring in this round with a beautiful jump kick. The fighters trade vicious body kicks, best evidenced by Lopez’s bright red ribs. Lopez misses a big head kick, but connects with the back fist chaser. Another close round. Round 3: We’re getting feisty here. Bustos kicks the body, lands a solid left hand, and charges in. Another body kick from Bustos and a big left hand. Lopez hits a head kick, a body kick, and a left hook. Bustos is in the corner and hurt! The ref grants him the eight count, but Bustos doesn’t come out of the neutral corner. Lindenhurst’s own Jonathan Lopez becomes the Lights Out Light Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion via Round 3 TKO.
Great job by Bobby “The Jackhammer” Campbell – and of course the much lovelier Rosie Bozza (both pictured below with yours truly) – with this event. This card featured 10 fights, all of which were evenly matched, and Bobby’s Lights Out Promotions went the extra mile in providing free beer and food for everyone. For $25 a ticket, that’s the mutt’s nuts. Bobby and Rosie were accommodating, gracious hosts, and I look forward to seeing them again on April 15 in Deer Park.
Great job by Bobby “The Jackhammer” Campbell – and of course the much lovelier Rosie Bozza (both pictured below with yours truly) – with this event. This card featured 10 fights, all of which were evenly matched, and Bobby’s Lights Out Promotions went the extra mile in providing free beer and food for everyone. For $25 a ticket, that’s the mutt’s nuts. Bobby and Rosie were accommodating, gracious hosts, and I look forward to seeing them again on April 15 in Deer Park.
Also, be sure to check out Knuckles USA fighters, gear, upcoming events, Facebook, the whole thing. Steven from Knuckles USA (blue hoodie in the picture beneath) is a Long Island guy who sponsored the event at Big Al’s and supports local fights and fighters.
And finally, masterful work by the man on the mic, Larry Legend. His voice and energy during fighter intros are better than most guys I see on TV. No joke.
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