by:  Jack Bratcher

Vengeance Fighting Championship took place last night, September 27th at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, NC. It was a great night of fights displaying some of the MMA talent from the eastern and southeastern U.S.. The night consisted of both amateur and professional bouts and in the main event, North Carolina’s MMA fans got to wtiness two UFC/PRIDE veterans go at it. Here’s how the fights went down:

AMATEUR FIGHTS

Nick “The Brick” Blake vs. Patrick Needham(145lbs)
Rd.1 – Blake takes Needham’s back and sinks in the hooks. Blake gets a takedown but Needham is able to get back to his feet. Blake is able to drag him back down, takes his back quickly and locks in a rear naked choke with no hooks in. Needham taps. Nick “The Brick” Blake defeats Patrick Needham by rear naked choke submission in Round 1.

Hallie “The Snake” Hair vs. Ryan Bedini(HW)
Rd.1 – The fighters start to circle each other and Hallie Hair twists his knee and falls to the mat. Hallie Hair is unable to continue due to injury just seconds into Round 1. Could be a torn ACL.

Mike Turner vs. Nate Davis(155lbs)
Rd.1 – Turner throws Davis to the ground, puts him in a guillotine and makes him tap in under a minute. Some how Davis supposedly broke his arm. Mike turner defeats Nate Davis by guillotine submission in Round 1.

Sylvain Bynum vs. Jeff Bricker(155lbs)
Rd.1 – Bricker gets Bynum in a tight guillotine but he’s able to escape. Bricker then attempts an armbar and holds in until the bell sounds.
Rd.2 – Bynum gets a takedown and throws some ground and pound. Bricker looking for submissions from the bottom.
Rd.3 – Bricker gets a takedown, lands some ground and pound and takes Bynum’s back, looking for the choke. Bynum stands and Bricker goes for a guillotine but Bynum quickly slips out. Round ends with Bynum in Bricker’s guard throwing punches. Sylvain Bynum defeats Jeff Bricker by unanimous decision. (This was a TERRIBLE decision in my opinion and clearly shows the ignorance of these judges. And it wasn’t even a SPLIT decision, it was unanimous. Oh man.)

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS (3, 5-minute rounds)

Chris Herring vs. Joel Wyatt(HW)
Rd.1 – Wyatt gets the takedown and gets full mount. Herring spins, gives up his back and Wyat pounds him out until the ref steps in. Joel Wyatt defeats Chris Herring by TKO due to strikes in Roud 1.

Brian Keller vs. Jason “The Hitman” Wiggins (170lbs)
Rd.1 – Brian Keller gets the takedown, takes the back of Wiggins, sinks in a rear naked choke making Wiggins tap. Brian Keller defeats Jason Wiggins by Rear Naked Choke submission in Round 1. This was Keller’s first professional fight. Congrats to Keller on winning his first pro match.

Andy Curtiss vs. Robbie Huston(185lbs)
Rd.1 – Huston came out swinging. Curtiss was swinging too but Huston got the better of the exchange. Huston then grabbed the Muay-Thai plum and delivered two big knees to the face of Curtiss that rocked him badly. Huston followed it up with more punches until the ref stops it. Robbie Huston defeats Andy Curtiss by TKO due to strikes in Round 1.

Jeremiah Brandon Brown vs. Matt Covan(165lbs.)
Rd.1 – Vicious leg kicks by Covan leaves huge whelps and bruises on Brown’s leg. Brown delivers some good ground and pound. Ref stands them up. Covan then gets the takedown and ends up on top and delivers some ground and poundage of his own until the bell rings.
Rd.2 – Covan tears up Brown’s leg some more until Brown shoots in. Covan stuffs it and ends up on top. Covan finally gets a rear naked choke. Matt Covan defeats Jeremiah Brandon Brown by rear naked choke submission in Round 2.

