by Tim Loy

Gene Click promised his best show yet, and he delivered.  3FC 4:Unstoppable took place last night at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, TN.  The show took place in front of a sold out, standing room only crowd, that stayed hot for the entire 19 bout card.

The main event saw Brandon McMahan win the vacant 3FC and ISKA State titles in the 135 lb. division.  McMahan had only a week's notice to prepare for his opponent Mike Briley of Nashville.  He was originally slated to face highly regarded Matt Tran of Team Huskey, but Tran mysteriously was no where to be found in the weeks leading up to the show.  McMahan, of Hard Knox Combat Club in Knoxville, made Briley tap to strikes at 1:15 of the second round.

There were also two other titles up for grabs, as Justin Fisher successfully defended his 3FC 185 lb. title against Team Oxendine's Jerry Bentley, and Ginni Jordan and Linda Worley battled for the 1st ever 3FC 125 lb. women's title.  Fisher, of KMAA in Knoxville, improved to 7-0 with his first round TKO of Bentley.  In this bout, Fisher used his crisp striking and long reack to peck away at Bentley, before dropping him with a body shot.  Bentley covered up well and was defending, but the referee intervened at 1:21 of the first round.  Team Oxendine's Ginni Jordan improved to 2-0 after forcing Worley to submit to a head and arm choke, coupled with an Americana with her legs.  The end came at 1:58 of RD 1.

Full results are as follows.....

3FC and ISKA State Title 135 LB

Brandon McMahan, Hard Knox Combat Club/Knoxville, TN(7-3) def. Mike Briley, Iron Fist Dojo/Nashville, TN(5-1)  SUB STRIKES, RD 1, 1:15

3FC 185 LB Title

Justin Fisher(C), KMAA/Knoxville, TN(6-0) def. Jerry Bentley, Team Oxendine/Johnson City, TN(4-0)  TKO REF STOP, RD 1, 1:21

3FC 125 LB Wonen's Title

Ginni Jordan, Team Oxendine/Johnson City, TN(1-0) def. Linda Worley, Brawler University/Kingston, TN(2-2) SUB CHOKE/AMERICANA, RD 1 1:58

155 LB

Billy Mullins, Mt. Empire/Bristol, VA(6-3) def. Kyle Kohler, Brawler University/Kingston, TN(10-2)  SUB STANDING D'ARCE CHOKE RD 1 1:45

155 LB

George Arellano, Fight Factory/Chattanooga, TN(1-0) def. Nick Yonts, Team B.A.M.F./Chilhowee, VA(0-0) TKO REF STOP RD 1 1:58

145 LB

Chad Bright, Hard Knox/Knoxville, TN(0-0) def. Treven Armstrong, Brawler University/Kingston, TN(0-0) TKO REF STOP RD 1 2:58

170 LB

Josh Justus, Fit Factory/Sevierville, TN(0-0) def. Travis Chapell, Mole Station Sombo/Johnson City, TN(0-0) SUB STRIKES RD 2 2:21

155 LB

Scott Holtzman, Shields Systems/Lenoir City, TN(1-0) def. Mike Anderson, Mt. Empire/Bristol, VA(4-3) TKO REF STOP RD 3 1:34

170 LB

Kyle Kirby, Fight Factory/Chattanooga, TN(0-1) def. Daniel Hutchinson, Independent/Seymour, TN(1-0) SUB RNC RD 1 0:41

135 LB

Pat McMahan, Fit Factory/Sevierville, TN(0-0) def. Michael Fernando, Mole Station Sombo/Johnson City, TN(0-0) SUB RNC RD 1 2:50

135 LB

Matt Keller, Fight Factory/Chattanooga, TN(1-0) def. Choncey Houston, Wolf Clan/Knoxville, TN(0-0) TKO REF STOP RD 1 1:15

185 LB

Zack Miller, Mole Station Sombo/Johnson City, TN(0-0) def. Jeramie Hurst, Fit Factory/Sevierville, TN(0-0) SUB UDEGARAME(Head & Arm choke w/Americana with legs) RD 3 2:21

170 LB

Steve Thomas, Team Oxendine/Johnson City, TN(1-2) def. Larry Belas, Mole Station Sombo/Johnson City, TN(1-0) DOCTOR STOPPAGE AFTER RD 1

