“Hardrock MMA 14” play-by-play commentary and results

Saturday night PROMMA.INFO’s Brian Furby attended “Hardrock MMA 14” in Danville, Ky. at the Danville National Guard Armory. I kept up with the action throughout the event. Featuring thirteen fights (11 amateur and two pro), Hardrock delivered some exciting finishes and a lot of action, with only two fights making it out of the first round.

Here is my play-by-play and event commentary.

Pro fighter Rob Mooney is serving as tonight’s referee. As I mentioned at the Wicktagon show last month, Mooney has the distinction of being one of the most experienced referees in the country, with the number of bouts he has refereed in the thousands.

William Sandlin vs. Tim Colby (145)

Sandlin fights out of Team Sandman. Colby fights out of Bardstown, Ky.

Round 1

Colby lands a kick to Sandlin’s leg and Sandlin answers with a right and clinches up but Colby scores a hip toss and the two hit the ground. They almost work their way back to the feet, but Colby keeps Sandlin down briefly and Sandlin is able to get up and they stay clinched up, both working to land some shots. Colby scores another hip toss and Sandlin scrambles and lands a couple head shots over his own shoulder as Colby tries to take his back. Colby hooks up Sandlin’s arm with one of his legs , but Sandlin rolls and takes the dominant position, inside guard. Colby briefly tries for an armbar but Sandlin gets out and stands. He allows Colby to get up and Colby shoots in and Sandlin pulls him down in a guillotine. Colby rolls and Sandlin takes the top position before standing and landing another head shots. He works for a standing guillotine but lets it go and the two trade head shots in the clinch as the round ends.

After initially being at a disadvantage, Sandlin should have been able to pull out the win in that round due to his control.

PRO MMA sees it 10-9 Sandlin.

Round 2

Colby comes in with a flying knee but Sandlin defends and they clinch up and go to the ground, with Colby pulling guard. Sandlin stands inside the guard and lands a couple shots from the top. Sandlin works in more shots as Colby tries to pull him down to keep him from posturing up. Colby gets a foot on Sandlin’s chest to try and push him off but Sandlin stays in the dominant position and lands three hard body shots, followed by a fourth. Sandlin moves to side control and gets a hold of one of Colby’s arms before pulling Colby back down as Colby tries to stand. Colby gets half guard but Sandlin passes and moves to full mount, landing numerous head shots from the top until the referee steps in to stop it.

William Sandlin wins via TKO (strikes) at 2:06 of Round 2.

———-

Al Garcia vs. Mike Long (170)

Garcia fights out of Scientific Street Fighting. Long fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1

Garcia misses with a body kick to start then a second. Long rushes in and clinches up and they struggle against he cage. Garcia works in a body shot and Long gets in underhooks but Garcia lands a knee to the body, followed by another. Long works in a head shot and a pair of body shots. Garcia tries to take him down but Long grabs the cage and is warned. Garcia lands a knee to Long’s leg and Long lands a knee to the head. Garcia backs off and lands a left hook followed by a knee to the head and a right. They separate and Garcia lands a leg kick and the two trade shots and Long picks Garcia up for a big slam. Long works from the top position, landing a pair of short head shots but Garcia gets Long’s arm and rolls, scoring a belly-down armbar to win.

Al Garcia wins via submission (armbar) at 2:13 of Round 1.

———-

Delbert Ethington vs. Justin Gamble (205)

Ethington fights out of Team Toc. Gamble fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1

Ethington opens with a left and lands two more before Gamble clinches up and pushes him against the cage. Gamble works for a takedown but Ethington defends, landing some body shots and tying up Gamble’s neck. Gamble sweeps Ethington but Ethington initially lands in the dominant position before Gamble rolls him and lands in side control. Gamble lands head shots from the top in a modified crucifix position and Gamble then briefly takes mount before going for a triangle from the top. Ethington rolls but Gamble cinches in the triangle from the bottom and Ethington quickly taps.

Justin Gamble wins via submission (triangle) at 1:30 of Round 1.

———-

Chris Matthews vs. James Strunk (155)

Matthews fights out of Team Havok. No team affiliation is announced for strunk.

