The Sprawl And Brawl Video Review: King of the Cage - Crossroads
Posted by Randy Harrison on 12.11.2007
The Sprawl and Brawl returns with a look at an event that literally zooms by. Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin and Keith Jardine all fight and it's actually NOT a UFC card, plus I give my thoughts on why I think it's stupid to not tap out when you need to. As always, all this and fight videos to boot, are just a click away.
Hello again peeps, and welcome to another edition of the review that looks at things on the outskirts of MMA, The Sprawl and Brawl Video Review. At this point I would like to direct everyone to the initial broadcast of Lay and Pray Radio which covers the TUF 6 finale and features Larry Csonka and myself expounding on the fights, Sean Sherk, and a ton of other things and I'd also like to point out that Lay and Pray will be returning this week with a review of the HUGE WEC card coming up this Wednesday night.
This week it's another King Of The Cage classic as I'll be looking back five years to an event that has some big names before they were big names and a TON of finishes. I mean literally almost a full ton. We're in Bernarillo, New Mexico here for this King Of The Cage event entitled Crossroads which took place on December 15, 2002. It's an apt name for this event, as King Of The Cage was at a crossroads, starting to get a serious influx of talent from across the country, while fighters like Diego Sanchez and Forrest Griffin were at crossroads as well, as they were a short time away from becoming MMA superstars thanks to the Ultimate Fighter reality show. There's ten fights on the card and I'm excited to see some of the earlier fights from the UFC veterans on the card so let's get to it everyone!!
This event is part of the huge ten-event, five-disc set King Of The Cage: Underground available here.
King Of The Cage: Crossroads
Standard opening for the DVD with their nu-metal and the highlights of KO's and things of that nature. There's no Tyson Johnson doing the ring announcing for this one and that makes me very sad inside. There's no intro or anything, we're just sent STRAIGHT to the action.
Match One: Bantamweights
Del Hawkins (11-6) vs. Bryan Kominiak (0-1)
Hawkins is of course the man with the nickname "The Filipino Delight" that we've heard doing commentary on previous King Of The Cage events reviewed in The Sprawl and Brawl and he's quite an accomplished fighter as well, while Kominiak looks like he's fresh from delivering newspapers or perhaps got lost on his way to his Cub Scout meeting. This should be interesting to say the least.
Round One
Hawkins with a leg kick to open up and a good kick to the body, followed by another leg kick. Hawkins attempts a flying knee but that misses, and he follows with another couple of hard kicks. Hawkins showboats by dropping his hands before a spinning back kick and another body kick land for him. He changes levels and shoots for the takedown and Kominiak just looks overwhelmed here. Hawkins stands back up out of the takedown and this looks more like sparring than an acutal fight so far. Jab and another low kick score from Hawkins and Kominiak throws a combination that the announcer politely calls "flailing" but I'll call "faggy" before Hawkins hits another spinning back kick to the body. Hawkins changes levels and shoots in again scoring the takedown and staying on top this time, taking the back before Kominiak rolls into guard and tries to stand back up but Hawkins TAKES HIS HEAD OFF with a vicious high kick and knocks him out cold.
Replays of the big slam takedown at the beginning of the fight and the SWANK high kick that put Kominiak stiff as a board.
Winner: Del Hawkins, KO at 1:38 of Round One
Match Two: Welterweights
Chris Meyers (3-4) vs. John Cronk (5-6)
Round One
Meyers shoots in for the takedown but Cronk manages to sprawl fairly well against the cage, landing some rights to the face of Meyers while Meyers holds onto the single-leg. The announcer says that Cronk was a WKA World Muay Thai Kickboxing Champion so he's going to want to keep this fight standing at all costs I would imagine. Meyers working the bodylock against the fence now but not doing anything with it, just holding him there. A hard body shot from Cronk and some good knees to the body score as well. Meyers tries for a leg trip but Cronk simply pulls out of it and lands another knee to the body. Cronk reverses to push Meyers against the cage and starts raining Muay Thai knees to the face and HARD left hands. Meyers is just crumpling and referee Herb Dean has seen enough and decides that Meyers cannot intelligently defend himself from the onslaught and calls the bout.
Replays of the hard knees landing flush to the head and the rapid-fire right hands that ended the fight. All in all a pretty impressive performance from Cronk, although it would appear that it was just a matter of two guys who weren't very good and one of them happened to be a little more ready to go in this particular fight.
Winner: John Cronk, TKO at 1:54 of Round One
Match Three: Welterweights
Bain Serna (0-0) vs. Brad Woolard (0-0)
Both guys are making their MMA debuts in this one, so who knows what's going to happen. Sometimes two debuting fighters come in and tear the house down with sloppy but exciting fighting styles and sometimes they fight so tentatively that one wonders why they even got into the cage to begin with. It really is a coin toss and I can't say looking at either of them that I can tell what's going to happen in this one.
