On October 31, 2009, ProMMA.info’s Brian Furby attended ICF 17 at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. The ten-fight card was capped off by a pro match-up between Jim Davis and UFC veteran Dan Christison.
Russell Coonley vs. Drew Weaver (Team Nemesis) (145)
Round 1 – Weaver opens with a right hook, then a leg kick. Punches from Coonley fall out of range, and Weaver lands another good leg kick. There’s a flurry of punches and Weaver gets the better of the exchange. They circle and Weaver lands a good overhand right followed by a leg kick. Weaver lands a three punch combo and stuns Coonley, who is still standing, and lands a flurry of punches until the ref steps in to stop it. OFFICIAL RESULT: Drew Weaver wins via TKO (strikes) at 1:48 of Round 1.
Zach Boehem (Fusion MMA) vs. Jerry Dempsey (Team Nemesis) (179)
Round 1 – Dempsey lands a good left to start. Boehem comes back with a flurry of punches that stun Dempsey and Boehem goes for a standing guillotine. Boehem pulls Dempsey down but Dempsey gets out, still stunned. Boehem lands a high kick followed by a pari of punches. Boehem lands a good right, then a left to the body. Boehem scores a two-punch combo then moves in going for another guillotine, pulling Dempsey down and scoring a quick tap. OFFICIAL RESULT: Zach Boehem wins via submission (guillotine) at 1:12 of Round 1.
Brandon Suber (Walker MMA) vs. Brett Ewing (Team Cruelty) (155)
Round 1 – Suber starts off the action big and lands a kick to the head as Ewing shoots in. Suber tries to capitalize on it but Ewing recovers and takes his back standing and then suplexes Suber and takes him down. They stand and trade knees to the body and Ewing puts Suber against the cage. A knee attempt by Suber lets Ewing get the takedown. Suber moves for a kimura on the ground, but Ewing gets his arm out and lands shots to the head and body from the top position. Ewing lands more head shots and Suber rolls and Ewing takes his back again. Suber scrambles and gets out and they stand. Suber moves for a an anaconda and takes Ewing down but Ewing gets his head out and lands a knee to the body and the two trade knees to the body. Suber lands body shots and Ewing scores another takedown and tries to get in more shots from the top. Ewing lands some body shots from the top and Suber scrambles and almost gets out but Ewing takes his back. Sober reaches around to land some body shots as the round expires. Great first round. I think Ewing will win due to his takedowns and control from the top, in spite of the fact he didn’t do much damage to Suber. I would give it to Ewing 10-9.
Round 2 – Suber tries a body kick to start and Ewing moves in going for a takedown, but Suber defends and controls one of Ewing’s arms. Suber lands some shots but Ewing scores the takedown and they struggle for dominance on the ground with Ewing ultimately takeing Suber’s back. Suber rolls and Ewing lands shots from the top, and Suber tries for a kimura from the bottom. Ewing lands a couple body shots and Suber still works for the kimura. Ewing gets out and the two stand. Ewing moves for a takedown and Suber lands body shots but gets taken down. They trade shots on the ground with Ewing in the top position. Ewing scores a body shot and moves to take Suber’s back as they stand, and Ewing pulls Sober back down, trying to take his back. Ewing moves for the rear naked choke and Suber tries to shake him off and spins, getting his head out. Ewing tries to take his back again but Suber stands and Ewing scores another takedown. Suber tries to lock Ewing’s head up, and lands body shots as the round ends. A good effort from Suber, but I think Ewing’s control on the ground will win it for him. I would give it to Ewing 10-9.
Round 3 – They trade leg kicks to start and Suber lands a body kick, then knees as Ewing shoots in. Ewing scores the takedown but Suber lands some good shots and muscles Ewing down to take the top position. Ewing moves for a heel hook but Suber lands more shots from the top. Suber passes into side control and lands some hard body shots, then moves to full mount. Ewing rolls and Suber takes his back, landing shots and then moving for the rear naked choke. Ewing turns into him and Suber takes full mount, landing mores shots from the top. Suber lands more hard shots from the top and Ewing tries to roll but Suber is still on his back, going for a rear naked choke but he doesn’t have the hooks in and Ewing reverses and stands, landing knees to the body as he locks up Suber’s head. Suber moves to take Ewing down and Ewing goes down but reverses and Suber reverses to take the top position, landing shots from the top. Suber scoots Ewing up against the cage and Ewing spins and Suber moves for a rear naked choke again, and it looks tight, but Ewing hangs on to the end of the round. A dominant round for Suber, he should have won that one easily but I don’t think it was enough for him to win the fight. I would give round 3 to Suber 10-9. OFFICIAL RESULT: Brett Ewing wins via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
(Furby’s note: Suber versus Ewing was the first match of the ICF’s amateur lightweight tournament to determine who would be the number one contender and face ICF amateur lightweight champion Brandon Demastes at an upcoming date. The winner of Suber vs. Ewing was to face the winner of Thomas Elliott vs. Steve Singleton later in the night. However, after the Suber vs. Ewing match, it was announced that Ewing had suffered a concussion and could not continue. It was initially announced at the event that the final tournament match would be rescheduled, but I recently learned fromm Demastes’s manager Chad Marsh that Demastes has been offered a fight to defend his title against Steve Singleton at the upcoming ICF event on December 12, 2009.)