Round 1

Matthews steps in with a had left hook and they clinch up and trade hard shots to the head with Strunk getting the better of the exchange. Strunk is warned for grabbing the fence as Matthews tries to take him down and Matthews scores the takedown and takes Strunk’s back, quickly sinking in the rear naked choke for the win.

Chris Matthews wins via submission (rear naked choke) at :42 of Round 1.

———-

Darelle LaMarque vs. Chris Stamper (155)

LaMarque fights out of Team Havok. Stamper fights out of Iron Cobra MMA.

Round 1

LaMarque misses with a body kick, but then lands a spinning heel kick to the head. Stamper answers and lands a knee to the head and the two trade shots and Stamper lands a pair of hard knees. LaMarque scores a takedown and Stamper pulls guard. LaMarque lands some head and body shots from the top, standing inside Stamper’s guard. LaMarque is warned for putting his fingers in Stamper’s face, and the two are stood up as the action slows. Stamper looks hesitant as they stand, gesturing to his corner that his shoulder might be injured. LaMarque comes in with a one-two combo and Stamper waves off the action as it appears he did, in fact, hurt his shoulder in one of the exchanges.

Darelle LaMarque wins via TKO (injury) at 1:51 of Round 1.

———-

Ben Smith vs. Blake Molen (205)

Smith fights out of Danville, Ky. Molen fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1

Smith lands a leg kick to start and Molen answers with a flurry of head shots, effectively putting Molen to sleep leaning standing the cage, with the ref rushing in to stop the fight. Smith was still standing when the ref called off the action, but it’s clear he was is no condition to continue.

Blake Molen wins via TKO at :08 of Round 1.

———-

Bradley Hardin vs. Thomas Campbell (145)

Hardin fights out of Danville, Ky. Campbell fights out of Scientific Street Fighting.

Round 1
Campbell opens with a leg kick and they trade short head shots. Campbell lands another leg kick and the two trade leg kicks and both swing for the fences and miss with head shots. Campbell works for a takedown but Hardin defends briefly. Campbell gets him down and immediately starts landing body and head shots from the mount position. Hardin tries to roll but Campbell continues to land short, hard shots until the ref steps in to stop the fight.

Thomas Campbell wins via submission (strikes) at 1:02 of Round 1.

———-

Dale Sallee vs. Jimmy Lane (Hvy)

Sallee fights out of Danville, Ky.. Lane fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1
Lane lands a right hook to start and Sallee answers with a right of his own. They clinch up and struggle across the mat. Lane tries to hip toss but Sallee gets out and they exchange again. Lane lands a knee in the exchange and takes Sallee down, and gets a leg around Sallee’s head, essentially sitting on Sallee’s head. Lane lands some elbows to the body and then grabs Sallee’s arms, securing an americana and a quick tap.

Jimmy Lane wins via submission (americana) at :55 of Round 1.

———-

Channing Ross vs. Chad Godbey (Hvy)

Ross fights out of Team Fallen Angels. Godbey fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1
Ross lands a two punch combo to start and takes Godbey down, landing in Godbey’s half-guard. Godbey lands a body shot from the bottom but Ross takes mount, then Godbey’s back when Godbey rolls. Ross looks for a rear naked choke but Godbey rolls and starts landing numerous unanswered head shots from the top until the ref steps in to stop it.

Chad Godbey wins via TKO (strikes) at 1:08 of Round 1.

———-

William Newman vs. Joe Conley (Hvy)

Newman fights out of Team Havok. Conley fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1

The two trade leg kicks to start the round and Conley misses with a high kick. Newman rushes Conley and lands a flurry of punches to the head, following Conley as he tries to move around the cage. Conley works for a takedown but Newman defends. Conley lands three knees to the body followed by a fourth, then works for a single leg takedown. Newman is warned for grabbing the fence and then shots to the back of the head. Conley falls and Newman lands more shots and the action is stopped as the referee deducts a point for more shots to the back of the head. Newman takes Conley down with a right when the action is restarted but then allows Conley to stand and floors him with another right, rushing in to land more shots until the ref steps in to stop it.

William Newman wins via TKO (strikes) at 1:33 of Round 1.

