SportFight X began preparing a preliminary roster of fighters last week that will make up the fight card. The company received numerous profiles of fighters vying to make the final cut. SportFight X has used only the best fighters in the past creating action packed fights that fans want to see. SFX CEO Edwards stated “It’s our job to select the best fighters, create the best match-ups and put on a show that leaves the fan’s wanting more. If we fail at that then we aren’t any different the other shows out there”. SportFight X fans will enjoy the professional aspect of the show with fighters entering the cage to square off without the oversized gloves and shin guards.

SportFight X will conduct a press conference in the coming weeks announcing the fight card from a location to be decided. The fight will be sponsored by Riviera Fitness and Window World. For more information visit www.sportfightx.com and facebook.

Excalibur Worldwide Promotions, LLC/ SportFight X

Fighter Inquiries- matchmaker@sportfightx.com
Media Inquiries- media@sportfightx.com
Contact Information- contact@sportfightx.com

Alabama is the newest state to sanction Mixed Martial Arts and the majority of the fighter’s records are unverifiable or unofficial. Many of the fighters have fought in the cage multiple times but will get to start with a 0-0 slate. Also, since there has not been a regulatory system many of the previous matches in the state have been unfair so a fighter who states his record is 12-2 may have never fought anyone with talent whatsoever.

The company may have derived a solution to the matchmaking dilemma that has their reputation on the line today. SportFight X is contemplating having an open fighter tryout in the coming days in search of the best local talent to fill the card. The tryout would allow SFX matchmaking to see fighters in action making sure they are correctly placed with opponents of their caliber. Fighters would get the chance to display their abilities and be screened accordingly. SportFight X President Gibbs said “We want the best of the best wherever we go but in this case it could be tough to find that by screening on paper alone. For example take Matt Ward, a purple belt in BJJ with a 1-0 record. He is on a different planet skill wise than any other 5-0 guy that I have ever seen. He destroyed the former Tennessee ISKA Champion who was 11-2 in the first round. Sometimes you really need to see what guys have to offer and this would be a good way to do that”.

It will be interesting to see if SportFight X decides to hold the tryouts. A date and time will be released Friday if it’s made official. Fighters and managers should contact matchmaker@sportfightx.com for consideration. For more information regarding the upcoming event check out www.sportfightx.com or on facebook.

Fighter Inquiries- matchmaker@sportfightx.com
Media Inquiries- media@sportfightx.com
Contact and Event Information- contact@sportfightx.com

SportFight X now owned by Excalibur Worldwide Promotions, Inc. was previously an Atlanta based promotional company and is now located in Alabama. SFX under the new management of Sportfight X President: Mr. Adam Gibbs from Cullman, Alabama bought out SFX in September of 2010. Gibbs took SFX out of Atlanta and held their first out of state show in Murfreesboro, Tenn. in 2010. Gibbs is an Alabama Businessmen and is also a busy Ring Announcer for shows in and around the south including TV’s - Strike Force events.

After SFX was granted the promoters license they got very active securing a facility large enough to host the first ever Pro / AM Mixed Martial Arts show in Alabama. The show is scheduled for March 24th at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Von Braun Center is a state of the arts multipurpose entertainment venue. The 10,000 seat arena will be plenty of room to host the first ever sanctioned MMA Pro / Am Show in Alabama’s History. SFX also stated to USCS that they have every intention of bring their show and fighters to the Birmingham Metro Area and it will not be that far down the road. SFX plans to host many shows in 2012 including heading back to Tennessee and Georgia.

SFX is the home of some incredibly talented fighters including Bellator’s Middleweight Tournament Champion: Douglas Lima who recently won his last fight against UFC Veteran; Ben Saunders. SFX is the new Big Dog in Alabama and we are glad to see him here. SFX bring a new level of professionalism to professional mixed martial arts in the Alabama MMA Scene as well as the South as a whole.

