The Sprawl And Brawl Video Review: King Of The Cage: Aftermath
Posted by Randy Harrison on 03.04.2008
The Sprawl and Brawl hits the great outdoors, as King Of The Cage fights out in the "fresh" air of Southern California. Joe Stevenson, Manvel Gamburyan, Marcus Aurelio, and 411's own Paul Buentello highlight a huge card of fights out under the stars.
Welcome back to another edition of The Sprawl and Brawl Video Review everyone, and thanks for joining me for another look at a show from the smaller shows of MMA. This week, King Of The Cage is up for a review and we're headed to Southern California for their show Aftermath. Paul Buentello challenges for the KOTC Heavyweight Title in the main event against Champion Bobby Hoffman, and the card gets decidedly TUF-d up, as Joe Stevenson and Manvel Gamburyan also make appearances on this huge twelve-fight card. There's lightweight fights, heavyweight fights, and everything in between including the Sprawl and Brawl debut for the little man vs. big man match-up. There's a ton of action to get to and I'm chomping at the bit, so let's hit the linkage and we can get this bad boy underway!!
King Of The Cage: Mayhem is part of the five-disc, ten-event Undergound box set available right here.
King Of The Cage - Aftermath
It's August 10, 2003 and we're at the Soboba Casino in California for a King Of The Cage showdown. This is interestingly the first outdoor show to be featured in the Sprawl and Brawl, with the cage being set up under an awning rig and a full entrance ramp running down to it. It looks pretty good, and kind of adds a touch of the big time to the usually bare-bones production that King Of The Cage puts on.
Match One: Lightweights
Robert Breslin (0-1) vs. Frankie Bollinger (1-2)
Round One
Bollinger shoots right in and pushes breslin against the cage, into a takedown. Bollinger is into side control already and is controlling Breslin. Breslin pushes him away with his feet, but Bollinger gets another huge slam takedown, ending up in Breslin's full guard. Bollinger locks up one of Breslin's arms behind his back and starts to land some punches to the body. Breslin tries some strikes to the head and hits an up kick when Bollinger stands up. Bollinger with a punch to the leg from a standing position and Bollinger pulls a swing pass into side control. They move to north/south and back to side control with Bollinger putting some knees in on Breslin. Bollinger moves to a full mount and has a head and arm triangle cinched in. Bollinger moves to side control to lock the move in fully but Breslin manages to escape. Breslin tries a shot and Bollinger stuffs it, turning the tables to try one of his own. Breslin tries a knee or a kick, I can't tell which but Bollinger catches it and bullrushes Breslin against the fence before slamming him down. Bollinger rolls on top of him and secures an armbar, locking it in. Breslin's hands are tied up and he has to verbally submit.
Winner: Frankie Bollinger, submission (armbar) at 3:15 of Round One
Fight Analysis: Bollinger showed his experience in the cage and took the fight where he wanted it. He controlled the fight from start to finish and locked in a textbook armbar to finish if off, while barely taking a punch.
Match Two: Catchweight
Orion Gallagher (0-0) vs. Matt McPherson (2-0)
McPherson is giving up a bit of size to Gallagher as he is outweighed by 15 pounds in this fight.
Round One
Cecil Peoples gets us underway and McPherson ducks under a right hand into an immediate takedown. McPherson into side control and raining in some elbows to the side of Gallagher. McPherson moves to half-guard and is pressing Gallagher against the cage with a ton of left hands, landing punch after punch against the fence. McPherson takes the back while Gallagher is on his knees and he locks in a rear naked choke to finish this complete beatdown.
Winner: Matt McPherson, submission (rear naked choke) at 1:07 of Round One
Fight Analysis: McPherson looked like a beast on the mat here, totally controlling Gallagher despite being smaller than him, and using his hands to set up the submission. A great finish in an exciting, albeit quick fight.
Match Three: Catchweight
Andy Murad (0-0) vs. Clemente Saldana (1-0)
Murad with a huge advantage in size, with only one inch in height but almost 30 pounds in weight.
Round One
Saldana with the combination to start and Murad ducks under to score the takedown. Murad is in side control as Saldana desperately tries to hold onto a guillotine. Murad flattens out with his full weight on Saldana before taking full mount and PEPPERING Saldana with a shit-ton of rights and lefts. Murad moves to back control and flattens Saldana out, landing a ton more shots from the back as Saldana is just laying on his stomach, covering up. Herb Dean has seen enough and he steps in to call a stop to the proceedings. Nice of him to end the legalized assault that was taking place though.