HVY

Danny Ramsey, Brawler university/Kingston, TN(3-4) def. Chris Wilson, Fit Factory/Sevierville, TN(3-8) SUB HEAD & ARM CHOKE RD 1 0:38

205 LB

John Davis, Fight Factory/Chattanooga, TN(4-0) def. Richard Grey, Fit Factory/Sevierville, TN(0-0) SUB AMERICANA RD 2 2:35

155 LB

Josh Ryan, Absolute JJ/Bristol, TN(1-0) def. Chris Berrier, Hard Knox/Knoxville, TN(0-2) SUB RNC RD 2 1:58

145 LB

Matt Dotson, Mole Station Sombo/Johnson City, TN(0-1) def. Chris Crawford, Brawler University/Kingston, TN(1-0) SUB ARMBAR RD 2 2:42

165 LB

Roy Sanders, Team FAST/Pound, VA(4-8) def. Randy Oller, Toe 2 Toe/Hammond, LA(1-3) SUB TRIANGLE CHOKE RD 1 1:58

175 LB

Seth Anderson, Hard Knox/Knoxville, TN(0-1) def. Travis Vance, Fit Factory/Sevierville, TN(2-3) SUB STRIKES RD 1 1:51

AWARDS

Fight of the Night - Scott Holtzman vs. Mike Anderson

This was a real war!  Holtzman controlled the opening stages of the first two rounds, but the last minute of both rounds saw Anderson mount a terrific comeback.  This was a quality win for Holtzman over a very game and experienced opponent.  Anderson also shows a lot of potential to only be 19 years old.  I can't help but think his best potential would be realized at 145 though.

KO of the Night - Scott Holtzman 

Holtzman ended his bout with a VISCIOUS uppercut!

Submission of the Night - Billy Mullins

Mullins also earned a quality win over the bigger, more experienced, Kyle Kohler.  He finished the fight with a nice standing variation of a D'Arce choke.

Odds and Ends....

- Can't stress how great this card was!  Great job matchmaking by Gene Click.

- Brandon McMahan proved he is one of the top 135 lb. ammys in the state.  He is a class act, and I think he is very close to being ready to turn pro.  He dealt with the late change in opponent very well.

- Justin Fisher may be the best 185 lb. ammy in the state.  He ups his record to 7-0, and his striking looked awesome.  Bentley was without a doubt his most dangerous opposition yet, and he passed with flying colors.  Fisher is a very crisp, clean, technical striker, and the fact he is a southpaw helps confuse opponents.  I look for him to join the growing ranks of KMAA pros very soon. 

- I think we will hear from Bentley again.  He comes from a great camp in Team Oxendine, and is a great natural athlete.

- Ginni Jordan was also very impressive.  She goes to 2-0, and it will be interesting to see if there are any challenges locally for her.

- The guys from Chattanooga Fight Factory were again dominant.  Trainer Scott Schrader predicted a 4-0 sweep for his crew and he was spot on.  I've said it before, these guys always come prepared and have cardio for days.  All of these guys are stud wrestlers, and are led by D-1 All-American and 2012 Olympic hopeful, Matt Keller.  Keller is now 2-0 and mainly focusing on his Olympic dreams, but look for him to make a huge splash in MMA after 2012. 

- George Arellano is a kicking machine.  He is a monster 155er and kicks VERY hard.  Unfortunately, he broke his foot throwing one of those kicks last night.  Look for him to dominate the 155 division when he returns.

- Another 155er that looked awesome was Scott Holtzman.  The win puts him in place as the #1 contender for the 3FC 155 title.  That title is currently vacant, now that Troy Dollar has become a pro.

- Steve Thomas vs. Larry Belas was a war while it lasted.  Unfortunately, the doctor stopped that one in between rounds.  Belas may have broken his nose.

- The Mole Station Sombo team has quickly emerged as a team to watch out for.  Led by Sombo Black Belt, Brendan Bohannon, these guys are just starting to get out and fight at shows, but I have been impressed by their heart and submission abilities.  Look for some of these guys to make some waves after they get a few more fights.

- John Davis is probably the top 205 ammy in the state.  His wrestling is top notch, and he showed some of his striking ability last night.  Ultimately, he is destined for the 185 lb. division.  Now that he is 5-0, I think an ISKA state title shot is in order before he goes pro.