Round One
Serna throws a lunging side kick that lands to the body of Woolard and they clinch against the fence with Woolard grabbing a half-assed headlock and landing short punches before trying a spinning back fist that misses. Serna grabs a bodylock and gets the takedown into half-guard, working some hard shots to the body and moving Woolard up against the fence. Woolard is working to gain body control from the bottom somewhat successfully but still eating shots, as Serna's corner wants him to move to the center of the cage away from the fence and work for the mount. Instead Serna lands a flurry of punches and moves out of half-guard into side control, landing a knee to the body and taking full mount. Serna throws rapid-fire rights and lefts and Woolard is on his side turtling up and taps out from the barrage of leather.
Replays of both big flurries of punches from Serna, the one in half-guard that got him to side control and the one from the mount that ended the fight. Serna stepped up and looked ready to fight while Woolard just looked overwhelmed in there. It showed in the fight as Woolard didn't mount any particular offense at all and judging from the fact that he has never fought again in MMA since this fight, I would think that he was just glad to make it out alive.
Winner: Bain Serna, TKO at 1:33 of Round One
Match Four: Lightweights
Frank Marquez (0-0) vs. John Mahlow (1-0)
Mahlow is an accomplished wrestler from Michigan State in his second professional MMA bout while Marquez is making his debut inside the cage. Another situation where two guys who don't have a ton of experience are going to decide if they're cut out to be fighters it looks like.
Round One
Leg kick from Mahlow to start things off and they're right to the clinch with Mahlow grabbing double underhooks and muscling Marquez against the fence before slamming him down to the mat, landing in side control against the cage. Mahlow starts working knees to the body from the top position and Marquez has a hold of the head and stands up from that. Marquez tries a knee but misses and Mahlow spins around and takes the back standing, sinking in his hooks and taking Marquez down to the mat, looking for the rear naked choke. He tries to cinch it in but Marquez is swinging punches backwards to the face of Mahlow, disrupting him enough to keep him from locking in that choke. Marquez avoids the danger but is still in a bad spot fully back-mounted and Mahlow locks in a body triangle to boot. Mahlow tries for the choke again and they're hand-fighting with Marquez doing well to avoid the finish.
Mahlow works some punches to the body to try and soften Marquez up for the choke, while Marquez keeps throwing punches behind his head to hit Mahlow in the face. They're grappling back and forth and somewhat stalemated on the mat at this point with no position improvements from either guy. Marquez with a bunch of punches to the face of Mahlow and he looks like he's trying to spin around into guard out of the body triangle. They're trading punches back and forth from this position and Mahlow has the choke almost sunk all the way in but Marquez defends it again and Mahlow has to let it go. Someone's corner ( I would assume Marquez's) and some of the fans are calling for a stand-up but the ref is content to just let things continue the way they have been for most of the round now. They both work for hand control and Mahlow starts landing some good punches to the ribs and Marquez responds with those shots behind his own head to the face of Mahlow and they keep trading until the round ends.
A slow round but the first round of the card that actually made it through the entire five minutes so that's saying something. Mahlow had the dominant position the entire round so he gets the nod in the first round but he needs to look at doing more with that dominant position to finish the fight rather than just being content with riding things out.
Round Two
Mahlow shoots and gets the takedown immediately, getting back into side control before taking the full mount. Marquez tries to roll out of the position but leaves his arm hanging out and Mahlow thanks him for that by managing to lock an armbar in, cranking up on it until Marquez is forced to tap out. Well, that was quick and I guess this fight didn't last MUCH longer than the five minutes it did in the first round. Something must be in the water in New Mexico on this night, because EVERYONE is finishing.
Winner: John Mahlow, submission (armbar) at 0:29 of Round Two
Match Five: Heavyweights
Forrest Griffin (5-1) vs. Steve Sayegh (2-4)
This one has actually been done in my review of King Of The Cage: Reality Champions available for your perusal at this very location, so we'll just copy and paste the review of that match from there to here and no one will ever know the difference! BLAST!! Me and my big mouth!!
