It took just under 10 minutes for North Carolina fighters Johnny Buck and Roger Carroll to defeat their Georgia opponents Sonny South and Aaron Johnson.

There was plenty of hype behind the Buck vs. South fight. The fight like most did not live up to the hype. Plenty of boo's were giving to the visitor Johnny Buck. Buck only smiled and soaked up the moment. In the fight South had success early, landing a few powerful strikes. Buck struggled them off and slammed South not once, but twice. Buck then slipped into mount and pounded on South until Buck sunk in the Rear Naked Choke.

Unfortunately the fight ended in controversy as many fans and South's corner thought Buck landed strikes to the back of South's head. The crowd booed and Johnny Buck once again walks away with a win. Buck moves his record to 8-6.

The Johnson vs. Carroll fight was weird to me. Johnson got a takedown, but then stood back up. I was shocked by this because in our interview he told me he wanted to get top position and beat Carroll from there. Right after that Carroll shot in and got the takedown. Johnson rolled for a kneebar, but was unsuccessful as Carroll took the back of Johnson. Soon the Joe Hurst Brown Belt sunk in the Rear Naked Choke and picked up yet another win in Georgia.

Carroll now snaps a two fight losing streak. Johnny Buck is 5-1 in his last 6 fights. Buck has another fight coming up in November and I am sure Carroll will have another fight scheduled this year.

Other notable fights on the undercard was watching the always exciting Clint Hester absolutely dominating ATT product Tony Souza. Hester busted up Sousa until the ref stopped the fight in the second round. Personally one of my favorite fighters Scott Fairhat picked up a submission win in the second round. Improving his record to 3-1. And in a stunning upset MOAB Fighting Concepts fighter Mark Inge takes a unanimous decision victory over successful Muay Thai fighter Steve Hall.

David Oblas and Wild Bill's put on a great show once again Saturday night. I think this year they will hold 7 total events, which would be the most they have ever held in 4 years! The crowd was great, seriously almost nothing is better then a MMA crowd that is really into the fights. Oblas did a great job of putting together fights the fans enjoyed (myself included). 

HT: GenghisConFilms

SBN coverage of MFC 26: Retribution

In the main event of Wild Bill's Fight Night 30, Tex Johnson (7-3) will battle Roger Carroll (8-3). The North Carolina vs. Georgia rivalry is alive and well as two of the best fighters from there respective states will prove who is better. Talking with Johnson, he seems to feel no pressure going into this fight. All he wants to do is prove that he is the best.  

Aaron "Tex" Johnson has always had the spotlight. In High School "Tex" was a star running back and soaked up the limelight. He embraced his nickname "Texas". After High School Johnson took to the partying life style. From his interview with MMAJunkie.com:

Johnson was also a high school wrestler who competed at 275 pounds after also becoming interested in power lifting. He bulked up and earned a spot in the state tournament, but his difficulty in continuing attention on one thing and his penchant to fight started causing problems. "It was a weird road of fighting and drinking after high school," he said. "It started off as a leisurely thing and it became, 'How drunk can we get?' I wouldn't start anything, but guys always wanted to take on the biggest guy, and I was about 260. I would get them on a kick to the head and they would just be out."

Johnson inevitably found MMA and started growing up. He has moved away from his old partying ways. He eats clean, Johnson hasn't had a bite of his favorite ice cream (Cookie dough) in months. Johnson has been conditioning very well, keeping his weight down. In the past Johnson has had trouble making weight. When I talked to him last night he had "less than 10 pounds to cut." 

He credits much of this to Steve Headen and Jimmy Long. "Steve is my coach, partner, and a really great friend. Jimmy really has guided me into a different direction in my life. It wasn't just about fighting. He told me to stop the partying, and helped me change things in my life. He put me on a strict training session and because of Jimmy I have a new and better lifesyle."