March show will feature some local Alabama talent including Dustin “Deuce” Rhodes from Florence, Alabama will be the co-main event. The 185 Lbs Rhodes has fought some tough opponents and hold on to a 2-2- record. Rhodes recently scored two first round victories, one by arm bar submission and the other by 25 sec ref stoppage.

Steven Wilhite will make his professional debut in Sportfight X main event. This 155 lbs fighter for for SFX last year in Middle Tennessee Mayhem against a 170 lbs fighter when at the last minute the 155 lbs opponent pulled out and a 170 lb’er stepped up. Wilhite went on to dominate and win in round 2 at 2:32 via rear naked choke.

SFX first Alabama Show will one for the record books as he has some great fights lined up and has already booked a great venue. Gibbs stated earlier to USCS that he has several more venues in mind and Birmingham is definitely in the list for 2012.

Stay tuned for more great news and information for the frontline from USCS Photojournalist Rick Piel.

SportFight X will play host to Alabama’s first professional MMA contest sanctioned by the Alabama Athletic Commission. The company had eyed both Huntsville and Birmingham before making their decision but will likely make their stop in the Magic City later this year. The show will be broadcast live on pay-per-view and will feature some of Alabama’s top fighters including Stephen Wilhite and Dustin “Deuce” Rhodes among other fighters to be determined. Gibbs stated “We will look at some guys on our roster in other markets like Atlanta and make a selection in the coming days for the Rhodes and Wilhite fight.”

Stephen Wilhite will make his professional MMA debut in the SportFight X main event. . Wilhite is no newcomer to the Alabama fight scene or the SFX cage. The 155 pound warrior fought last year at SportFight X’s “Middle Tennessee Mayhem” event in Murfreesboro, TN. Wilhite’s original 155lb opponent was pulled from the card at the last minute when he stepped up to fight a much larger 170lb Greg Taylor from IMA. Wilhite entered the cage and after dominating Taylor in every area he was announced the winner at 2:32 of round 1 by rear naked choke. Gibbs said “He is a tough guy and only fights the best. He’s local celebrity that has a huge fan base and it’s no wonder as hard as he trains.”

Dustin “Deuce” Rhodes will re-enter the cage in the SFX Co-Main event. Rhodes has been out of competition since October 2010 due to a shoulder injury. The 185lb Rhodes has fought tough opponents and holds an even record of 2-2. Rhodes is a very well rounded fighter scoring two first round victories, one win by arm bar submission and the other by a 25 second referee stoppage.

Tickets for SportFight X Huntsville will go on sale in the coming weeks at the VBC through Ticketmaster. The Company will conduct a number of events leading up to the fight including press conferences and ring girl searches. For more information check out www.sportfightx.com and fan us on facebook.

Excalibur Worldwide Promotions, LLC/ SportFight X

Fighter Inquiries- matchmaker@sportfightx.com
General Information- contact@sportfightx.com
Media Inquiries- media@sportfightx.com

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, the mixed martial arts promotion SportFight X became the first to be granted a license in the state of Alabama. Owned by Excalibur Worldwide Promotions, LLC., SportFight X is based out of Alabama and currently operates in multiple Southeastern including Tennessee and Georgia.

SportFight X president Adam Gibbs commented:

“We are very excited to bring professional MMA to Alabama and look forward to showcasing top fighters from around the Southeast in front of our home crowd.”

SportFight X CEO Michael Edwards also commented:

“Today was a great day for MMA in Alabama and somewhat overdue. We will sit down next week and plan a show using some of our top fighters such as Daniel O’Brien and name the venue and date.”

SportFight X has been home to some of the top talent in professional mixed martial arts, including Bellator Middleweight Tournament Champion Douglas Lima who is coming off a second round knockout of UFC vet Ben Saunders in November.

For further information on SportFight X and to stay informed about their upcoming event in Alabama visit their website at www.sportfightx.com or visit their fan page on Facebook.com/sportfightx. For information on the Alabama State Athletic Commission visit www.boards.alabama.gov.