Ryan Lamareaux vs. Mackens Semerzier(145lbs)
Rd.1 – Semerzier defends well against the wrestling prowess and experience of Lamareaux. They trade punches for the majority of the round without any significant damage by either fiighter.
Rd.2 – Takedown by Semerzier. They get up. Big right hand by Semerzier. Big combo by Semerzier. Lamareaux with the takedown with ground and pound and elbows. Lamareux leans his head right into two big kicks by Semerzier. Semerzier gets a takedown, delivers some brutal ground and pound until Lamareaux gives up his back. Semerzier gets a figure four body lock, sinks on the rear naked choke, it takes a while but he finally gets it. Mackens Semerzier defeats Ryan Lamareaux by rear naked choke submission in Round 2. (Nov.15 Mackens Semerzier will be fighting again in Norfolk, VA)

Rodney Wallace vs. Ovince St. Preux(205lbs)
St. Preux is from Knoxville, TN and is the KOTC LHW champ. Rodney Wallace represents M-1 Team USA.
Rd.1 – Big takedown by Wallace. St. Preux gets up but gets slammed two more times. Wallace goes for an armbar an ends up on bottom. But reverses and ends up in side mount. Wallace has his back and goes for a rnc. St. Preux spins and ends up on top. St. Preux opens up Wallace on the forehead with an elbow. St. Preux throws a kick, Wallace rushes in picks him up and puts him down.
Rd.2 – Wallace with a takedown and ends up in side control. Easily takes full mount however St. Preux reverses and ends up on top. Wallace moves in, they clinch. St. Preux lands a couple of good knees to the body.
Rd.3 – St. Preux throws a kick, Wallace rushes in underneath and dumps him on his head. Wallace gets side control and lays on some pounding. St. Preux throws another kick, Wallace rushes underneath, picks him up high, boom, power slam! Bell sounds with Wallace on top looking for a submission. Rodney Wallace defeats Ovine St. Preux by unanimous decision.

Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr vs. Jeff “The Snowman” Monson
Kerr looks very big. Not as in bad a shape as I thought he would look but still a shell of his former self. This is a huge fight for Kerr. I think he is way over-matched. But this will also be a good fight to see where Monson is in his game. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Monson really whip some ass so if he can’t put Kerr away I will really have to question where he’s at in his career. Monson looks in perfect shape as always. Kerr actually looks more in shape than he did in Yamma. Doesn’t look too bad unless you compare his body to the way it used to look.
Rd.1 – They begin by feeling each other out. Kerr shoots in, Monson stuffs it and makes him eat some leather. Kerr does get the takedown though. He’s so much bigger than Monson he had to get on his knees to wrap his arms around Monson’s legs to take him down. Kerr is in Monson’s half guard. Monson is able to get back to his feet. Monson now gets the takedown. Has Kerr up against the cage throwing some body shots. Kerr is holding Monson trying to control position. Monson with multiple knees to Kerr’s side. Kerr turtle’s up and Monson delivers some punches until Kerr gives up his back. Monson takes his back sinks in the hook and chokes him out. Jeff “The Snowman” Monson defeats Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr by rear naked choke submission.

These three fights were on the card but were not shown on the online stream so I have no idea if they took place.  If they did take place and you know the results, please let us know and we will edit this with the correct result:

Carmelo Marrero vs. Denis Gomes(205lbs)
John Savage vs. Conan Siliveira(HW)
Rusty Haun vs. Tony Moenich(145lbs)

Vegeance Fighting Championship in association with Don King TV made these fights available to watch online for free! This is an awesome trend that we are starting to see more and more. It is great for MMA fans all over the world because people get to see rising MMA talent (and even some legends) fight in various parts of the U.S. where many people may not realize they even have an MMA promotion. MMA is everywhere! There were seven different MMA shows just tonight and those where just the events I knew about. There’s no telling how many more were out there that I did not know of. As my good friend the MMA Analyst likes to say, “MMA is important!”

If you want to watch this card, it is still available for free viewing at least for now at www.donkingtv.com.

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