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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
RFA 24
MARCH 6, 2015
LIVE FROM PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
Resurrection Fighting Alliance hits Minnesota for a second time tonight with a six-fight card airing live on AXS TV. I'll be bringing some live thoughts and reactions to the main card tonight in attendance at the Mystic Lake Casino, so follow along right here throughout the night.
-Michael Schiavello and Pat Miletich have the call to my right tonight, though won't be hearing much of what they've got to say from here.
-Note from the prelims, Kali Robbins, who I spoke with earlier this week, scored a second round submission win over Corrie Ward.
FIGHT ONE: CHRIS HUGH VS. BOJAN VELICKOVIC (WELTERWEIGHT)
-Round One: Hugh started as the aggressor, though Velickovic forced him back with a heavy high kick. Velickovic scored an early takedown out of a clinch and went to work on the ground. He avoided strikes from the bottom and passed with a heavy right hand. Though it took him a bit, he eventually worked to side control. Velickovic landed a couple back of the head strikes and got warned, but Hugh was hurt and he started unloading strikes. The referee just stood there as he covered up and finally stepped in way late.
-Winner: Velickovic via TKO at 4:40 of the first round
-Notes: Not much to this one. Velickovic got the takedown, stayed patient, hurt Hugh with a couple of back of the head shots and finished him off from there. Unfortunately late stoppage from the referee, though.
FIGHT TWO: ANDRE "THE DIVA" TIEVA VS. MATT BROWN (BANTAMWEIGHT)
-Round One: Tieva checked an early leg kick and they traded body kicks from there. Brown got through with a hard right hand. He barely missed a hard spinning back kick, just grazing the body. Both were hanging back a bit, waiting for the other to make their move. Brown rushed in midway through and clinched, but Tieva held him off and got in some knees to the body. Brown landed a hard knee to the groin that brought a wide array of boos and halted the action a bit. On the restart Brown came back ahead with a hard leg kick. Tieva landed a solid left hook. Tieva landed a nice straight right, but it connected on the top of the head as Brown ducked down. Brown caught a kick and scored a takedown, but as he went for a guillotine Tieva reversed and got on top. Tieva ended the round up top. 10-9 Diva in a close one.
-Round Two: They traded right hands to start off. Brown went high with a kick. Tieva landed a nice uppercut with a left hook behind it. He cracked Brown with another right and avoided the counters. Brown landed a hard leg kick. Tieva returned fire. Both slowed a bit. Tieva continued to stay busier from the outside. He caught a kick and landed two hard right hands. Brown clinched. Tieva jumped a guillotine and had it tight. He dropped down but Brown fought it. Tieva tried to tighten it again, but he seemed to be losing the grip. Tieva held the position, but still couldn't force the tap. Brown finally popped his head out and landed an elbow. Tieva turned back into him and got to his feet. He ate a few hard strikes in a big flurry from Brown. He covered up and separated though. Tieva got cut open in that exchange. They clinched and traded knees. Big finish from Brown, not enough to take the round, but Tieva could be gassed here. 10-9 Tieva.
-Round Three: Brown tried to target the cut on Tieva's forehead. Tieva landed a good strike. Brown went heavy to the body with kicks. Tieva fired back a right hand, but ate another body shot. Brown landed a hard elbow that hurt Tieva. They both started unloading. Brown hurt him bad again. He kept firing away on the cage and Tieva just covered up. Brown landed another brutal right hand. Brown kept unleashing strikes at a furious clip and drove Tieva back. The ref finally stepped in to stop it with Tieva out on his feet. Brutal as hell.
-Winner: Brown via TKO at 1:28 of the third round
-Notes: Crazy violent finish, but man Tieva took way too many shots before it was finally stopped. He was hurt badly well before that was called.
FIGHT THREE: BOBBY MOFFETT VS. DAN MORET (FEATHERWEIGHT)
-Round One: Moret opened things up, but Moffett landed a couple hard strikes. Moret tried to grab a choke as Moffett shot in, but Moffett smartly passed to side control. Mofett was trying to set up the north-south choke, but Moret defended. Mofeett brabbed for an american, but Moret tried to go with an inverted triangle and got him to loosen it briefly. Moret finally got his arm free and got to his feet. Moffett took him back down briefly, but Moret popped up to force a clinch on the cage. He held off more takedown attempts for a while. Moret landed some hard elbows and opened Moffett up. He landed a brutal series of knees late. He sprawled and took Moffett's back. He landed another hard elbow and several more strikes to finish out the round. Moret stole it late 10-9. He got warned for back of the head strikes, though.