Winner: Andy Murad, TKO at 1:25 of Round One
Fight Analysis: Like the other two fights so far, this one wasn't much of a fight. Murad just wailed away on Saldana like a stepchild that needed discipline and honestly I didn't even give credit to about 2/3 of the shots that Murad landed when he had the mount. There was probably about 30 or 40 unanswered shots that landed in a REALLY short period of time.
Match Four: Heavyweights
Wes Combs (4-0) vs. Jonah Broad (1-1)
Round One
Broad shoots for a single-leg and ends up eating a TON of right hands for his troubles. Broad with a right hand back but they clinch and Broad ends up taken down. Combs takes full mount and is pounding away at Broad, forcing him over to his stomach. Combs with the flatten out and more punishment and that's it, it's all over but the crying (and presumably the trip to the hospital) for Broad. Combs celebrates by hopping onto the cage and throwing hats out to the crowd. It's also worth noting that during the replay you can see that the rear of Combs' trunks shows him being sponsored by the Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen's Club. I guess Combs was an innovator of the "Sex sells" method of sponsorship for MMA, long before CondomDepot.com was a glimmer in the eye of Andre Arlovski. Wes Combs, ladies and gentlemen, MMA pioneer.
Winner: Wes Combs, TKO at 0:41 of Round One
Fight Analysis: Combs was the picture of aggression and finished things quickly. Broad didn't look like wanted to be in there and Combs made sure he wasn't for long. That's about all that needs to be said about this fight. He'd rattle off six more wins before making his debut in the UFC, losing two straight in the Octagon. He's since headed back to King Of The Cage and is back on the winning track.
Match Five: PRIDE Freakshow Bout
Kevin Alleva (0-0) vs. Shawn Ramage (8-1-1)
Alleva is probably not the best trained fighter in the world, as instead of listing his fight camp, they list his hometown of Yorba Linda. Unless Yorba Linda is some sort of strip-mall martial art I've never heard of before, in which case I apologize. I call this one a PRIDE Freakshow match because Alleva weighs in at just below the 205 limit for light heavyweights, and Ramage weighs in at a WHOPPING 125 pounds.
Round One
Ramage with a front kick that lands and Alleva tries one right back that glances mostly. Ramage shoots for the double-leg and gets it, taking Alleva down. Alleva tries to get things to guard but Ramage has him in side control up against the cage. Alleva rolls to his side and Ramage takes that opportunity to grab Alleva's back, after a HARD knee to the ribs. Ramage gets the hooks in and secures the rear naked choke, forcing Alleva to tap.
Winner: Shawn Ramage, submission (rear naked choke) at 0:58 of Round One
Fight Analysis: This was terrible. Alleva looked like he had no training, or very little, and Ramage took advantage of it rather quickly. It looked like they just grabbed Alleva out of the crowd, slapped some gear on him and threw him in there cause he was twice the size of Ramage, just so they could have a David vs. Goliath match. I hated them in PRIDE and I hate them here. Boooo-urns. Interesting side note, neither man has fought since this fight five years ago.
Match Six: Featherweights
Dave Rivas (4-1) vs. Steve Hallock (3-2)
Round One
Rivas with a leg kick to start out and Hallock responds with one of his own. Huge "Rivas" chant from the crowd and another leg kick from Rivas. Left hook lands from Rivas and Hallock shoots in for the takedown. Rivas stuffs it and they move to the clinch against the cage wtih Rivas landing some knees to the body. More knees inside and Rivas looks like he might be trying for a takedown himself soon. Another knee to the body by Rivas and Cecil Peoples steps in to restart them in the middle. Hallock with a front kick and a solid leg kick into a combination, but Rivas ducks under them and gets the takedown, in Hallock's full guard. Rivas presses Hallock against the cage and throws a shoulder strike that is DANGEROUSLY close to a headbutt.