Thomas Elliot vs. Steve Singleton (Team Vision) (155)
Round 1 – Singleton scores early with a jab and Elliot misses with a big overhand right. Singleton lands a kick and his Elliot with a couple big punches before taking him down and taking his back, going for the rear naked choke, but it looks like he’s too far up and gives up the choke and sprawls when Elliot moves in to take him down. Singleton lands some body shots from the top, then works in some head shots. Elliott almost works his way to his feet but Singleton sprawls again and lands more shots from the top until Elliot taps to the strikes. OFFICIAL RESULT: Steve Singleton wins via submission (strikes) at 2:07 in Round 1.
Robbie Walker (Team Vision) vs. Mike Abrams (H2 Customs) (170)
Round 1 – Abrams grazes Walker with a right and the two trade and Abrams catches Walker with a hard right hook that stuns him. Walker goes for the takedown but Abrams defends and then pushes Walker over and gets a guillotine from the top for the quick win. OFFICIAL RESULT: Mike Abrams wins via submission (guillotine) at :37 of Round 1.
Scott Roberts (Team Nemesis) vs. Luke Kitchens (137)
Round 1 – Roberts forgoes the touch of the gloves and takes Kitchens down. He takes top position but Kitchens reverses, and lands body shots – then the two trade body shots, both looking for a guillotine. They work their way to their feet and Kitchens pulls Roberts to the ground. Roberts lands in mount and moves for a choke but Kitchens defends and lands body shots. Roberts has a body triangle and is still working for the choke but Kitchens gets in more body shots, and surprisingly, it looks like Roberts taps, and the match is stopped. The referee informs me that Roberts tapped due to exhaustion. OFFICIAL RESULT: Luke Kitchens wins via submission at 2:11.
Keith Goggins (4 Seasons) vs. Ryan Hughes (200)
Round 1 – Hughes lands a light leg kick to start, then another and Goggins lands a jab. Goggins lands a leg kick and Hughes answers with a left. Goggins lands a hard right and follows it up with two right hooks, then a knee to the body. Goggins chases Hughes around the cage, landing a hard straight right, then another right and a leg kick that takes Hughes down. Goggins immediately jumps on Hughes landing more shots until Hughes taps to the strikes. OFFICIAL RESULT: Keith Goggins wins via submission (strikes) at :58 of Round 1.
Jack Martin (Walker MMA) vs. Brad Hutchinson (Elite MMA) (265)
Round 1 – Martin connects with jab early and Hutchinson takes him down and quickly moves to side control, landing body shots from the top. Martin rolls and Hutchinson moves, landing more shots from the top. Martin ties up Hutchinson’s head but Hutchinson passes to full mount, landing more hard shots from the top. Hutchinson ties up Martin’s arm and neck in an arm triangle but lets it go and moves for a kimura but lets it go in favor of more shots from the top. Martin sweeps Hutchinson but Hutchinson moves back into top position, landing more shots. Hutchinson lands more shots but Martin sweeps him and stands but Hutchinson scores another takedown. Martin works his way up the cage and Hutchinson tries to take him down again and Martin takes Hutchinson’s back but Hutchinson shakes him off as the round expires. An exciting round. Martin stayed tough and defended well, but Hutchinson’s control throughout most of the round should win him the round. I would give it to Hutchinson 10-9.