SportFight X President Adam Gibbs stated “We are very excited to bring professional MMA to Alabama and look forward to showcasing top fighters from around the Southeast in front of our home crowd”. SportFight X CEO Michael Edwards stated “Today was a great day for MMA in Alabama and somewhat overdue. We will sit down next week and plan a show using some of our top fighters such as Daniel O’Brien and name the venue and date”. The promotion is branded as “Southeastern MMA’s Ultimate Proving Ground” and has produced many stars including the most recent Bellator Middleweight Tournament Champion Douglas Lima from Atlanta, Georgia who defeated former UFC and The Ultimate fighter contestant Ben Saunders two months ago. SportFight X plans to host their monumental Alabama debut in early 2012 according to Gibbs.

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For more information regarding SportFight X visit www.sportfightx.com or fan them on facebook.

The Alabama Athletic Commission on Wednesday granted the first state-sanctioned promoters' licenses to American eXtreme Combat (AXC), which handles amateur matches, and professional company SportFight X. Promoters had fought since 2009 to make the sport legal in Alabama.

The Alabama legislature adopted MMA legislation in 2010 but it took almost another two years to finalize rules. During that period, MMA in Alabama was in limbo. Some promoters shut down matches and others continued at the risk of getting charged with a class C felony.

"It's huge for this to be legal," said Ray Echols, whose AXC company will stage the state's first sanctioned MMA fights on Jan. 28 at the Cullman Civic Center. "My last show was in June and then I quit putting them on because everybody was feeling the heat from the commission. I wasn't going to go to jail for this."

Without many fighters to train, Echols closed his gym in August due to a lack of fights. He recently reopened the gym at a new location in Cullman.

Echols promotes only amateur fights. Among the fighters scheduled for his first card is former Alabama football player Eryk Anders, whose sack and forced fumble preserved the Crimson Tide's 2009 national championship.

SportFight X President Adam Gibbs became the first licensed professional promoter in Alabama. Among the requirements for promoters now is they must have fighter insurance, such as $20,000 per accident or $40,000 per death, Gibbs said.

"Many of the fighters in Alabama before weren't protected," he said.

Professional fighters in Alabama will get paid; amateurs can only receive travel expense money. The state's amateur rules inside the ring essentially came from the International Sports Karate Association, which has unified rules across the world.

Amateurs in Alabama must wear shinguards and six-ounce gloves. Pros don't need shinguards and must have four-ounce gloves. Unlike pros, amateurs cannot knee to the face or make a forward motion on body slams.

Within the amateur division, there are rules for novice amateurs (three fights or less) and advanced amateurs (more than three fights). Novice amateurs cannot strike an opponent on the ground in the head.

Gibbs, who stages matches in Tennessee and Georgia, is eyeing Alabama's first legal pro card in March at Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium or in Huntsville. The commission must first find enough judges and referees for pro fights in Alabama. Gibbs said there will be a clinic for referees and judges in the next month.

"The head ref for the state of Georgia lives in Birmingham so there's probably enough in the state who know the sport to train up referees," Gibbs said. "Judges are probably a little harder to find."

Sanctioning MMA opens the door for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the largest MMA promotional company in the world, to return to Alabama. UFC used to be a mainstay in Alabama beginning in 1997. Since then, UFC went from near bankruptcy in 2001 to an estimated value of $1 billion by 2009.

E-mail: jsolomon@bhamnews.com
Twitter: twitter.com/jonsol
Inapproprate post? Alert us.Related topics: Mixed Martial Art

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/state_of_alabama_grants_first.html

LONDON--(Marketwire - Sep 26, 2011) - Takedown Entertainment Inc. (www.takedownentertainment.com) (OTCBB: TKDN), an authority in the business of mixed martial arts, is pleased to announce it has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire worldwide distribution rights to past and future MMA fights with Sport Fight X, plus certain brand and sponsorship rights.

