By Jim Terwoord
GeorgiaMMA.com
An enthusiastic and knowledgeable martial arts crowd was on hand at the Georgia Mountains Center in Gainesville for "Thunder on the Mountain" on Saturday, May 31st. If it was thunder they wanted, they got what they came for - in a night featuring no less than 14 bouts that had exactly what fight fans like to see – lots of hard hitting, rollicking action. Promoter Lane Collyer told us this was his 102nd fight promotion – and it showed. Collyer’s well run events never fail to impress. Every fight came off exactly as advertised – right down to the corner assignments, which makes it easy on ink stained wretches like yours truly.
The brutishness began with a light heavyweight matchup that saw Jason Hobbs take on Anthony Green in a fight that served as a reminder of the warrior spirit of combat sports. For two rounds, Hobbs completely dominated the fight in every respect, taking Green down - and then knocking him down for an 8 count in the second. But a fight isn’t over till its over. Thirty five seconds into the third, just when everyone expected Hobbs to coast to a win, Green caught him in a G choke that ended the fight – a complete reversal of what had occurred to that point – and exactly what makes watching combat sports the most fun you can have with your clothes on!
The main events featured Bobby Peavier and John McKenzie in a tangle for the United States heavyweight championship, with Jason Freeborn taking on Byron Bloodworth in a bantamweight bash for the Southeaster U.S. Championship.
Peavier and McKenzie got it on in a battle between the fit and "fully figured" – although the "well rounded" Peavier surprised us with his agility and athleticism. Shooting in quickly with deadly single and double leg takedowns, he managed to keep McKenzie on the defensive for most of the fight, although he was bleeding from his nose by the end of the second. This one was tough to call, but the judges awarded the fight – and the belt - to McKenzie in a split decision. The crowd didn’t like the call – so maybe we’ll see these two do it again.
Bloodworth and Freeborn, both talented and skilled fighters, put on a good show. Freeborn, who looks like a Keith Jardine "mini-me," had his hands full with Bloodworth, who has superb wrestling and jits skills. The first two rounds were similar, with Bloodworth taking down Freeborn in both, only to have the Jardine clone scramble loose. But after several submission attempts in the first two rounds, Bloodworth got it right in the third, earning a hard fought armbar submission at 1:22. Nice fight.
Joshua Eschochea and Jeremy Williams threw down in an exciting welterweight tangle. This one had fists, kicks and a mutual choke attempt that I thought might turn up on You Tube – like that ballyhooed double knockout a week or two back. With both men swinging for the fences, they treated the crowd to numerous head rattling shots. The judges awarded a win to Eschochea by split decision – I had it a draw.
The third fight of the night was a "low kick rules" bout, with the combatants in headgear and boxing gloves – but trust me folks – these ain’t pillow fights! Timothy Harris and Patrick Barger did battle in a welterweight fight that reminded me of the seagoing boxing smokers we had against the Navy when I was in the Marines. Maybe they should have just given these guys clubs – because they used just about everything else in the fight – won by Barger in a unanimous decision.
Continuing with boxing battles, Mark Gerrals and Russell Benes did not play well together in a lightweight brawl that could have been held in a bar. Benes, the better boxer, attacked furiously throughout the fight, while Gerralls tried to keep him at bay with a stinging jab. The gutsy Gerrals, both snorting and covered with his own blood, still had enough left in the third to hit Benes with a couple of high explosive body kicks. But it wasn’t enough – with Benes gaining the unanimous decision in another great fight.
Crowd favorite Andrew Ballenger took on Joshua Cutaia in a well matched welterweight fight. Featuring numerous takedowns and bone crushing shots from the ground by both fighters, the edge went to Ballenger in a unanimous decision – probably due to his slick takedown skills and several submission attempts.
If you like toe to toe slugging with an occasional "drive by booting," you would have enjoyed Daniel Spain and Nick Scorpet’s brawl in the second LKR event of the night, a bantamweight match. Spain hit Scorpet with a rib rattling kick in the first that was so hard I thought I heard an echo. That didn’t stop Scorpet, who kept plodding forward, absorbing several more rib stickers in the second round. With Scorpet bloodied, Spain gained a TKO win by referee stoppage in the third.
John Michaels and Isaac Eberle took part in the first "quickie" of the night in their lightweight MMA matchup. Crowd favorite Eberle showed impressive jiu-jitsu skills, gaining a victory by tapout due to armbar, a scant 1:11 into the first round. It was the first in a sequence of four or five fast fights.
Beef was for dinner in the first heavyweight dust up of the night between Cody Bruns and Jason Betsill. Bruns took it to Betsill from the get go, taking him down immediately and remaining on top for the entire round. Bruns stepped up his attack in the second, with another quick takedown, followed by a very rude key lock that gained him a victory by submission at 1:12 in the second stanza.
Ernest Blaise and Jared Brackett were up next in a welterweight tilt that got nasty fast. Another crowd favorite, Bracket charged Blaise quickly, locking in an armbar that earned him a submission victory at 1:34 of the first round. I think it was unlucky shorts – Blaise had on a pair of gold trunks that I thought were "graphically challenged," – the second pair of the same type that night. I’m looking for a new designer for the guys from Flowery Branch. That oughta get my email going!
Peace never had a chance when lightweight Ryan Peace locked up with Lance Dickson in an explosion of a match that unfortunately ended in a no contest decision. The popular Peace withstood an energetic early attack by Dickson, avoiding a takedown by whirling in mid air, instead scoring a takedown on his opponent. The second round was equally violent. A "muscler," Dickson attacked furiously again, leading to a violent succession of rebounds off the ropes that ended when Dickson went right through them, landing with a crash on the concrete deck outside the ring. After Dickson was examined, officials decided to rule the match a "no contest" decision, disappointing the fans. Don’t worry – Lane will put this one back on another card. And don’t miss it!
Best entrance music of the night went to John Bloodworth (Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party) and Jason Blalock (Lunatic Fringe) in their lightweight MMA mash up. Blalock attacked fast and furiously, taking down Bloodworth twice and cutting him, before sinking in a G choke winner at 2:50 of the first round.
The last low kicker of the night came in a LKR match between Ben Agnew and Chris Williams. The slender Agnew gives the appearance of a kid who gets picked on at school – but that would be a big mistake. Fending off the more athletic looking Williams with his long arms and straight kicks, he earned a unanimous 30-27 decision from the judges.
This night will be hard to top, but Collyer says he’ll be in ‘Bama with his traveling hit man show, scheduled for Gadsden AL, on Friday June 28th. He promised to be back at the Mountains Center for another event in October. Watch GeorgiaMMA.com for details.
JT@georgiamma.com
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