- Absolute JJ's Josh Ryan showed great transitions on the ground.  He is a big, athletic 155er, and I expect him to be a contender sooner than later.  Ryan vs. Holtzman would be a great fight.

- Matt Dotson looked much improved from his first outing.  The Mole Station product looked much stronger at 145 lbs.

- Felt bad for Len Cook.  Len made the trip down from Bristol, VA to fight Chuckie Jennings.  He cut weight down to 125 and then Jennings opted not to show.  Rumor is that he was at the hotel, but never bothered to go weigh in, promoters beware.  Maybe he heard what a great fighter Cook is.  Hopefully we get to see Len fight soon, he is one of the top 125/135 ers in the southeast.

- The next 3FC show is set for late September or early October.

Brock Lesnar's 6th fight was booked as the biggest in UFC history despite the relative inexperience of both fighters. We saw Brock tested, we saw him pushed to the limit. He was hanging on by a finger and managed to pull himself back up and climbed to the top of the mountain mere minutes later. Many saw the outcome as a true measure of heart, an improved submission game, and a testament to the albino gorilla’s chin. But what about that striking game? Was Carwins power something that he couldnt have prepared for and still managed to overcome, or has the champs true weakness been exposed? I myself was eager to see some of my many questions answered and I found it very interesting to read the changed opinions of many after the fight. A lot of posters were giving Brock credit for the first time and all though they may not like him the majority seem to feel he finally deserves and has earned his place at the top of the division. As an avid Lesnar fan I found myself in uncharted territory. Even in Lesnars only loss he still dominated 95% of the fight, but this time he was man handled like a rag doll for the entire first round, most scored it 10-8 and i even saw a 10-7 on another web site. While many feel Carwin blew the best chance of beating Brock I still can't get past that 1st round. With that said i feel the year layoff did create a little ring rust and i do expect his striking to improve. Even if a weakness has been exposed i doubt Cain Velasquez is the one who will capitalize. I see JDS as a much bigger threat, but will Vegas agree?

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The World Combat Federation is putting together an MMA only event this Saturday in Durham, North Carolina.Fights start at 7pm @ the Durham Armory

Tickets available online @ etix.com, keyword: bull city brawl.

Tickets available @ the door.

Support your local fighters and fighters from across the Carolinas.

10 Fights booked, many faces you'll recognize from grappling tourneys from across the state and various camps whose names you know. Come out and support the sport. 

UFC® CONTINUES ANTI-PIRACY EFFORTS

 Reported at: http://www.pennyjomma.com/

500 BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS REACH SETTLEMENT WITH UFC OVER ILLEGAL VIEWING AND BROADCASTING OF UFC EVENTS

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – As a part of its ongoing efforts to combat piracy, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that it reached confidential settlements with over 500 businesses and individuals as a result of illegal broadcasts and views of UFC events. 

The settlements, reached over the past two years, are only part of the UFC’s campaign to combat piracy, which includes working closely with Federal and state law enforcement agencies.

“We are committed to standing toe-to-toe with anyone trying to illegally broadcast or stream UFC events,” UFC President Dana White, said. “Today’s announcement further drives home the fact that we are fully prepared to pursue any business or individual that steals our programming.”

Now I know what your thinking, Bonnar is a slow pillow-fisted fighter who only knows how to block punches with his face. He can't wrestle his way out of a paper bag.  And he hasn't had a real meaningful win in his career. (At least as far as contender ship is concerned.) And he has some losses that make it hard to justify his spot on the roster, at first glance.   If you look a little deeper into Bonnars record you'll notice that he's had a pretty rough trek through the light heavyweight division.