Since its inception in 2009 and its acquisition by Adam Gibbs and Michael Edwards a year later, Sport Fight X has established itself as a true force in mixed martial arts (MMA) in the Southern United States. Utilizing Gibbs' history and experience as an announcer for Strikeforce, Sport Fight X has an edge over its competitors. They've featured Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) and Bellator Fighting Championships contenders like Douglas Lima and Scott Barrett and even VH1 reality star and WWE Tough Enough alumnus Jeremiah Riggs, solidifying themselves as a springboard for MMA fight careers.

"We make our shows about the fighters. Other guys just advertise the show and then put it on. We start about 45 days out and do press conferences and do everything like the big guys," stated Sport Fight X owner Adam Gibbs. "I've been there and seen it done and that's how we do it. It's about the fighters and putting them on the map. This is why Takedown is so vital to us; the way we market our fighters is how Takedown's strategy and business model will market us and make Sport Fight X a household name."

About Takedown Entertainment Inc.
Headquartered in London, UK with offices in Beverly Hills, California, Takedown Entertainment Inc. is a sports entertainment company with subsidiaries in the acquisition, production, distribution and marketing of mixed martial arts (MMA) programming, content and products for North American and International markets.

Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995: this release may contain forward-looking statements that are affected by known and unknown risk, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed, implied or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend to update this information and disclaims any legal liability to the contrary.

Scott Eaton vs Jared McWilliams 185lbs

Scott has some heavy looking hands and is setting up big strikes with leg kicks. Jared clinches up and is maybe looking for a takedown but Scott is landing some good body blows and when is finally dragge to the ground, ends on top. Scott gets side control and works the far arm for an americana. Jared is able to roll to the turtle position for momentary relief but gets rolled back over and submitted.

Scott Eaton def Jared McWilliams sub (americana) 2:01 of rd. 1

Manuel COrrea vs Jose Luis Lopez 145lbs

Jose faked a kick and slipped early in the round allowing Manuel, the BJJ artist to get on top and apply shoulder choke/neck crank. Jose tries to establish a guard and is able to stand with Manuel’s arm around his neck still. Manuel keeps his grip and tries a guillotine that he uses to take Jose to the ground. Jose defends and they get back to the feet. Jose misses another kick and Manuel attacks with punches. Jose returns some punches of his own.

Jose attacks the body in the second round with some hard hooks. Here on the feet Manuel is having trouble putting anything together. Jose mixes it up with some body kicks and fast hands. Jose lands another slapping right round to the body and the crowd hears it. Jose does a pretty good job of staying up and jabbing his opponent. Manuel is able to drop and land a solid double leg takedown and slam. On top, Manuel isn’t able to work a position until Jose scrambles and offers a neck. Jose is defending the choke well and gets back to standing in a clinch when he’s kneed in the junk. The horn is blown and some punches are exchanged just after the fight due to a little slow ref action.

Manuel Correa def Jose Luis Lopez by unan dec.

Roderick Lewis vs Alex Moore 155lbs

Roderick drops some hard strikes early and bowls Alex over. Alex works for a leg lock from the ground. Roderick defends but is placed in Alex’s guard. Alex works for a triangle immediately. Alex works on the triangle for a full minute and Roderick is finally forced to tap.

Alex Moore def Roderick Lewis by sub (triangle) 2:48 of rd 1.

Mike Alvarado vs Jeremy Wallace 185lbs

Jeremy lands a sneaky uppercut and follows with a single leg takedown. Jeremy postures up and punches Mike’s head. Mike is able to kick him off and when Jeremy comes back down lands in a triangle set up. Mike is unable to complete and they get back to standing. When Mike rushes wih strikes, Jeremy drops levels again and lands another takedown. Jeremy lands some strikes there but stands up shortly after. They clinch up and work the body for control. Jeremy lands an inside knee and the separate again. Jeremy lands another big takedown before the round ends.