Hallock with some heel strikes and Rivas postures up for some power punches. Hallock starts controlling the head and body and keeps Rivas from throwing with any power and the action has slowed to a stalemate situation. Rivas finally manages to break free and lands some hard lefts and righs from the top. Hallock pushes Rivas away and Rivas stands above him, waiting for Hallock to regain his feet and peppering him with a big combination, dropping levels and taking Hallock down again. Rivas in the half-guard and can't get free to strike, throwing one right hand out of the position. Hallock gets it back to full guard and throws it up high to look for a submission, landing an upkick as Rivas throws punches from above. Rivas holds Hallock down as Hallock lands more heel strikes and the round comes to a close.
Fight Analysis: Not a terribly exciting round. Rivas controlled the positional battle for most of the round, but that was about it. Not much striking while they were on the mat, and no real submission attempts to speak of.
Round Two
Hallock tries to touch gloves for round two and Rivas gives him the "Bitch, PLEASE" and refuses. Ouch. Hallock makes him pay for it with a solid right over the top, but gets dumped with a big slam takedown by Rivas. Hallock back to full guard and controlling Rivas' body and Rivas just pushes him up against the fence. Cecil Peoples stands them up since they were just kind of laying around. Rivas with a good left hook and Hallock tries to pull guard but can't get it and eats a right on the way up. Hallock with an overhand right and shoots in for another takedown, getting a single-leg, but ending up underneath Rivas with Rivas on his back. Rivas tries for a rear naked choke from the back control but can't sink it in and Hallock turns back to regain half-guard.
Rivas with some shoulder strikes and punches as he moves to side control and Peoples stands them up again. Hallock rushes in and Rivas pings him with an uppercut and they clinch with another uppercut landing for Rivas. Another clinch against the cage and Rivas starts working knees on the inside and hits a BIG overhand right and just misses with the follow-up left. Hallock looks to drop back into guard but Rivas backs out of it and leg kicks at Hallock as he lays on the mat. Peoples stands them up for the restart and Hallock throws a right hand that Rivas ducks under for the bodylock. Clinched against the cage and Peoples separates them one more time just as the bell sounds.
Winner: Dave Rivas, Unanimous Decision
Fight Analysis: This one was kind of a boring, plodding fight with not a lot going on, either on the feet or on the mat. It was a fight, strictly for the sake of a fight and there wasn't much by way of action or striking so it ended up being more of a grappling match than anything else. Hallock looked really winded and out of it by the end, and so if that was Rivas' strategy it paid off. This fight also bored me to tears, so if that was Rivas' other goal, Mission Accomplished!
Match Seven: Welterweights
Jorge Santiago (3-0) vs. Manvel Gamburyan (4-1)
Gamburyan was just short of his Ultimate Fighter stint and is coming into this fight off of a decision loss against Sean Sherk. This is his only appearance in King Of The Cage. Santiago is just starting his career here, rattling off three straight wins on smaller shows and moving up to KOTC here. He's training with American Top Team, like he has through his entire career.
Round One
Gamburyan shoots in right away for a takedown and gets stuffed and backs out of it. He tries again for an ankle pick but Santiago pulls free of it and gets the fight back standing. Santiago throws a right hook that misses and Gamburyan follows with a MONSTER RIGHT that floors Santiago and knocks him OUT!!! Jesus, that was savage.
Winner: Manvel Gamburyan, TKO at 0:21 of Round One
Fight Analysis: This is what he was signed up for the Ultimate Fighter show for. A TON of power in his hands and a mean streak that we saw, even just for a moment, in this fight. I've said it before and I've said it again. Those Armenian fighters are a little crazy and I would never want to step into a cage with one. EVER.
Match Eight: Heavyweights
Timothy Mendoza (1-0-1) vs. Kiego Kunihara (0-1)
Kunihara is giving up 70 pounds to Mendoza and is looking for the first win of his MMA career. Mendoza trains out of something called the S & M Fight Club, and I'm not even touching that one with a twenty-foot pole.
Round One
Mendoza looking for a clinch and Kunihara with a HUGE hip toss takeover, slamming Mendoza on his ass. Mendoza over onto his stomach and Kunihara is just PUMMELING him with with right hands and hammerfists and he's just beating the hell out of him for a good thirty or forty seconds before Cecil Peoples steps in to stop the abuse.
Winner: Kiego Kunihara, TKO at 1:07 of Round One
Fight Analysis Kunihara looked to be way too much for Mendoza, who seemed overmatched from the opening bell. A SWANK judo toss from Kunihara saved this fight from being a total dud, but that was really the only bright spot. Kunihara would move on to the UFC eventually and lose his one fight at UFC 55 to Marcio Cruz.