Round One
We get a glove touch as the bell rings and Griffin rushes in with a one-two combination, pushing Sayegh against the fence and working a Thai clinch to land good knees to the head and body. Sayegh ties up Griffin's arms but Griffin uses them as underhooks and yanks Sayegh into a takedown, getting top position in Sayegh's half guard. Shoulder strikes from Griffin as he works Sayegh around on the mat and presses him up against the fence. Griffin trying for full mount here and Sayegh is bucking and turning to avoid it, but he gives up his back in the process. Forrest wastes no time sinking in the hooks and working punches as he tries to control Sayegh's arms to attempt a rear naked choke. Griffin trying to slip the forearm under Sayegh's chin and set the choke but Sayegh is defending it well and turns over to his side, allowing Forrest to gain full mount. Sayegh on the bottom and eating a ton of punishment while he's mounted as Griffin is landing a ton of lefts and rights. Griffin keeps a very high mount while Sayegh is pressed against the cage, leaving him nowhere to go and nothing to do but lay there and take more punches. Herb Dean has seen enough at this point and puts a stop to the beating, calling the fight after a couple more solid shots landed by Griffin.
Griffin immediately checks on Sayegh and helps him to his feet and gives him a big hug after checking to make sure he's alright, in a display that shows the class that made him such a popular fighter on the reality show. Replays show the Thai knees that landed early and the mounted punches that landed late and ended the fight. A good display here from Griffin as his stand-up was right on point and he was accurately landing a variety of quality shots on the bigger opponent in Sayegh.
Winner: Forrest Griffin, TKO at 1:45 of Round One
Match Six: Welterweights
Shannon Ritch (17-35) vs. Diego Sanchez (2-0)
Sanchez is still young and is in his first fight for King Of The Cage, a promotion he would fight for another half dozen times before making his way to the UFC. Ritch is...well, Ritch is the epitome of one of those pin me, pay me type guys, as at the point that this column posts he's somewhere around 100 fights in on his career with a record of 38-61 with 4 No Contests. At this point he's looked at the lights against a TON of names from Kasushi Sakuraba in Pride, to guys like Yves Edwards, Dennis Hallman, and Edwin "Bamm Bamm" Dewees. He's also been the unfortunate recipient of a 13-fight losing streak before stepping in with Diego on this night. I'm guessing he won't be much of a threat to Sanchez in this one, but that's just a wild hunch.
Round One
They circle and Sanchez shoots in for the takedown, slamming Ritch against the fence and already taking full mount. Sanchez is raining in lefts and rights, forcing Ritch against the fence and Ritch has no choice but to turn over to his stomach, giving up his back. A big Diego chant comes up from the hometown crowd as Sanchez gets both hooks in and slaps the rear naked choke on forcing Ritch to tap. I don't think Ritch was ready for that kind of intensity from Sanchez.
A replay of that big takedown slam is shown as well as the choke that finished it. I'm almost considering calling a work because Ritch sure doesn't look too disappointed for a guy that just got choked out as he's mugging for the camera and applauding and smiling at Sanchez while the decision is being read by the ring announcer. I'm not saying it was, but I am saying that Ritch could work in the same J.O.B. Squad as Warpath and Bo Cantrell.
Winner: Diego Sanchez, submission (rear naked choke) at 1:00 of Round One
Match Seven: Welterweights
Thomas Schulte (4-1) vs. Kyle Brees (1-1)
Round One
They glove touch and Schulte comes out with a nice flurry of punches into a bodylock takedown. Schulte working from the guard lands a couple of HARD right hands and Brees tries to work the armbar from the bottom but can't grab it. Schulte working punches to the head and body and passes into side control as Brees tries again for the armbar but puts himself into a bad position where he's mounted. Schulte lands a wicked forearm shot and forces Brees to roll over and Schulte just takes the back and works to sink in the rear naked choke, cinching it in and Brees, like a jackass, refuses to tap and ends up passing out in the choke.
We get the replays of the takedown and the choke that forced Brees to pass out, and in a good sign, when we see them giving the official decision, Brees is back on his feet and looking no worse for wear so that's a very good thing.
Winner: Thomas Schulte, submission (rear naked choke) at 1:16 of Round One
Rant ON:
Why in the FUCK do guys do that and let themselves get choked to unconsciousness rather than just take the honorable way out that is allowed in the rules and tap out? I mean seriously, no one thinks of you as being less of a man for tapping out in a position where you're clearly going to get hurt, just the same way that no one is going to think of you as more of a man because someone choked your retarded ass to sleep. I'm all for trying to gut it out and fight out of a submission, but that's not what happened in this case, as there was NOWHERE for him to go. He just laid there and let it choke and choke until he went nappy-time. Way to cause yourself some brain damage asshole, and you should be thankful that it was someone with a little remorse in there and not some heartless motherfucker like Babalu or someone legitimately crazy like some of those Vale Tudo Brazilians or they would have never been able to wake your dumb ass up. I will NEVER understand the bravado involved in letting yourself get put to sleep in a choke or have your arm snapped in an armbar. There's valor and then there's just straight-up stupidity and this was an A+, top-level example of stupidity in one of its highest forms.