Jeremy spends the round backing up and keeping his distance and suddenly explodes with another big takedown. Jeremy works strikes from top position there but opts to stand again. Jeremy shoots another takedown but Mike finally stuffs one and looks like he might take Jeremy’s back when Jeremy scrambles out. Jeremy loooks like he might be gassing again but lands yet another big takedown toward the end of the 2nd stanza.

Round 3 Jeremy hits his signature takedown early and gets on top to work some strikes. The ref stands em up after some inactivity and they get to circling each other. Jeremy gets one last takedown and works some punches before the fight ends.

Jeremy Wallace def Mike Alvarado by unan. dec.

Alfonso Bautista vs Luke Neyland 155lbs

Luke nails a single leg takedown early and is immediately in side control. Alfonso tries to stand but gives up his back in the process. Alfonso is able to turn back into Luke but Luke switches his hips quickly and attempts an armbar. Alfonso switches sides and looks ok but Luke throws the legs up for another armbar that does complete.

Luke Neyland def Alfonso Bautista by sub (armbar) 1:49 in rd. 1

Ururahy Rodrigues vs Patrick Mandio 170lbs

Patrick dodges a jumping front kick and stuffs a takedown in the first 5 seconds. Ururahy works a high crotch single leg. Patrick is doing a great job of staying on his feet and when he is able to, hits a hip toss and ends in halfguard. Ururahy is able to kick Patrick off and they get back to standing. Ururahy attempts another jumping front kick and single leg as before. Patrick keeps his feet. They separate and circle for a time. Ururahy lands some good leg kicks here before the round ends.

Ururahy launches 2 flying kicks now and as he takes his shot eats a big punch from Patrick. Patrick follows him down and lands a few more punches. Ururahy drops for a takedown and they go the ground when Patrick is able to get top position. They have a tense exchange on the ground and get back to the feet. Ururahy closes for another single leg, but still can’t get Patrick to the ground. Ururahy lands 3 solid leg kicks in succession and closes for another single leg. Ururahy finally completes a takedown but is unable to get any work done before Patrick kicks him off. Patrick lands another hip toss before the round ends.

Round 3 Ururahy lands a couple good leg kicks. The third leg kick that Patrick receives looks to have hurt him. Ururahy closes for another single leg takedown. Ururahy is working for this takedown but Mandio is doing a good job of keeping his feet. They separate and Ururahy shoots again. Patrick tosses him and they get back to standing. Ururahy doesn’t seem to exhibit any urgency as the time wanes. Patrick stuffs a big takedown and ends in top position for some punches as the time runs out.

Patrick Mandio def Ururahy Rodrigues by unan dec

Joe Elmore vs Stephen Ledbetter 155lbs

Joe is loading up his strikes and is looking to really hurt Stephen. Stepehen hits a double leg takedown and after a scramble ends up with a guillotine attempt that Joe is able to defend and get up from. Joe kicks the body and the inside leg. Stephen drops for another double leg and ends in Joe’s open guard. Stephen works some GnP from the top while Joe stays active looking to sweep or submit. Joe puts the legs up for a triangle and while he is unable to submit Stephen, he is able to land an elbow and open a cut on Stephen’s scalp.

This round neither fighter is able to land a punch in the openning minute. Stephen drops for a double and ends in Joe’s guard again. Stephen takes advantage of Joe’s open guard and passes to mount. Joe does a good job of recomposing the guard. They go back and forth a bit on the ground but Joe is able to get it back to standing. Joe loads up a huge right but gets taken down in the process. Stephen works some body body head from top position and eats a big elbow. “You’ve heard of suntan, these guys have bloodtan.”- Frank Milsap

Stephen drives in for a takedown and almost takes a huge knee. Joe locks in a guillotine really quick and works to submit but Stephen uses the time to free his legs and get into a mount position. Joe shakes him off and gets Stephen into his guard. The latter half of this fight has been basically a BJJ hard roll session. Stephen abandons progressing in favor of some strikes. A hard fought 15 minutes for these warriors.