-Round Two: They traded some early strikes but Moffett quickly looked to take it to the ground. Moret stuffed it and avoided a slam attempt. They traded punches. Moret landed a knee but got taken down. He got right back to his feet, only to be planted again. Lost sight here live in that corner behind Michael Schiavello's head. Moret landed a back of the head strike from his back and they halted the action. They got restarted on the ground, but in a different spot than they were at. Dumb. Moffett landed several punches to the body on the restart and Moret tried to attack from his back. Moffett got away with a little shorts grabbing and passed to side control. Moret tried to stifle him. Moffett landed a bunch of hard knees to the body. Moffett stayed busy from the top, riding out the round on top. 10-9 Moffett to even things up.
-Round Three: Moffett moved straight ahead. He avoided some strikes from Moret. Moret went for a badly telegraphed high kick and got taken down from it. He popped up quickly and stuffed another attempt from Moffett. He separated with a nice left hand. Moffett caught another kick and drove in for a takedown. Moffett shot in for a single and worked hard to finish it as his corner was screaming at him to advance it. He worked from side control. Moret escaped and got to his feet, but Moffett set up a D'Arce choke and kept the headlock standing briefly. Moret got out, but Moffett dropped down for a double leg and took him down easily again. Moffett got to side control again, and though he wasn't going a lot, the top control with a few short strikes thrown in there was more than enough to give him the round and the fight.
-Winner: Moffett via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
-Notes: Not a very good fight. There were a few decent moments, but Moret couldn't keep himself standing down the stretch, while Moffett wasn't able to do a ton offensively while on top himself.
FIGHT FOUR: MARVIN BLUMER VS. DARRICK MINNER (BANTAMWEIGHT)
-Round One: Minner ducked under an early strike and scored a takedown. Blumer tried to attack off his back as Minner tried to land strikes from the top. They had a furious scramble and Minner tried to attack for a D'Arce. Blumer got free and briefly to his feet, but Minner too him back down. Minner went for a bulldog choke but Blumer again got free. Minner working at a hell of a pace in the transitions here thus far. He drove Blumer to the cage and postured up, landing some hard strikes. Blumer attacked for the leg but ate some hard strikes and had to give it up. Minner tried to pass but got pulled back to guard. Minner got in an elbow and more strikes from the top. Blumer again tried to attack from his back, but Minner defended. Both still working hard. Blumer tried for another armbar to no avail, eating a couple of strikes. Minner postured up to land more strikes in the guard. Blumer continued trying to find something from the bottom, but it just wasn't happening. He got cut open on the top of his head from the ground and pound attack. Miner ended the round on top. Easy 10-9, close to 10-8 for Minner.
-Round Two: Minner shot in almost immediately and took Blumer down. Right back to the same corner they ended round one in. He postured up and did some damage. Blumer attacked a leg and tried to extend it. He had to give it up and Minner passed to side control. Minner landed a knee to the body and a couple of elbows. Blumer got in a knee to the body off his back. Minner passed to mount and postured up, landing some big strikes. Blumer tried to buck him off but couldn't. Minner got in more damage from the top. Blumer finally escaped mount and got a brief butterfly guard before going back to his guard. Minner again did some damage from the top. Minner passed to half guard and threw some more strikes. Blumer nearly escaped late, but Minner stayed heavy and kept top position to the horn. Another clear 10-9 with an argument for 10-8 for Minner.
-Round Three: Minner threw a winging overhand right and shot in. Blumer tried to counter it, but gave up his back in the process. Minner wound up on top in another ensuing scramble. Blumer tried to create some separation as the crowd cheered him on, but Minner passed to side control and landed some strikes. Blumer scrambled back to his guard, but it's going to take something desperate and out of nowhere for him at this point. Minner passed to half guard. Blumer nearly reversed to get on top, but wound up back in guard. Minner got in another hard elbow that cut Blumer up badly again. They were stood up with a minute left for no real reason. Minner landed a couple of strikes. Blumer stuffed a takedown attempt, but then dropped down. Minner got back to side control and landed a hard elbow. Minner had a tight choke on but Blumer escaped. No quite in him here at the least. Minner went back to side control and ended the round on top. Once again, clear 10-9, argument for 10-8 in a clean sweep for Minner.
