Jim The Kid Hettes will be taking a step up in competition this weekend when he squares off against Dwayne Shelton for the Cage Fight Featherweight title. Hettes/Shelton in the main event marks a drastic improvement over previous Cage Fight main events and is the first really compelling match-up I’ve seen on their card in a while. Unless you’re really into a 0-2 vs a pro debut as your co-main event…

Anyway, Dwayne Shelton has a rough looking record at 9-7 with a 3 fight losing streak, but look at some of the guys who have wins over him. Wilson Reis, Chris Liguori, Cole Miller and Din Thomas. Few fighters are willing to take fights that tough, and at a point in his career when he needs to break a losing streak in a serious sort of way, he takes one of the region’s top young prospects, in 5-0 black belt BJJ fighter Jim Hettes.
Continue Reading

Popularity: 13% [?]

According to Matrix matchmaker Sam Caplan and promoter Jimmy Binns Jr, Julio Rosario and Brylan Van ArtsDalen will square off in the main event of their third Matrix show. Van ArtsDalen, representing the US Army and Daddis Fight Camps comes in with Matrix and Bellator experience. Rosario, a US Marine and 3 tour Iraqi War veteran fighting under the Semper Fi MMA flag, can use this fight to announce his presence on a bigger stage.
Continue Reading

Popularity: 20% [?]

6 Flags Great Adventure was the venue for last night’s MMA Mayhem. The show, which was put together by Steve Rivera’s Elite Wrestling and the Jackson Twp PBA had some issues. Between the appearances by Matt Serra, Frankie Edgar and Kimbo Slice, and a grappling tournament, and a pro fight card out under the stars, it seemed like the promotion team just bit off more than they could handle. Troubles with injuries thinned the bout sheet from 9 fights to 6, and the North Star Arena was just a little too big for the show. But, those problems aside, the six fights that did jump off in the Dead Serious hexagon were outstanding. It could be a case similar to October’s Extreme Force Show (which has since turned into Locked in the Cage) where a rookie matchmaker stumbles into a good fight card, but regardless, a good fight is a good fight.
Continue Reading

Popularity: 50% [?]

The Ultimate Fighter: Season 11 cast member, Woody Weatherby was among a handful of fighters not in attendance at tonight’s Matrix 2 weigh-ins. From what I overheard, Woody did check in to his hotel room, but did not make it to the Zee Bar in Philadelphia for official weigh-ins. His opponent, South Jersey’s Tim Williams was at the weigh-ins and was on weight. Weatherby will be allowed to weigh-in tomorrow.

Kentucky’s Matt Troyer, who was scheduled to fight Brazil’s Alexandre PoPo Bezerra apparently never got on his flight. Bezerra is a former Golden Gloves champion who trains now with Brad Daddis and Wilson Reis.

And in the womens’ 135 pound fight, if what I heard is true, Jennifer Martin was “unable to get a ride” to either one of her medical appointments, or to the show. Its unclear which. Martin was scheduled to face Andria Caplan, wife of Matrix & Bellator matchmaker Sam Caplan. Don’t get that twisted, as Phil Migliarese said on an interview which will be available here tomorrow, Andria can fight. This is confirmed by guys who train with Andria at Daddis FC.

All these issues aside, Matrix 2 will go down tomorrow night at the former ECW Arena in South Philadelphia. It will be an awesome show, and a handful of tickets will be sold at the door.

Get your asses out to support regional mixed martial arts.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Hopefully you were one of the couple dozen people who checked in to last night’s liveblog, something I hope to turn into a regular feature from shows I cover live. (Quick thanks to the Go Fight Live crew for sharing table space and power with a brother.) If you were with us either at the John Perzel Community Center, or watching on GFL and following the live blog, you saw some good fights. The pro card featured some of the most even fights I’ve seen in a while. There were two titles on the line, the amateur 145Lbs title which went to Fight Firm‘s Ben Tichy, and the LITC Heavyweight title, which was won by Joel Wyatt from MMA Institute in Virginia.

Hit the jump for full results.
Continue Reading

Popularity: 43% [?]

Philadelphia’s Daddis Fight Camps continues to represent in Bellator. Brylan Vanartsdalen will make his professional debut representing Daddis at this Thursday’s show in Connecticut. Brylan will look to build on Wilson Reis‘ victory last week in Chicago. Unfortunately, the previously announced non-tournament match between Matt Makowski and Matt Lee has been cancelled. Bellator 15 goes down in Uncasville Connecticut on Thursday at 7:00 PM ET. Check your local listings for broadcast information.

Hit the jump for the whole card.
Continue Reading

Popularity: 7% [?]

USA Today’s Fighting Stances blog is reporting that all tournament fighters have made weight for tomorrow night’s Bellator 14 from Chicago IL.
Hit the jump for results.
Continue Reading

Popularity: 6% [?]