First off, we are all familiar with what would soon become the stuff MMA legends are made of in the TUF 1 Finale.  Where a balls out performance by Bonnar was overshadowed by another  performance of testicular fortitude by one Forest Griffin resulting in the latter winning the first Ultimate Fighter reality show and the former still being awarded a contract. Now I'm sure this is the point in which the detractors will cry "Dana just did that because it was a close fight and both guys went balls to the wall in a slop fest that the fans would eat up." Which is hard to argue with until you realize that no else has been able to warrant similar treatment in the last 10 seasons.   After his TUF 1 loss Bonnar went on, for him what we'll go ahead and call a tear, Hoger in what was a very close fight, Irvin in a first round stoppage and a decision win over the always game Keith Jardine.   Then he had to go up against the newly crowned TUF 2 champ Rashad Evans coming off his first victory at 205.  We all know how that went, moving on he lost the rematch to Forest which wasn't surprising as Stephan really is a poor mans Forest Griffin.  Controversy ensued after the bout due to Bonnar testing positive for an anabolic steroid after the fight.  Bonnar acknowledged that he had taken a band substance, paid a fine and took his nine month suspension like a man.  Next Stephan rebounded with two consecutive wins via stoppage against some game but middling opponents. (When was the last time you could say that about Forest?  Here's a hint nobody was talking about Fedor fighting cans) Which brings me to his latest spree of getting his shit pushed in.

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by Tim Loy

Gene Click’s 3FC organization returns to Pigeon Forge, TN, this Saturday for it’s fourth show, titled Unstoppable.  The event is set to take place at the Sm0ky Mountain Convention Center, and tickets will be available at the door for only $25.00.  This is 3FC’s most stacked card yet, as it features 21 MMA bouts and a special pre-show, with several youth grappling and kickboxing matches.   

The show is headlined by title fights.  The main event features a contest for the vacant 3FC and ISKA state 135 lb. titles.  Brandon McMahan(7-3), of Hard Knox Combat Club in Knoxville, TN, will take on Georgia’s Mike Briley(5-1), of the Iron Fist Dojo.  McMahan is known for his crowd pleasing style and willingness to always fight the toughest guys available.  If he is able to get by Briley, he will solidify his spot as one of the East Tennessee’s top bantamweights.  Also featured will be a battle of two unbeaten prospects, as Justin Fisher(6-0) of Knoxville Martial Arts Academy, battles Jerry Bentley(4-0) of Team Oxendine in Johnson City, TN.  This will be for Fisher’s 3FC middleweight title.  In my opinion, this fight will catapult one of these guys to the next level, as both guys are not only unbeaten, but also come from two of the region’s top teams.  Finally, the 125 lb. Female title will be awarded to the winner of a bout between Team Oxendine’s Ginni Jordan, and Brawler University’s Linda Worley.    

The full card is as follows…..

MAIN EVENT

VACANT 3FC & ISKA 135 LB. CHAMPIONSHIPS

Brandon McMahan(9-3, Hard Knox, Knoxville, TN) vs. Mike Briley(5-1, Iron Fist Dojo, Smyna, TN)

CO-MAIN EVENTS

3FC 185 LB. CHAMPIONSHIP

Justin Fisher(C)(6-0, KMAA, Knoxville) vs. Jerry Bently(4-0, Team Oxendine, Johnson City)

 VACANT 3FC 125 LB. FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP

Ginni Jordan(1-0, Team Oxendine, Johnson City) vs. Linda Worley(2-2, Brawler University, Kingston)

125 LB. #1 CONTENDER

Len Cook(6-0, Absolute JJ, Bristol) vs. Chuckie Jennings(16-5, Independent, Knoxville)

155 LB. SPECIAL FEATURE

Kyle Kohler(10-2, Brawler University, Kingson) vs. Billy Mullins(8-3, Mt. Empire MMA, Bristol, VA)

155 LB. #1 CONTENDER

Scott Holtzman(1-0, Shields Combat Systems, Lenoir City) vs. Mike Anderson(3-3, Mt. Empire MMA, Bristol, VA)

185 LB. #1 Contender

John Davis(5-0, Fight Factory, Chattanooga) vs. Anthony Morgan(2-1, Fit Factory, Sevierville)

UNDERCARD

135 LB.

Matt Keller(Fight Factory, Chattanooga) vs. Chauncey Simpson(Wolf Clan, Knoxville)

170 LB.

Steve Thomas(Team Oxendine, Johnson City) vs. Larry Belas(Mole Station Sombo, Johnson City)

155 LB. 

Josh Ryan(Absolute JJ, Bristol) vs. Chris Berrier(Hard Knox, Knoxville)

170 LB.

Josh Justus(Fit Factory, Sevierville) vs. Travis Chapell(Mole Station Sombo,Johnson City)