Round 2 – Martin scores early with a short uppercut and Hutchinson shoots in but Martin briefly ties him up in a standing guillotine. Hutchinson completes the takedown and takes the mount position, landing body shots from the top. Martin tries to roll him but Hutchinson works in more head and body shots. Martin rolls to his side but Hutchinson keeps the top position. Martin tries to buck him off, but can’t, and Hutchinson lands a couple more head shots from the top and then moves for a rear naked choke, but Martin defends and takes the top position. Hutchinson rolls and Martin takes his back briefly but the two stand and Martin lands a solid knee to the head followed by a couple hard punches. Hutchinson goes for another takedown but Marin defends and takes his back when the two go down, landing head and body shots from the top. Hutchinson is bleeding from his nose and has lost his mouth guard but reverses and takes the top position as the round expires. A much better round for Martin. Hutchinson still got in some quality shots, but I think Martin should see the better end of the scoring in that round. I would give it to Martin 10-9.
Round 3 – Martin misses with a right and Hutchinson shoots in and takes him down. Hutchinson immediately starts throwing hard shots to Martin’s head and passes into side control. Martin pushes off the cage to try and turn and the fighters are warned to advance position, and then stood up. Marin connects with a left and when Hutchinson shoots in lands a knee to the head, then follows it up with more punches. Hutchinson scores a single-leg takedown and lands a body shot and tries to get in some headshots. The two are stood up again as the action slows. Martin lands two quick jabs and three other short punches before Hutchinson shoots in, but Martin sprawls. Hutchinson then gets control of one of Martin’s legs and moves to the top position and Martin lands a knee to the body from the bottom as the fight ends. A close round – both guys were clearly tired but kept going. I think Martin should get the win after that round as his striking was more precise and he defended well on the ground. I would give it to Martin 10-9. OFFICIAL RESULT: Brad Hutchinson wins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
(Furby’s Note: I think this fight was a prime example of why fighters shouldn’t let the fight go to the judges. Hutchinson did fight well, but I don’t think there is any way he won the second and third rounds. I realize that all three judges scored the fight 30-27, and their opinions are the ones that count, but I know there were a number of us in the crowd, including a blogging colleague of mine, Scott Dryden, from Pro Fighting Fans who saw the fight as I did).
Michael Wright (Sparta Athlima) vs. Mick Berwanger (Team Vision) (170) (PRO)
Round 1 – Berwanger lands a leg kick but Wright gets a takedown. Berwanger goes for an armbar for the bottom but Wright stands and they clinch against the cage. Berwander scores with two knees to the body then one to the head, then lands some short hard shots. Wright throws out a body kick but Berwanger briefly catches it before landing another shot. Berwanger spins Wright to the ground, working in some hard body shots from Wright’s back. Berwanger lands a couple hard knees to the body on the ground, then more body shots. He lets Wright stand, and unloads with some head and body shots and aknee to the body. Wright pushes him off but Berwanger moves back in with a knee to the body. Berwanger lands a two-punch combo, then scores a takedown. Wright briefly has Berwanger’s head tied up but Berwanger lands more hard shots and Wright rolls and Berwanger lands numerous body shots from Wright’s back. Wright tries to control Berwanger’s arm, but Berwanger continues to unload as the two stand, and the ref moves in to stop it as it appears Wright cannot defend himself. OFFICIAL RESULT: Mick Berwanger wins via TKO (strikes) at 3:19 of Round 1.
MAIN EVENT
Jim Davis (Team Vision) vs. Dan Christison (The Sandbox MMA) (Super Hvy) (PRO)
(Furby’s Note: Davis did not make the agreed-upon catchweight of 285, but Christison agreed to take the fight nonetheless. Davis forfeited part of his purse to Christison as is standard in such situations.)
Round 1 – Christison opens with a leg kick. They circle and Christison lands a two punch combo and a leg kick. Davis moves in with a left hook but it doesn’t connect. Davis connects with a follow up and the two trade shots, with Christison landing a big leg kick. They clinch up and Christison lands an uppercut and they separate. They trade big left hooks and Christison lands a knee to the body and Davis answers with one of his own. Christison pushes Davis against the cage and lands a knee to the body and two shots. Christison lands another three-punch combo and a leg kick, then an inside leg kick. Christison lands another combo and a lg kick. Davis sneaks in a few shots and then lands an unintentional knee to the groin and the action in paused. Davis is warned but no point is deducted. Christison signals he’s good to go and the match restarts. They touch gloves and get back to it. Christison lands a pair of good leg kicks and and Davis sneaks in a right but Christison lands another two punch and leg kick combo. Davis lands a hard body shot and Christison answers with a three punch combo and a jab, followed by a good body shot. They trade rights and Davis lands a big uppercut. Christison clinches up and pushes Davis against the cage and takes Davis down with a single-leg takedown, and starts landing head shots from the top until Davis taps to the strikes. OFFICIAL RESULT: Dan Christison wins via submission (strikes) at 2:21 of Round 1.
By: Brian Furby