Stephen Ledbetter def Joe Elmore by unan dec.

Dave Vitkay vs Roger Carrol

Roger is presenting a light front leg and seems to be prepared for a standup battle. Dave has heavy hands and good striking. Roger closes for a takedown but Dave cirlces and takes him down himsef. Dave works some strikes from top position but this is where Roger is still very dangerous. Dave is able to progress slightly and get in Roger’s half guard. Dave gets high on the guard and tries to isolate an arm. Roger opts for a deep halfguard and looks to sweep potentially. Dave locks on a guillotine and looks deep but Roger rolls a couple different ways and they stand up. Dave falls back, Roger pounces, but get swept! Roger has a smile on his face when the bell for the round rings. He knew he shouldn’t have been swept.

Round 2 Dave lands 2 punches and almost pus down a knee. Roger comes back with some strikes. Roger closes for a takedown and hip tosses. They scramble some and Roger ends up on top. Roger drops a good elbow but is then swept again. Dave gets to a mount position and rains down some blows. Roger gets back to half guard. Dave lands a big shoulder butt that makes Roger visibly upset. Roger looks to work some deep half guard action but Dave is staying on top and dropping big body shots.

Dave does a lot of taunting in this 3rd round. Dave is commanding on the feet here. Dave executes some combos that end in step through knees. Dave throws a leading left hook and left knee that connect well. Roger closes to clinch and they work on the fence for a time. They separate and Dave throws some more punches. Roger drops to shoot again but still can’t land a takedown. Dave does a good job of circling out when getting clinched up on the fence. Roger attempts a guillotine just as the round is ending, too little too late.

Dave Vitkay def Roger Carrol by unan dec.

This article is sponsored by Omega Attire official sponsor and production company for SportfightX.

Omega Attire clothes, production and more visit them at www.omegaattire.com.

July 23rd marked the highly anticipated return of the ”Southeastern’s Ultimate MMA Proving Ground” promotion in SportfightX and new ownership group Excaliber promotions in association with Adam Gibbs lived up to the hype!

A night featuring a total of six amateur fights, two advanced amateur fights and three professional bouts the only miss from the night for a fan was the thrill of seeing a knock-out!

In front of an extremely hyped crowd, SportfightX tested the waters at a new venue for MMA shows at the North Atlanta Trade Center just north of Atlanta. In the main event one of North Carolina’s top 185lb prospects Roger “The Leprechaun” Carroll journeyed back to Atlanta to face off against local favorite and rising fighter from Knuckle Up Fitness in Sandy Springs Dave Vitkay. Carroll who has come to Atlanta on multiple occasions and fought some of the toughest names in the 185lb division such as Aaron “Tex” Johnson, Clint Hester, Tim Stout and David Meborn had compiled an impressive 3-1 record against these opponents while Dave Vitkay once considered a “journey-man” in the MMA world with fights against UFC vets Jesse Forbes and Joe Riggs in his recent past has put together an impressive run as of late with a win over TUF competitor Warren Thompson and a new found energy for the sport at the age of 31.

This main event went the distance with David Vitkay doing what many others in the Atlanta MMA scene couldn’t do and that is “steal the luck of the leprechaun.” In all three rounds Vitkay controlled the pace of the fight, dominated the stand-up and was able to stick to his game plan of controlling the fight while standing and avoiding any attacks by the Gracie BJJ Black Belt.

At the end of the fight in post fight interviews Roger Carroll showed his very gracious demeanor and warrior spirit by giving credit to Vitkay and his team and made the statement that he “…is thankful for all the fighters in Atlanta that he has fought but is tired of fighting at 185lbs and has decided to drop to 170lbs moving forward.”