160 LB.

Roy Sanders(Team FAST,Coeburn, VA) vs. Randy Oller(Team B.A.M.F., Mississippi)

145 LB.

Chris Crawford(Brawler University,Kingston) vs. Matt Dotson(Mole Station Sombo, Johnson City)

HEAVYWEIGHT

Danny Ramsey(Brawler University, Kingston) vs. Chris Wilson(Fit Factory, Sevierville)

135 LB.

Pat McMahan(Fit Factory, Sevierville) vs. Mike Fernando(Mole Station Sombo, Johnson City)

175 LB.

Travis Vance(Fit Factory,Sevierville) vs. Seth Anderson(Hard Knox, Knoxville)

155 LB.

George Arellano(Fight Factory, Chattanooga) vs. Nick Yonts(Team B.A.M.F., Mississippi)

170 LB.

Kyle Kirby(Fight Factory, Chattanooga) vs. Daniel Hutchinson(Independent, Maryville)

145 LB.

 Eric Rose(Hard Knox, Knoxville) vs. Trevon Armstrong(Brawler University, Kingston)

185 LB.

Jeramie Hurst(Fit Factory, Sevierville) vs. Zack Miller(Mole Station Sombo, Johnson City)

205 LB.

Jeff Lewis(Fit Factory,Sevierville) vs. TBA

The pre-show matches will begin at 3:00, and the MMA action begins at 6:30.  This has the makings of a top notch event, as all of the very best teams in the East Tennessee area will be represented.  In all, 14 different teams will be competing on this show.

Gene Click also announced the start of the 3FC Cup Team Championship.  Details on this team oriented competition are still being ironed out, but it is being structured to give bragging rights to the top team in the region. 

Weigh ins for the show take place Friday at 5:00, at T.G.I.Fridays in Sevierville. 

In a recent interview with Tatame UFC heavyweight contender Junior Dos Santos opens up about his desire for some of that UFC gold his fellow Brazilians currently hold,

"Today we have Shogun and Anderson with belts and my intention is to bring another belt to Brazil. I believe that, within the five divisions UFC has, we can bring these three belts, so it would be a great thing for Brazil and I hope that he recognition by the media and the people here increases, since it’s one of the sports that is growing faster worldwide"

He goes on to talk about the work ethic that is staple of Brazilian mixed martial artists and in turn what it would mean to be successful on return to his homeland. First though, as posted earlier in a Fanshot he must get past wily veteran Roy Nelson at UFC 117. If his luck is anthing to go by he should be in with a good chance because his money for UFC 116 was firmly on Lesnar.

Lastly he gives props to FAbricio Werdum on his recent success

“I thought Werdum was well prepared for it, loss some weight, he was well, you could tell it just by looking at his expression that he was ready for this bout and Fedor is too self-sufficient, and I believe he made a mistake, he made a huge mistake when he kept moving forward when that was exactly what Werdum wanted so he could bring Fedor to the ground and Fedor’s chances were on the standing game. Werdum deserved that win and now I hope that he can do justice to his name after a win over the number one heavyweight fighter from all times”.

but interestingly at the end alludes to Werdum needing to live up to this new hype now and overcome the struggles that betsted him before. No surprise though when one takes a step back from it all though considering Dos Santos has previously scrambled Werdums eggs on his UFC debut no less.

So i pose you this, one question my MMAforReal Brethern

One of the more interesting tales in the regional MMA scene continues to be Shark Fights, a Texas-based promotion.

This past Saturday, Shark Fights 12 drew 10,918 fans to Gamboa's Outdoor Event Center in Amarillo despite going head-to-head with "Strikeforce/M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum," the promotion announced in a press release.

"We are very happy with the outcome. We had an exciting night of fights, Kimbo Slice was in attendance, Don Frye and ESPN 1440 radio host Warren McCarty were calling the fight action, and Gamboa's Outdoor Event Center was packed with enthusiastic MMA fans. Setting a new attendance record was just icing on the cake," Shark Fights president Brent Medley said in a press release.

"MMA fans travel to Shark Fight events from all over Texas to support their favorite fighters; therefore we go to great lengths to stack each card with compelling fights that the fans want to see. I feel that we accomplished that with this card. The proof is in the numbers. At Shark Fights 12 - "Unfinished Business", we had 10,918 fans in attendance, nearly the same number of fans that attended the Strikeforce and M-1 Global event."