———-

Wendall Hurless vs. Yannick Jones (155)

This fight is for the Hardrock MMA Amateur Lightweight Title. Hurless fights out of Team Fallen Angels. Jones fights out of Scientific Street Fighting.

Round 1
Hurless opens with a leg kick and the two exchange head shots, clinching agains the cage. Jones lands a pair of high kicks and Hurless a hard head shot. They trade leg kicks and both are swinging for the fences looking for the fight ending shot. Jones pushes Hurless against the cage and the two trade knees. Jones sweeps Hurless and Hurless pulls guard. Hurless looks for a triangle but Jones pulls out of it and and grabs Hurless’a foot looking for a heel hook. Jones lets it go and they stand trade hard shots. Hurless lands a flurry of punches and the two trade knees to the body. Hurless steps in with a leg kick that knocks Jones off balance and Hurless grabs Jones’s head and pulls him down. Jones controls one of Hurless’s wrists and the two stand again. Hurless lands a hard two-punch combo and they trade more massive head shots. Hurless lands another flurry of punches and grabs Jones’s head, pushing him against the cage for a standing guillotine and then takes him down and pulls guard, still going for the guillotine. Hurless lets go and Jones sneaks in a couple head shots as the round ends.

A very exciting round. It’s going to be a tough one for the judges to call, but I think Hurless will win the round based on his aggressiveness and the number of shots he landed.

PRO MMA sees it 10-9 for Hurless.

Round 2

Hurless misses with an overhand right to start and Jones rushes in and lands a hard right then a knee to the head. They trade more hard head shots and clinch up against the cage, and Jones pulls Hurless down and takes full mount, landing shots from the top. Jones controls one of Hurless’s wrists and Hurless tries to throw his legs up to get them in front of Jones. Jones spins off Hurless but quickly takes top position again, landing more shots from the top. The ref stands them up as the action slows. Hurless misses with an overhand right and Jones lands a right and they clinch up against the cage again, trading more head and body shots. Jones lands a hard left hook followed by five more punches before the ref rushes in to stop it. Hurless was still standing when the ref called it, but it was clear he was not able to continue and intelligently defend himself.

Yannick Jones wins via TKO (strikes) at 2:26 of Round 2, to become the new Hardrock MMA Amateur Lightweight Champ.

This was a no-brainer for Fight of the Night. Lot of exciting action through one-and-a-half rounds, with the action never really slowing down.

———-

Brandon Howard vs. Rick Borders (155) (PRO)

Howard fights out of Elizabethtown, Ky.. Borders fights out of Iron Cobra MMA.

Round 1

Howard misses with a huge overhand right to start and Borders clinches up and goes for a takedown. They hit the ground and Borders takes the top position and Howard rolls him but Borders goes for a triangle. Howard lands some hard head shots from the top and Borderrs rolls him down but Howard still lands more shots from the top and slams Borders, trying to shake him off. Howard continues to land head shots, still stuck in the triangle and Borders goes back with a head shot of his own and cinches the triangle in tighter. Howard tries to pulls out and initially can’t but Borders loosens the triangle to not lose it, and then rolls back and transitions to an armbar. Howard initially defends but has to tap as Borders works the submission in tighter.

Rick Borders wins via submission (armbar) at 2:31 of Round 1.

———-

MAIN EVENT

Andy Reese vs. Bobby Carter (205) (PRO)

Both men are making their professional MMA debut. Reese fights out of Beattyville, Ky.. Carter fights out of Team Animal.

Round 1

Reese lands a right to start and Carter answers with a two-punch combo and knee to the body. They struggle against the cage, and move around the mat, trading more hard shots to the head, Carter getting the better of the exchange. Carter lands a knee to the body and a flurry of punches, catching Reese with a hard right that takes him down and out. Carter moves in to land more punches but referee Rob Mooney quickly runs in to pull Carter off, stopping the action.

Bobby Carter wins via KO (punch) at :23 of Round 1.

———-

Definitely an exciting show. Hardrock shows are never short on quick finishes, and tonight was no exception.

Hardrock MMA will be back in action in Campbellsville, Ky. on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at the Campbellsville Armory. For more information and to purchase tickets, check out their website.

By:  Brian Furby