With finding fights in his hometown of NC difficult, the question has to be asked, which 170lb Georgia fighter will be first to accept a matchup with Roger in the future.

Main Event Winner: David Vitkay unanimous decision

In the co-main event of the night we saw the meeting of Hardcore Gym and WEC/Bellator vet Stephen Ledbetter (8-3) face off against up and coming fighter Joe “The Hitman”Elmore (4-4) in a highly anticipated fight at 155lbs. After taking a two year layoff from MMA competition, Ledbetter, a training partner for UFC Bantamweight Contender Brian Bowles, used his wrestling skills to continuously take Elmore down and continuously work from the top position to show the judges that he indeed was the better of the two fighters on this night. But this fight wasn’t an easy win by any stretch of the imagination; staying extremely busy on the bottom and always looking for attacks Elmore cut Ledbetter with an elbow that left both fighters covered in what commentator Frank Millsap coined a “Blood-tan” with both fighters covered in blood to end the round. Dr. Jeff Traub cleared the fight to continue and it was much the same in Round 2 with Ledbetter continuing the attack after another take-down and both fighters stayed extremely active which kept the fight interesting on the ground. When round two ended it seemed the Ledbetter was getting the better of the exchanges as Elmore seemed to be a little “out of sorts’ as he went to the wrong corner and stayed there until his corner men caught his attention and walked him over to his correct corner. The third round continued as the first two with lots of action on the ground with Ledbetter working from mount on a couple of occasions and Elmore staying aggressive from the bottom recomposing guard and working to avoid vicious attacks from Ledbetter.

The crowd gave both fighters a standing ovation for their performance and Elmore showed his gratitude post fight by thanking Ledbetter and his team for the opportunity. At the end of the fight, Ledbetter thanked his fans and said, “Recognize the name of our gym (Hardcore Gym) because we are going to be around for a long time”.

Key learning’s from this fight are Ledbetter should make another run for a major organization and Elmore has a lot of heart and is a tough competitor who has definitely improved his BJJ skills in the last two years since coming to Georgia.

C0-Main Event Winner: Stephen Ledbetter by Unanimous Decision

In a welterweight match putting BJJ World Champion Ururahy Rodrigues (4-3) vs. Judo Black Belt Patrick Mandio (3-3) this too was an action packed fight that went the distance. Rodrigues came out quickly and tried executing a “Steven Seagal” type front kick to the face of Mandio and used that kick to setup one of several take-down attempts. Mandio had a strong take down defense which seemed to neutralize the game plan for Rodrigues who was finally able to finish a takedown attempt in round two but was unable to advance his position from the guard. The only time Mandio was on his back he used his extremely powerful legs to create enough distance to kick Rodrigues off of him and stand back up. Mandio was able to stick to his game plan and use his Judo skills to earn a couple throws and used his strength to maintain top control after all of his take-downs. What seemed to be working for Rodrigues was his quick leg kicks which he seemed to throw more of in the later rounds to try to improve his chances to execute his take-downs attempts. This was a fun fight to watch to see how each martial arts discipline came into play within a fight.

After the fight Ururahy Rodrigues was extremely gracious in defeat and never stopped smiling. He also was extremely thankful to his fans and training partners. Mandio who completed a 4-0 run for X-3 Sports at the event commented when asked what was next for him, “I have no issues with Jeff Boudreaux but he is a good wrestler and he has been working on his BJJ so I would like the opportunity to fight him if he is ready.”

Winner: Patrick Mandio by Unanimous Decision

Coach Tony Tucci after his team took a clean sweep for the night took a few minutes to describe what makes his gym so successful. Look for more information about Coach Tony Tucci and his team of coaches in an upcoming Georgiafighters.com Magazine.

The below was written by Cesar Hernandez.