Match Nine: Lightweights
Marcus Aurelio (5-0) vs. Antonio McKee (11-3-1)
McKee, the wrestler and brawler from California takes on the jiu-jitsu practictioner from Brazil,in Aurelio, who trains with American Top Team. Both would move on from here to bigger and better, with McKee joining the IFL futher in his career and Aurelio would move on to PRIDE and further on to the UFC.
Round One
They touch gloves to start and McKee hits a side kick to the stomach before they go back to circling. McKee misses a hook and they continue to feel each other out. McKee throws a right and misses, with Aurelio ducking under the punch and shooting for a takedown. McKee stuffs it and reverses, putting Aurelio onto his back against the fence. Aurelio shifts his hips to move away from the fence and McKee tries to free his hands to do some striking. They trade short punches and do some hand-fighting until Herb Dean stands them back up. Aurelio with a high kick that glances off of McKee's face and he shoots in for the takedown.
Aurelio tries a guillotine but doesn't have it and is on his back pressed up against the fence. McKee picks him up and short-slams him to the mat, before they trade short punches back and forth again. Aurelio closes off the guard and Herb Dean stands them up again. Aurelio with a combination and another shot, pushing McKee up against the fence. McKee sprawls well to avoid it and they end up stalemated with Aurelio turtled in front of McKee, holding the single-leg. Aurelio moves to his back and McKee starts pounding away again from the guard. McKee holds the top position to end the round.
Round Analysis: McKee humped and bumped from the top position, but did sweet fuck all else to try and hurt Aurelio or end the fight. McKee was boring the last time I saw him fight, and he's holding true to form so far in this fight.
Round Two
Another glove touch and more circling to begin this round. Aurelio shoots in and McKee sprawls it again, ending up on top in the guard and pounding away again with both trading short shots. Aurelio pins him with some good body control, avoiding damage from the bottom position. They grapple on the mat with nothing happening and McKee backs out of the guard and they're back standing. Another high kick from Aurelio gets blocked and he shoots in behind it, taking McKee's back for a moment before McKee manages to shrug him off and re-take top position. Aurelio with a high guard and he throws up an armbar attempt but can't secure it. McKee pushes it back to Aurelio's full guard and they're back to laying and trading short punches.
Herb Dean stands them up again and McKee looks exhausted. It looks like McKee has a shoulder problem but he's able to work it out and get back to fighting, shooting in on Aurelio and getting the takedown up against the fence. Aurelio pushes him away and tries to get him off and he does. McKee shoots in and gets stuffed, ending up with Aurelio taking his back with both hooks in. Aurelio is looking for the choke and he can't quite get it, before McKee shoves him back over and gets it back to top position in Aurelio's full guard. McKee continues to lay on a clearly frustrated Aurelio and lands a couple of short punches as Herb Dean stands them up again. McKee shoots and gets stuffed as the crowd starts to boo loudly. McKee gets the takedown and puts Aurelio against the fence in the half-guard, trading short punches until the fight's over.
Winner: Antonio McKee, Split Decision
Fight Analysis: This fight sucked. McKee seemed to want to dry-hump his way to a decision from the opening bell, while Aurelio was wanting to trade and try to work towards something. He was frustrated as all hell by the end of the fight and so was I, as McKee did just enough to eke out the decision, despite not really deserving it.
Match Ten: Heavyweights
Jerry Vrbanovic (2-2) vs. Paki Paki (1-1)
Round One
Paki with a jab and a huge combination that lands and Vrbanovic pushes him up against the cage. They separate into the middle again and Paki with another combination of wild punches that land. Vrbanovic lands a HUGE knee to the face on the inside and a lead right hand as Paki shoots in for a takedown. Vrbanovic reverses the takedown and throws three MASSIVE knees to the face that put Paki down and out for the count.
Winner: Jerry Vrbanovic, TKO at 1:30 of Round One
Fight Analysis: Two big guys slugging it out until one of them got dropped. There wasn't a lot of technique involved and it basically looked like a bar brawl that ended up taking place with some minimal sanctioning involved. It was entertaining, just not a real masterpiece.
