Hackney Flips Over Millsap
By Jim Terwoord
Kalvin Hackney celebrated his main event victory over Frank Millsap at Wild Bill’s Fight Night last Friday with an athletic back flip from the canvas, nicely sticking the landing. And over the course of the evening, a casual observer might say the crowd likewise flipped out over an amazing night of MMA action, since they appeared to be having more fun than PacMan Jones at a strip club.
The muscular Hackney (7-0) from Bull’s Gym, Alexandria, LA took on local favorite Millsap (6-2) from Knuckle Up in a 165 pound contest that lived up to its main event credentials. The fight began with a furious first round that featured takedowns, escapes and reverses by both men. During the round, referee Blake Grice penalized Hackney one point for blows to the back of the head, stopping the action to allow Millsap to recover.
The second round featured more furious flurries, with Millsap scoring with kicks and knees, while Hackney returned the favor with a stinging right hook late in the round that appeared to hurt Millsap. During the round, both combatants took turns almost going through the rope on several occasions, reinforcing this corner’s preference for MMA in a cage.
The third round started fast with both fighters taking their best home run swings. Hackney managed to take down Millsap along the ropes and punish him with 2 or 3 solid knee shots to the side that caused enough damage to prompt Millsap to tap due to injury, 59 seconds into the stanza.
 Dymond Jones (2-1) from Unit 2 Fitness took on Dave Hullett (7-5) out of Gorilla Grappling in Birmingham, AL in a middleweight knuckle knocker. Jones appeared to be winning round 1 handily, until Hulett caught him with a hook from hell that had Jones in big trouble late in the opener. Attempting to capitalize on his late first round efforts, Hulett attacked hard to open the second round. However, Jones had other plans, nicely countering Hullett’s hacking and taking him down in the corner, finishing the fight with knees that caused Hullett to tap at 1:15 of the second.
 Southside Steve announced that “the big bulls are in the ring” when Will Mora (1-2), from Champions Muay Thai in Statesville, NC locked up with beefy Scott Barrett (5-1), out of the Megdalon Gym in Gainesville in the night’s only heavyweight throw down. Barrett, who looks like a nose tackle with a bigger neck, easily dominated the taller Mora with surprising agility and speed. Gaining full mount for the better part of the final two rounds, he blasted Mora with a steady diet of ground and pound punishment. That Mora held on is a testament to his conditioning, but Barrett garnered a unanimous decision win from the judges.
Matt Ruskin, of Team Renzo Gracie in New York City, made short work of Marcus Fletcher (LA Boxing) in a pro welterweight tangle. The aggressive Ruskin, who appeared to be in better shape than his opponent, took Fletcher down, drove him to his knees and earned a victory via referee’s stoppage due to strikes at 1:14 of the first round.
Ronnie Rogers of Evolution Combat of Seneca, SC and Marcello Rodriguez of Champions Muay Thai in Statesville, NC both made their professional debuts in a featherweight tilt that was over in a hurry. Rogers made short work of Rodriquez, taking him down and laying the wood to him with a vicious diet of fists, knees and kicks at him that earned a tap out victory from strikes at 1:37 of the first.
Along with the professional card, the crowd was also treated to some outstanding amateur fights. The guys who do it for “fun” brought it all in a night of “rope to rope” action, with only pride on the line.
Middleweight Aaron Johnson from Knuckle Up brought a 2-0 record into the ring against Emeka Abenifi of Unit 2/Extreme MMM, in his debut fight. This one had lots of action – and bodies flying all over the ring, with Johnson landing on my memo pad at one point after coming thru the ropes. Abenifi appeared a bit stronger on the ground, although Johnson’s arm bar submission attempt at the end of the third round could have won it for him. The judges gave it to Abenifi in an entertaining split decision win.
Lee Bates (0-1) of Rage MMA took on Jeff Randall of the Hardcore Gym, who was making his MMA debut, in an exciting lightweight fight. Randall made his first fight memorable, pulling off a victory via tap out with a nifty leg triangle - with shin guards on – after a risky attempt at a G choke that could have cost him the fight.
William Kuhn (Extreme MMA) leaped over the ropes to do battle with Tim Farris (US Army Combatives) in a high speed battle of two welterweights who wanted a win. The debut fight for both men, this one featured constant back and forth action, with no decisive moment. Since I thought Farris won it in a close contest, naturally the judges awarded the win to Kuhn – but there were no losers here.
Jeremy Barrett (EvolutionCombatAcademy) took on Brian Page (Knuckle Up) at 135 pounds in the debut battle for both. A ballistic right hand from Barrett put Page on the canvas 47 seconds into the first round. Nothin’ like a knockout!
In the evening’s opener, Keegan Boyd (Hardcore) took on Chase Thomas (Rage MMA) in the lightweight lid lifter. Thomas dominated the first round, but managed to punch, kick and knee himself right out of the fight in the process, spending way too much energy in the opening stanza, eventually losing to the steady Boyd via rear naked choke 58 seconds into the third round.
The evening’s celebrity sightings included Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis, boxing heavyweight Cedric Boswell, Daniel Gracie from the famous Gracie family and local MMA talent (and current Georgiamma.com featured fighter) Brian Bowles of Athens, who battles Damacio Page on August 3rd in a WEC event in Las Vegas.
Full Throttle’s Steve Mudder entered the ring near the end of the evening to promise another night of action in September – watch www.fullthrottlemma.com for details. We’ll be there - even if another big dude ends up in our lap!
Jim Terwoord
jt@georgiamma.com
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