185lbs: Amateur MMA: Scott Eaton vs Jared McWilliams

RD1: Jared lands a jab followed by a right hand, Muay Thai clinch and both fighters land knees to the midsection. Scott takes Jared down and gets side control. Scott goes for an Americana on Jared’s left arm, Jared tries to roll out of the submission but Scott rolls him back and Jared taps.

Winner: Scott Eaton defeats Jared McWilliams via submission (Americana) at 2:01 of 1st round.

145lbs: Amateur MMA: Jose Luis Lopez vs. Manual Correa

RD1: Jose throws a kick and slips; Manuel follows him to the ground and goes for a neck crank. Jose makes it to his feet but Manuel drags him down with a guillotine attempt. Jose breaks free and stands, the fighters exchange punches. Manuel presses and Juan keeps his hands glued to the side of his head. Round ends, I gave the round to Manuel Correa 10-9.

RD2: Fighters circle, Jose lands a couple of hard hooks to the body. Jose lands a round house kick to Manuel’s midsection. Manuel didn’t do much this round. I gave the round to Jose Luis Lopez 10-9. So far I have the fight scored 19-19 going into the final round.

RD3: Jose is the aggressor in this round but over commits to a punch and gets slammed down hard. The referee warns Manuel for slamming. Manuel attempts a D’Arce choke, Jose fights it off and they make it to their feet. Manuel’s knee goes south of the border on Jose and the action is stopped. Fight back on; Manuel catches Jose with a combination after the final bell and Jose returns the favor. Manuel won the rd on my fight card and I have him winning the fight 29-28.

Winner: Manuel Correa defeats Jose Luis Lopez by Unanimous Decision. Scores: 29-28, 29-28, 30-27

155lbs: Amateur MMA: Alex Moore vs. Roderick Lewis

RD1: Roderick lands a one two combination and runs Alex over. Alex quickly transitions to a leg lock/heel hook attempt. Roderick rolls out of it, and turns into Alex’s triangle choke! Roderick is not going easy though, after what felt like an eternity, Roderick finally taps out to the triangle.

Winner: Alex Moore defeats Roderick Lewis via submission (Triangle Choke) at 2:48 of the 1st round.

185lbs: Advanced MMA: Jeremy Wallace vs. Mike Alvarado

RD1: Jeremy lands a round house kick to the body and a nice uppercut. Jeremy takes Mike down with a single leg. Mike pushes Jeremy off with his legs, Jeremy jumps back in into Mike’s triangle attempt. Jeremy escapes and both fighters stand. Another takedown by Jeremy, fighters stand and circle each other, Jeremy changes levels and takes Mike down with a double leg at the end of the round. The round goes to Jeremy 10-9.

RD2: Mike comes forward and lands a right hook to the body and left kick to the leg. Jeremy shoots and takes Mike down. After a little GNP, Jeremy backs up and allows Mike to stand. Jeremy shoots again, Mike stuffs the takedown. Jeremy is breathing heavy but has enough in the tank to take Mike down again with a double leg as the round ends. I have Jeremy winning 20-18 going into the final round.

RD3: Jeremy ducks under Mike’s left hook and takes him down. There was little action on the ground so the referee stands the fighters. Mike presses but doesn’t let his hands go, Jeremy shoots, Mike sprawls and the fight ends with Jeremy in top control. Jeremy won the round and won the fight 30-27 on my scorecard.

Winner: Jeremy Wallace defeats Mike Alvarado by 3rd Unanimous Decision. Scores: 30-27 X3

155lbs: Advanced Amateur MMA: Alfonzo Bautista vs. Luke Neyland

RD1: Luke takes Alfonzo down with a single leg, Alfonzo tries to stand and Luke takes his back for a rear naked choke attempt. Alfonzo spins to face Luke, Luke transitions to an armbar. Alfonso shifts his body and escapes but Luke alertly catches him in another armbar attempt. This one is tight and Alfonzo taps out.

Winner: Luke Neyland defeats Alfonzo Bautista via submission (Armbar) at 1:49 of the 1st round.