Ring of Combat XXI- Play by Play and Results

By Denny Hodge

Ring of Combat XXI live on HDNet tonight at 8:30 PM Central.  Stay tuned to promma.info for round by round updates and results.

Jose Rodriguez vs. Marc Stevens  (170 lbs.)

Round 1

Stevens goes for the takedown immediately.  Rodrigues goes for an armbar, and gets slammed for his effort. Back to full guard, with Stevens delivering some big shots to the face of Rodriguez.  Stevens continuing to drop big shots to Jose.  Rodgriguez to his feet, and catches Stevens with a huge knee to the midsection.  Both fighters clinched against the fence, but the fight goes back to the ground within a few seconds.  Stevens in Jose’s full guard working some ground and pound.  Not much action on the ground, and the ref stands them up.  Stevens goes for a shot and catches Jose with a knee.  Jose locks up a guillotine, and locks up stevens in half guard.  Stevens breaks free from the choke and the ref stands them up quickly.  Another takedown by Stevens at the end of round one.  Dominating round for Marc Stevens.

Round 2

Stevens back on top again in Jose’s half guard.  Jose has spent much of the fight on his back, then goes for a heel hook but misses.  Stevens on his back, with Jose looking to gain control.  Jose now in Stevens’ full guard and has Marc pressed up against the cage.  Jose to side mount and transitions to a north south position.  Ref is calling for action again, and breaks the fighters.  Jose misses with a big uppercut and nice straight right.  Stevens shoots after the right is delivered and secures another takedown.  Rodriguez trying to use the cage to get off his back but Stevens is controlling position and delivering some nice shots.  Stevens transitions to Jose’s back, but it is defended nicely.  Steven’s back into Jose’s guard again towards the end of the round.  Closer round in Round 2 that could go either way.

Round 3

Big right misses by Jose, Steven’s clinches and goes for another takedown.  Rogriguez throws a wild right, and Stevens times it nicely and gets another takedown.  Stevens gets to side control, but gets caught in half guard while going for full mount.  Rodriguez goes for an up kick, and Stevens throws a big right.  Back to the feet momentarily, but is quickly back to the ground.  Ref calling for the fighters to stay busy.  He breaks them again, and they are back on their feet.  Stevens got cut pretty bad on his right eye, likely from one of the up kicks.  Big exchange, with Stevens on his back.  Rodriguez throwing huge bombs to Stevens looking desperate at the end of the fight.  Stevens fighting back throwing strikes from his back.  Both fighters look gassed with 57 seconds to go.  Rodgriguez in side mount, going for mount and ends up on Steven’s back.  He is too high, and Stevens ends up back in Jose’s full guard.  End of round 3.   Marc Stevens by UD.

Andrew Riddles vs. Mike Stewart (185 lb.)

Round 1

Clinch against the fence.  Mike goes for the throw and gets the takedown.  Stewart in side mount, but the fight is quickly back to the feet.  The fighters clinch again against the fence.  Stewart works Riddles to the ground.  Not much action against the fence, and the ref breaks the fighters.  Riddles throws a left, and Stewart clinches and the fight goes to the cage again.  Stewart working for a single, but Andrew is using the cage to his advantage and keeping from being taken down.  Stewart keeps working and gets another takedown.  Stewart now in Riddles’ full guard.  Andrew controlling Stewart’s posture good from his back.  Stewart advances position to side control again, but Riddles is doing a good job and controlling Stewart’s posture and is not taking any damage from his back.  Riddles replaces guard toward the end of Round 1.  

Round 2

Riddles looks to be the fresher of the two fighters.  Riddles gets the takedown, to full mount and is pounding on Stewart!  Stewart rolls and gives up his back.  Riddles flattens him out and goes for the RNC!  He taps!  RNC to end the fight 52 seconds into Round 2. Riddles by rear naked choke, Round 2.

Chris Schlessinger vs. Nissim Levy (179 lbs.)

Round 1

Levy with a takedown.  Levy dropping some big shots on Chris.  Back to their feet.  Chris on his back again.  Levy trying to drop bombs, and almost gets caught in an armbar.  The ref calls time for a missing mouthpiece.  Chris goes for a takedown, but Levy stuffs it and gets the takedown.  Not much action, the ref stands them back up.  Levy with a big combo and Chris is on his back again.  Back to the feet.  Schlesenger misses with a big right, and he is back on the ground again.  Levy presses the action and gets caught in a guillotine.  He escapes and backs off standing over Chris.  Everytime Levy throws a big right, Schlessinger just drops to the ground.  End of round 1.

Round 2

Schlessinger throws two huge rights that knocks the mouthpiece out of Levy’s mouth, locks up a choke and gets slammed!! He keeps the choke and finishes the fight!  Schlessinger by guillotine in Round 2.

Greg Soto vs. Doug Gordon (Welterweight)

Round 1

Soto shoots for a takedown, Gordon stuffs it and works the fight to the cage.  Soto ends up on top, and is working Gordon agains the cage.  Not much action so far with Gordon controlling Soto’s posture from his back.  Gordon appears really calm on his back, and is controlling Soto’s wrists, not taking any type of damage.  The ref breaks them up, and they start back on their feet.  Big takedown by Soto, and he ends up in side mount, but Gordon quickly replaces guard and we are back where we started with Soto in Gordon’s full guard.  Limited action in Round 1 with Gordon on his back for most of the first round.  