-Winner: Minner via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
-Notes: Rough fight for Blumer. He was trying to find something off his back throughout, but Minner's relentless attack in the takedowns on in his top game were just too much tonight.
FIGHT FIVE: MELVIN BLUMER VS. JEFF CURRAN (BANTAMWEIGHT)
-Round One: Blumer opened with a leg kick, then got one in high that Curran blocked. He landed several more kicks and kept the pressure on Curran. Blumer got in a hard kick to the body. He hurt Curran with a nice combination and backed him up to the cage. Curran recovered, clinched, and got separation. Curran landed a side kick to the leg. Blumer landed a solid left with a kick behind it. Blumer landed a nice right hand. Very solid striking from Blumer. Curran dropped Blumer with a right hand! Blumer rushed in and Curran hopped on a guillotine. Blumer defended well, but Curran tried to finish it. Blumer popped his head out. He landed some body strikes in Curran's guard. Curran grabbed for the front choke and used it to get to his feet. He landed another hard strike. They traded shots. Curran landed a body strike. Curran landed a solid jab. Blumer landed a couple of punches and Curran taunted him. Curran popped through with a couple of strikes. They traded punches in a nice exchange. Both guys landing some quality damage in this opening round. Blumer got in a superman punch. Curran put his hands at his sides. Blumer landed a hard body kick. He landed a hard body punch. He barely missed a backhand. He missed a right hand, but threw it backhanded and landed and Curran went down! He landed a few more strikes and the ref stepped in! Holy shit! That was ridiculous!
-Winner: Blumer via KO at 4:58 of the first round
-Notes: That fight was absolutely insane, and that finish from Blumer was incredible. That's the first time Curran's been knocked out since his eighth career fight in November of 2001. Huge, huge win for Blumer.
MAIN EVENT FIGHT SIX: BEN SMITH VS. TAT ROMERO (WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP)
-Round One: Smith opened with a hard outside leg kick. He got in another and Romero jumped from it. Smith went high but it was telegraphed and blocked. Things slowed down as they both got a bit tentative. Smith tried to circle on the outside. Romero pressed him back with a couple of strikes. Smith came back ahead with the leg kick. He landed another brutal kick to the thigh. Smith with a side kick to the body. Smith went for a spinning back fist that grazed the top of Romero's head. Smith continued landing kicks from the outside. Romero landed a hard right hand and Smith clinched. He got in some knees, then scored an easy takedown into half guard. Smith tried to get a little space to land strikes as Romero tried to hold control of his posture. Smith got in some elbows to the thighs. Smith postured up and landed a bunch of strikes from the top. Romero grabbed his head, but Smith kept throwing and landing from the top. He got in a nice knee to the body. Smith landed a nice flurry to finish the round. 10-9 Smith.
-Round Two: Smith continued working his kicks to start off the second. Smith continued to stay patient on the outside, while Romero wasn't really throwing much of anything. Smith landed a good jab. Romero missed a left hand. Smith got in with another hard leg kick. Romero caught a kick, but Smith landed a few strikes. Romero picked him up and slammed him down. Smith tried to sit up and work to his feet on the cage. He succeeded, though Romero stayed on him with a body lock. Smith landed some foot stomps and knees to the body. Smith got in some elbows as Romero just held him at the cage. More elbows and punches from Smith as Romero wouldn't give up the single leg attempt. Smith looked to attack for a kimura late but the horn sounded. 10-9 Smith, though less active round than the last.
-Round Three: Kicks from Smith to start the round, then he shot in and scored an easy takedown into Romero's guard. He postured up and did some damage from the top as Romero covered up. Smith kept looking for opening for his strikes as Romero was covering up. Smith got in a knee to the body. Smith kept firing in spurts. Romero gave up his back and Smith landed some strikes. Romero really wasn't doing a ton as Smith continued landing strikes. The ref warned Romero to fight back and that made Smith just unleash hammerfist after hammerfist after hammerfist to finally force a stoppage.
-Winner: Smith via TKO at 4:32 of the third round
-Notes: One-sided fight. Romero did very little throughout the near 15-minutes it was going on, and Smith took advantage to finish it off late.
-That's the show for tonight, thanks for following along!
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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