Rant OFF:
I feel a little light-headed from all that yelling, but I feel better so it was worth it. Whew, back to the regularly scheduled review everybody!
Match Eight: Light Heavyweights
Bryan Pardoe (5-0) vs. Keith Jardine (3-1)
Jardine is barely a year into his MMA career at this point and is fighting close to his Greg Jackson training facility in New Mexico while Pardoe is looking like the next big thing in the Light Heavyweight division, amassing a perfect record and looking good in the process. This should be interesting to see if Jardine can keep things on the feet and take advantage of his striking abilities.
Round One
Jardine takes the center of the cage and they circle tentatively, as a big "Keith" chant comes up from the pro-Jardine crowd in his home state. Jardine sticks the jab and lands a leg kick before Pardoe rushes him with punches and tries for a single-leg takedown against the fence. Jardine works punches to the side of the head as he sprawls and Pardoe switches from a single-leg to a double and keeps pushing Jardine up against the fence to try and score the takedown. Jardine keeps sprawling and works some hard shots to the ribs of Pardoe as he keeps trying to drive for that takedown. Pardoe is cut open BADLY and they clinch against the fence with Jardine reversing and putting Pardoe up against the cage. They trade some uppercuts and knees and Jardine starts putting combos together. A HUGE right hand drops Pardoe and that's it. Pardoe tries to get up but is still really staggered and the referee was certainly right in calling that one.
Jardine looked like a beast here, beating up the more experienced Pardoe in relatively short order and looking dominant while doing it in a fight that, looking at it without the perspective we have now, Jardine was probably brought in to lose. Funny how well Jardine seems to compete in fights where he's supposed to lose huh?
Winner: Keith Jardine, KO at 1:09 of Round One
Match Nine: Lightweights
Alberto Crane (1-0) vs. Joe Vigil (2-2)
Crane, most people will remember, as the guy that fought Roger Huerta earlier this year after an extended lay-off, while Vigil is like a lot of fighters on this card, in that after this card he didn't really do much of anything of note.
Round One
They both throw leg kicks that miss but Vigil throws another that lands and Crane catches it and uses it to take Vigil down to the mat. Crane into half-guard already and he's trying to pass into side control and gets it. Crane works some elbows and and knees to the body as well, forcing Vigil against the cage. Crane with some rights and lefts and stays in a dominant top position, scoring with a few more strikes and forearms. Crane is working for the mount and landing some elbows as Vigil rolls to his side and just eats some right hands. Vigil gives up his back and Crane gets the hooks in and tries to set up the choke as Vigil defends. Vigil gets out of the back mount but still has Crane in side control raining a TON of right hands in on him and some forearm strikes as well. Crane drops back for an armbar attempt but misses it and they're back to Crane on top in side control. Crane works for and locks in a head and arm triangle choke and squeezes it in tighter and tighter until Vigil has to tap out.
Winner: Alberto Crane, submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:17 of Round One
Main Event
Match Ten: Middleweights
Joey Villasenor (6-3) vs. Lorn Estes (0-2)
Villasenor is the talented right now when this fight takes place and in the future is the talented Elite XC middleweight who gave Murilo Rua a real struggle in their title fight before finally succumbing, while Estes is a guy that's currently 0-2 at this point. I wonder what's going to happen here?
Round One
They touch gloves to start out and a big left hook from Villasenor lands and he scores with it again when Estes tries to close the distance. Villasenor shoots in with a bodylock and scores a slam takedown into Estes' full guard. Villasenor works to press Estes up against the fence while Estes tries to work some head and body control from the bottom, even throwing up a high guard for an armbar or triangle but there's nothing there. Villasenor starts landing a couple of hard punches from the guard and lands a BIG right hand and another and ANOTHER and Estes is in trouble. Villasenor throws a combination of four or five more lefts and rights and Estes taps and that's the end of the fight.
Winner: Joey Villasenor, submission (strikes) at 1:43 of Round One
We're straight to the credits and that's it for the fights.
That does it for this week as it appears that they weren't working on getting paid by the hour in this particular event. The entire DVD clocks in at a whopping 39 minutes and there are ten fights on it so that should tell you what you need to know about the speed of the action. Be sure to join me in seven short days for another review of a smaller show that you all might have missed and I'll leave you by saying in the mean time and in between time, I'll see you all next time for an all-new, all-awesome Sprawl and Brawl Video Review!
The 411: I love me some finishes and this DVD had them in spades, but with no intros, no analysis, barely anything except for the fights themselves, it left me feeling a little flat. The fights were exciting but it felt like an entire DVD of squashes and while those are entertaining in small doses, an entire DVD of them can wear thin. Nice to see the former TUF guys before they hit it big but other than that, there's not a ton of reason to catch this one.