The 10,918 fans broke the previous Texas outdoor record of 10,603 fans set for Shark Fights 5.5.

The number is even more impressive considering the promotion had no "name" fighters on nine-fight card. 

Here are the official results for the show, courtesy of Shark Fights:

• Josh Luna def. John King via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:33 of round 1
• Cody Pfister def. Mitchell Hale via split decision
• Mike Bronzoulis def. Anselmo Martinez via disqualification at 3:54 of round 2
• Isaac Villanueva def. Chase Watson via unanimous decision
• Joseph Sandoval def. Jared Lopez via unanimous decision
• Edgar Santos def. Rodney McFarland via submission (armbar) at 2:17 of round 2
• Gino Davila def Donnie Frye via unanimous decision
• Aaron Cerda def. Derek Cansino Davilla via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:45 of round 2
• Layne Hernandez def. Armando Herrera via TKO at 47 seconds of round 1

Last year, Strikeforce went from a regional promotion to a national promotion seemingly overnight.  They got the CBS deal as they took over EliteXC's assets and then signed the best heavyweight in the world in Fedor Emelianenko.  The most impressive thing was that they did so even though the UFC was in heavy pursuit of Emelianenko.  Strikeforce's first offering on CBS was heavily built around having Fedor in the main event, promoting him more so than their brand itself.  The show was deemed successful, yet still didn't quite pack the punch that CBS executives had hoped for.  The second Strikeforce event that aired on CBS did so without Emelianenko and it bombed ratings wise.  He was Strikeforce's biggest draw, and the fans in attendance always had high energy when it was time for Fedor to fight. 

It's evident that Strikeforce leaned heavily on the mystique and drawing power of Fedor.  He was the one fighter that prevented the UFC from legitimately saying they had ALL the best fighters in the world.  While he's still a top heavyweight after the loss, there's no way you can keep him in the #1 spot because he lost decisively.  The marketing that surrounded Emelianenko was centered on him being this unbeatable cyborg, and now that angle is no longer available to them.

Does Fedor have the Kimbo Slice effect in that people will tune in to see him fight in droves even though he is coming off a loss?  Will Strikeforce turn their attention to its heavyweight champion in Alistair Overeem in regards to marketing?  Will they get him to fight defend his title on a consistent basis?  Should they book an immediate re-match or move forward with Overeem vs. Werdum 2?

Strikeforce has a lot of questions right now, and it'll be interesting to see how they address these issues moving forward.    

by Tim Loy

Four of East Tennessee's top MMA fighters competed in nationally recognized shows this past week, and came out with a combined record of 3-0-1.  The quartet was led by Team Oxendine middleweight Stoney "Skuller" Hale, as he was victorious in his debut with Bellator Fighting Championships.  Hale(4-1), defeated the tough Mike Fleniken(2-1), fighting out of Louisville MMA, by 2nd round RNC.  What made this victory even more impressive was the fact that Stoney took the fight on extremely short notice, subbing in for Johnny Rees.   It will be hard for the top promotions to ignore this breakout performance, as Hale is known for always putting on crowd pleasing fights. 

Also victorious last week from Team Oxendine was lightweight Nate Jolly.  Jolly upped his pro record to 8-1 with a unanimous decision win over 18-9 Ryan Bixler.  Bixler was a tough opponent from Alliance MMA in San Diego.  That fight took place in Cleveland, OH, at Dan Bobish's Ultimate Cage Battle.

That same event also saw two Knoxville Martial Arts Academy fighters compete, as Matt Traylor and Chris Wright looked to keep their pro records unblemished.  Traylor took on the experienced Evan DeLong(7-5), and won in convincing fashion, finishing the fight in the first round via ground and pound.  Traylor has established himself as one of the top 155ers in the southeast, and is sure to get some looks from the bigger shows very soon.

Finally, Chris Wright fought to a draw against Larry DiGiulio(1-1).  Wright entered the fight at 4-0 as a pro, and battled DiGiulio in an all out slugfest for the Fight of the Night.  This test will only make Wright better, as he looks to make a splash in higher profile shows.  Unfortunately, Wright suffered a broken hand that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks, taking him out of a scheduled fight with 1-0 Jay Mennigello next month.