Round 2

Soto eats a left and goes for another takedown.  Soto closing the distance to stay out of Gordon’s range.  He is now shooting from 6 or 7 feet out.  Gordon stuffs the takedown.  Soto misses with a looping right, but Gordon counters with a nice right hand.  Soto shoots for a single, but Gordon ends up on top in Soto’s full guard.  Pellegrino shouting instructions for Soto to stay busy on his back.  Soto working some rubber guard against Gordon but still not much action on the ground.  Ref calling for action again.  They are now back on their feet, and Soto goes for another single, and ends up in a guillotine attempt from Gordon.  Soto is out and they are back on their feet.  Soto goes for another single and ends up in a guillotine again.  He works out and is in Gordon’s full guard at the end of Round 2.

Round 3

The fighters engage with some punches from both, and Soto works and earns another takedown.  Gordon has spent a lot of time on his back again in this round much like round 1.  Soto not doing much from the top, but is controlling the position in the final round.  Gordon looks spent and he cannot get off of his back.  Soto has controlled much of the action in the fight.  Gordon reverses position in the last 20 seconds and is trying to land something, but gets caught in an armbar attempt in the closing seconds.  End of round 3. Soto by decision.

Constantinos Phillipou vs. Brendan Barrett (Light Heavyweight)

Round 1

Nice leg kick by Barrett.  Nice shot by Phillipou, and the fight goes to the clinch against the cage.  Full mount from Barrett, working the body.  Phillipou manages to retain half guard, and is staying busy.  Back to the feet. Barrett going for a single, and gets the takedown, and is back in half guard.  Barrett stands briefly and gets a guillotine and closes up his guard to finish, but Phillipou works out and is now on top.  The fight is stopped temporarily to clean up the mat.  The doctor looks at Barrett’s eye during the intermission and the fight is stopped!!  The doctor stops the fight due to the cut on Barrett’s eye. Phillipou by TKO in Round 1.

Charlie Brenneman vs. John Howard (Welterweight Title Fight)

Round 1

Fighters clinch, and Brenneman takes the fight to the ground.  The ref is already calling for action, with Howard locking up Charlie and preventing any big shots.  Back on the feet.  Nice leg kick by Howard, and Brenneman shoots for a single.  The fighters are clinched against the feet and work to the center of the cage, and Charlie keeps working and gets the takedown.  Brenneman is now in Howard’s half guard but is trying to pass.  Brenneman gives Howard too much distance, and he works back to his feet.  Brenneman sets up a shot, shoots and gets caught with a left, and gets dropped!  Brenneman looks shaky but Howard backs off and gives up a takedown.  End of Round 1.

Round 2

Howard catches Brenneman again on his way in for a shot.  The fight is back on the ground with Brenneman on top.  Brenneman standing over Howard again.  The ref brings them back to their feet.  Howard throws a leg kick and gives up another takedown in the process.  Howard back to his feet, grabs a single, and takes Brenneman down.  Brenneman working the left overhook trying to get up off the cage.  Howard landing some shots and is now in a North South position.  Howard looks for the guillotine, but Brenneman gets the takedown instead.  The are back on their feet.  Howard throws another leg kick, Brenneman shoots, but it is stuffed.  Howard was going for a D’arce choke but ends up on his side as the bell rings.

Round 3 

Both fighters clinch, with not much action in the center of the cage.  Howard leaning on Brenneman against the cage and lands a big left knee to Brenneman’s face from the clinch.  Brenneman looking for a guillotine, and Howard picks him up and slams Brenneman to the mat.  Howard now in Charlie’s full guard.  Position is reversed, Howard goes for a couple of subs, and is now on his back again.  Howard is on his feet and is throwing big shots causing Brenneman to shoot out of desperation.  Charlie continues to go for the takedown and gets it. 1:35 left in the final round.  The ref is calling for action and may stand them back up again.  Brenneman goes for the guard pass and ends up in half guard, but Howard quickly replaces guard and tries to work back to his feet, but is taken back down.  In the closing seconds, Howard almost gets a kimura, then transitions to an arm bar as the bell sounds.   Controversial unanimous decision with John Howard taking the belt away from Charlie Brenneman!

Ricardo Romero vs. Glen Sandull (Light Heavyweight Championship)

Round 1

Romero comes out throwing stiff jabs.  Nice leg kick by Romero, Sandull shoots but is stuffed.  Both fighters are back on their feet.  Romero gets a guillotine and uses his right to throw some big punches.  Sandull gets some distance and counters hurting Romero.  Big kick by Romero, as they move to the center of the cage.  Sandull throws and connects with a big straight right.  They clinch against the cage, and Sandull connects with a combination to Romero’s face.  Sandull gets the high crotch and takes Romero down.  Romero looking for a kimura from the bottom.  The fight is stopped momentarily to clean the mouthpiece of Sandull.  Both fighters looking tired now from the constant pace.  Romero moves forward with his jab and misses a high kick.  Romero throws a right to set up a takedown but it is telegraphed and stopped easily.  End of Round 1.  

Round 2

Nice leg kick from Sandull.  Romero still flicking out his jab nicely.  Pace is starting slowly in Round 2.  Sandull connects with a big shot and drops Romero.  They clinch and Sandull connects with a knee.  Sandull now loading up on his shots as Romero looks hurt.  Sandull coming in for the kill, and connects with a big uppercut.  Sandull changes levels and takes him down.  They are back on their feet and Sandull connects again with an uppercut.  On the groun Romero reverses and throws some shots.  Back to the feet again and Romero is bleeding badly out of his nose.  Romero throws a big right that lands behind the ear that drops Sandull and while he is down, Romero kicks him in the head while he was down illegally.  Waiting to see the official decision here…  Sandull has been given oxygen and they are now loading him on the stretcher.  The decision is in and Glen Sandull has been awarded the Light Heavyweight Championship via DQ due to an intentional illegal kick to a downed opponant from Romero.