Just two fights ago Johnson found the spotlight he had been missing for so long. 3,000 screaming fans thirsting for violence filled the Rome Forum in Rome, Georgia. Arron "Tex" Johnson walks through the dark tiny corridor into the bright spotlight. At that very monement he has the attention of 3,000 strangers. "It's relaxing" says the six foot two Middleweight. "I just go out there and try to have some fun. I love when the crowd is screaming, some people go to an office I get into a cage"

I asked Johnson about his alter ego "Tex". "The whole alter ego with Tex is: he's unstoppable, ten feet tall, bulletproof, and I wouldn't want to fight him."

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This Saturday September 11th Wild Bills Fight Night returns with a really great card. (8-3) Roger Carroll will be fighting in hostile territory against (7-3) Aaron "Tex" Johnson. Carroll vs. Johnson is one of the best main events this year. Both guys have excellent Jiu-Jitsu and always come to finish fights.

Roger Carroll has slayed the competition Georgia has brought forth. Defeating fighters such as Clint Hester and Tim Stout. Carroll's only loss in Georgia is to Hardcore Gym's Dave Mewborn. Carroll is coming off a loss to hot prospect Uriah Hall in Ring of Combat.

"Tex" is coming off a win in Mississippi just two weeks ago. Johnson is looking to fight the best fighters out there and has proved it by facing tough competition throughout the Southeast.

Special guest for the event will be Nate Diaz. Fan will have a chance to meet and take pictures with the Stockton native. From Undisputedproductions.com

The dinner will take place in the Crown Room of Wild Bill’s from 7 pm – 8:30 pm and will be limited to ONLY 50 people to make the event as private as possible for those in attendance! Feast With the Beast, a Dinner With Nate Diaz, costs $100 per person and includes:
*A ringside ticket in the first three rows for that nights Wild Bill’s Fight Night
*All you can eat Hooters wings for dinner with soft drinks included
*A free Wild Bill’s Fight Night tshirt
*Photos and autographs with Nate Diaz (bring your own camera and whatever you’d like him to sign!)

The Co-Main Event between Sonny South (1-1) and Johnny Buck (7-5) has got some serious "heat" on it. A little over a year ago Buck stopped South in the second round due to punches. Sonny has said continually that he was ill going into that fight and demanded a rematch.

The contract was signed a few months ago and South was set to face Buck again, this time in South Carolina. A few weeks before the show South pulled out due to a broken hand. No medicals were sent to Buck's camp to prove this and Buck's camp accused South of being overweight and scared.  

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MMA in Atlanta takes a major hit today as "SoCo" McAlister shuts down his MMA Promotion SportFightX this week. From his facebook page:

The rumors are true. It's been a great run, made some great friends, put on some great shows, but it's time for new ventures. Thank you to the supporters.

Since I have been following local MMA here in Georgia, to my knowledge this is the third promotion that has tried to promote MMA in the Metro Atlanta area and has closed their doors. This is very sad, because at the time McAlister had tried to spring a MMA boom in Atlanta. Since SportFightX has shut its doors it is more than obvious that Atlanta is just not a fight city.

MMA promotions such as Wild Bill's and MMA events held at the Cowboys nightclub in Kennesaw do really well in terms of business. They put on shows consistently and have good fights. The market at those shows are much smaller. Although the fans are rabid. 

Yet in Atlanta the thirst for MMA is not there. Atlanta is the biggest city in the Southeast and it has firmly rejected MMA. For me it is a painful truth, because I so badly want to see good MMA events in my city.

SportFightX did not fail because of the lack of quality in the cage. The shows were always good and entertaining. Douglas Lima vs. Cortez Coleman for the Middleweight title and $10,000 was such a great drama filled fight. I really enjoyed attending every event. What I enjoyed more though was watching a promotion consistently come to Atlanta and put on shows. SportFightX did more to promote MMA in Atlanta than anyone else.

McAlister speaks with Georgiafighters.com

"It was our goal from the beginning to raise the quality of MMA production in the Atlanta metro area, put on the best possible fights for the fans as well as present the fighters not as mere combatants but as true professional athletes, which is the way I look at them."

