...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Around 1,500 vocal MMA fans in Minnesota hit up the Myth Nightclub in Maplewood on Saturday night for Sterling Entertainment Group and Driller Promotions' "Mecca at the Myth" event. It was the organization's debut at the venue, and they brought with them a 16-fight mixed amateur and professional card.
That included three Amateur Title fights for Driller, with Kyle Todd, Phil Hawes, and Raquel Magdeleno all picking up gold on the card.
Todd captured the Amateur Welterweight Title in the night's main event, outworking Gary Granholm on the ground for much of the first and second rounds before locking on a standing guillotine up against the cage. He stayed patient with the hold, making small adjustments and finally forcing the tap with just seven seconds remaining in the round.
Both Hawes and Magdeleno needed considerably less time to win their belts, with Hawes taking out Tom Krenzel in just 15 seconds, and Magdeleno - fighting out of Duke Roufus' camp in Milwaukee - making quick work of Rachelle Bacon. She pulled off a throw from the clinch into side control and quickly passed to mount, then secured a rear naked choke after Bacon gave up her back. The fight was over just over a minute into the round.
"I was blown away by Phil Hawes and Raquel Magdaleno, two of the most elite prospects in the sport," SEG's Jeremy Bjornberg told MMATorch after the event. "Both will be back next month. Phil September 20 at Canterbury Park and Raquel September 28 in Milwaukee for Duke Roufus. Phil moved here from Iowa to train and is a Juco National Champion, Raquel has a huge wrestling background and is from the UP of Michigan, we moved her to Milwaukee to train at Duke's."
The entertaining night of fights featured a lot of quick action, with a string of nine straight fights ending in the first round prior to the night's main event.
That included a vicious one-sided beating from Bill Finn against Clarence Jordan, which featured a spinning heel kick to the face and several prolonged flurries preceding a brutal knockdown and strikes against the cage. Co-main eventer Mike Hernandez got in on the brutality as well, destroying Carl Deaton III with a combination against the cage after a competitive three and a half minutes. The stoppage was well delayed in that fight, as Hernandez delivered several extra shots to the prone Deaton before the referee stepped in.
But knockouts weren't the only story of the night, as several submissions provided a lot of exciting ground action as well. The highlight of the night came from Josh Treseler, who pulled off a submission announced as an "upside down scarf lock." A variation of a straight armbar, Treseler pulled off the hold while lying on his side with Joe Willson in side control. He caught Wilson's left arm between his legs and trapped it there with a foot behind, straightening the arm and forcing the tap. The description can't do the hold justice, but suffice it to say it's a finish that has likely never been seen in any of the major promotions before.
The 16-fight event seemed a bit daunting from the outset, but with the brevity of many of the finishes the card finished in a little over four hours. It was a successful debut at the venue for Driller, who returns next month with "Caged Chaos at Canterbury 3" from Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. Full results from Saturday's card are below:
* Kyle Todd def. Gary Granholm via submission (standing guillotine) at 2:53 of the second round (For Driller Amateur Welterweight Championship)
* Mike Hernandez def. Carl Deaton III via KO at 3:53 of the first round
* Alex Figueroa vs. Ehsan Karam def. Alex Figueroa via submission (D'Arce choke, announced as Japanese necktie) at 1:30 of the first round
* Bill Finn def. Clarence Jordan via KO at 4:32 of the first round
* Nate Howe def. Jon Tarrh via submission (triangle choke) :54 of the first round
* Phil Hawes def. Tom Krenzel via TKO at :15 of the first round (For Driller Amateur Heavyweight Championship)
* Raquel Magdeleno def. Rachelle Bacon via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:05 of the first round (For Driller Amateur Strawweight Championship)
* Chris Hugh def. Jesse Midas via TKO at 4:57 of the first round
* Eugene Crisler def. DeAngelo Curtis via technical submission
* Ty Bowling def. Justin Womach via submission (Americana) at :58 of the first round
* Diorelle Ramos def. Berta Gray via decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
* Josh Treseler def. Joe Willson via submission (announced as upside down scarf-lock) at :43 of the second round
* Dave Zinda def. Michael Quinones via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
* Garett Sowman def. Ash Magic via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
* Ben Landau def. Otis Hamilton via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
* Dustin Murphy def. Sam Khom via submission (arm triangle) at :56 of the third round
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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