I would like to wish Mr. McAlister the best of luck in the future and thank him for the great memories.

On the weekends most guys at 39 are waxing their cars and watching football, not getting into a steel cage and fighting another man. Frank Millsap (6-3) is not your average 39 year old. Millsap has been in the fight game for over 16 years. He will bring all that experience into the cage this Saturday night in East Ridge, TN. Frank will be facing an undefeated opponent in Shawn Hankins (3-0). Millsap's last 3 fights have been truly impressive to watch. "Promoters don't know what do think of a 39 year old guy busting heads" Millsap says confidently.

The first of the three fights was against current TUF contestant and current teammate of Millsap Ran Weathers. "A lot of people say that was a boring fight, but I won. I got the TKO over Matt Covan, that was nice. Then I got the KO over Keith Richardson. A lotta people were high on Keith and people were saying that I wasn't going to win."  Millsap has certainly hit his prime at 39. He has beaten some of the toughest competition of his career.

I asked Millsap what it was like fighting these young guys. "I love it! Because what they have in energy and youth, I've been through these fights. I don't get nervous. They don't what to think of me. When they're in the cage with me the fight is already over. When they see my fist coming at them it's too late." Millsap's last win only took 90 seconds. Richardson was 13 years younger than Millsap.

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We are just two days away from the beginning the SporfightX's Redline Lightweight Grand Prix. SportfightX: Undefeated will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center Saturday night. William "SoCo" McAlister inspected every fighter in the Southeast to find the best undefeated amateur/pro fighters in the Lightweight division. The Redline Lightweight Grand Prix will start this weekend and the finals are set for the end of the year. The winner gets to keep his undefeated record and claim himself one of the best fighters in the Southeast. Along with those prestigious accolades the winner will receive a four fight contract with SportfightX. I wanted to talk with each of the competitors before the tournament and get a feel of who they are. This is a major step up in competition for all these guys and there is no easy road to the final.

Jerrid Bruke went 5-0 as an amateur in Georgia, he will now try and stay undefeated throughout the tournament. Bruke has natural KO power in his hands and is developing a grappling game quite nicely. I really enjoyed watching him as an amateur and i am sure he won't disappoint as a pro. For some background information on Bruke check out the SportfightX article:

Burke, a student at the University of Georgia majoring in Exercise and Sport Science, has not always been an entertainer. As a child his biggest ambition aside from professional sports was to be a world traveler. In 2001, he got his chance when he joined the United States Navy and spent six years on the USS Abraham Lincoln. During his travels he ran across many gyms and athletic facilities and decided to give one a try. "When i was at the base gym one day I spotted a sign that said kalahi martial arts. I checked out the class and it ended up being a small mixed martial arts gym. I was hooked from then on."

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We are just two days away from the begining the SporfightX's Redline Lightweight Grand Prix. SportfightX: Undefeated will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center Saturday night. William "SoCo" McAlister inspected every fighter in the Southeast to find the best undefeated amateur/pro fighters in the Lightweight division. The Redline Lightweight Grand Prix will start this weekend and the finals are set for the end of the year. The winner gets to keep his undefeated record and claim himself one of the best fighters in the Southeast. Along with those prestigious accolades the winner will receive a four fight contract with SportfightX. I wanted to talk with each of the competitors before the tournament and get a feel of who they are. This is a major step up in competition for all these guys and there is no easy road to the final.

Emanuel "EJ" Brooks is 6-0 as an amateur that trains in St. Louis, Missouri. He wrestled for Missouri in college and is friends with Strikeforce star Tyron Woodley. SportfightX.com has a really nice article on him:

Even with his humble background EJ "The Pretty Boy" Brooks carries a level of confidence that borderlines cockiness that flows out in his interviews and fights. "I'm 6-0 in MMA all wins in dominating fashion. I've never lost a round, wasn't hit in 3 fights, never been hit more than 4 times in a fight, former Mid-West Fight league Lightweight champion and MOST Importantly...I still look good after All my fights.." he says with a cheesy smile.

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