Match Eleven: Lightweights
Kiko Cassela (1-0) vs. Joe Stevenson (18-6)
Stevenson was on his way to the UFC through the Ultimate Fighter show, while Cassela was coming off of a successful MMA debut in a Brazilian MMA show two years before this. Look for Cassela to possibly have a little bit of rust as he's been inactive for such a long time.
Round One
They touch gloves and Stevenson lands a couple of jabs out of the gate. Joe comes in with another couple of jabs but gets too close and ends up taken down by Cassela. Stevenson grabs a guillotine but Cassela is already trying to pass to side control, so there's nothing there. Stevenson gets it back to half-guard right away and Cassela lands some short strikes from the top. Stevenson controls the arms and body of Cassela and holds him, showing some excellent defense on the mat. Cecil Peoples stands them back up and they circle until Cassela tries another shot. Stevenson sprawls and hits a BIG right hand, forcing Cassela into another shot. Stevenson sprawls again and tells Cassela to get up. Cassela with a good right and tries to follow it up but can't catch up to Stevenson, who defends well. Another shot attempt stuffed by Stevenson and he just walks away from Cassela.
Cassela fakes a shot and eats a jab before he tries another takedown and gets stuffed by Joe. Stevenson sticks his hands behind his back and points at his chin, showboating a bit, as Cassela seemingly has no offense standing up. Joe doubles up on the jab and lands them both before stuffing another takedown attempt and doing a little Ali shuffle. Cassela with a right over the top and he eats another jab and a BIG right hand, forcing him to shoot in again, which Stevenson stuffs again. Stevenson goes all 1920's-style boxing and puts up his dukes to mock Cassela again. Joe with a HUGE combination that rocks Cassela and puts him on his ass, and he's flurrying punches. He backs off to let Cassela back up, loads up the right hand and scores it with a HUGE straight punch to the chin of Cassela. Cassela's corner has seen enough and throws in the towel for him to keep him from getting killed. That's awful sporting of them.
Winner: Joe Stevenson, TKO (corner stoppage) at 4:21 of Round One
Fight Analysis: This was almost legalized assualt. It looked like a man fighting a child as Stevenson toyed with him, mocked him, beat him, and then humbled him with a ton of punishment to force the towel. An impressive performance from Stevenson and you can see why the UFC was so high on him during his Ultimate Fighter season.
Match Twelve: King Of The Cage Heavyweight Championship
Paul Buentello (13-7) vs. Bobby Hoffman (30-5-1, 1 NC)
Buentello has been tearing his way through the KOTC Heavyweight ranks and has secured himself a shot at the title in this fight. Hoffman has a huge experience advantage and looks like he's in great shape for this fight so I expect this one to hopefully be fireworks. Both guys love to stand and bang and both have huge power in their hands so the leather should be flying everywhere.
Round One
Hoffman shoots in immediately and scores the takedown on Buentello, pushing him up against the fence. Hoffman works from the half-guard and pounds away with left hands and hammerfists on Buentello. HARD rights and lefts from Hoffman on top and he loads up with a HUGE right that lands, along with some shots to the ribs. Buentello tries to push away but he can't get any separation and Hoffman keeps pushing him up against the cage and landing punch after punch. Hoffman tries a guard pass and almost takes Buentello's back, but can't sink in a hook and Buentello stands up out of it to get the fight back up on the feet. They clinch against the cage and Hoffman just misses with a left hook before he lands a Thai knee to the head of Buentello.
Hoffman again with a left, but Buentello lands some HARD uppercuts from inside. More uppercuts from Buentello as Hoffman keeps working the clinch against the cage, shooting down for a single-leg and getting the takedown. Hoffman in the full guard, pressing Buentello against the fence and landing some forearm and elbow shots. Body and head punches from Hoffman and he scores with some hammerfists. Hoffman moves to side control as they trade some short punches on the mat. Buentello shrugs Hoffman over and stands back up before connecting with a VICIOUS combination that stuns Hoffman. Hoffman rushes forward with a good left hook, missing a right hand over the top and they're back to the clinch against the cage. Buentello measures an uppercut and JUUUUUSSSSST misses it as the bell sounds to end the first.
Round Analysis: Hoffman controlled the round for the majority of the first half of it, but Buentello ended up coming close to stealing it back in the last half. If I was scoring it, I would have given it to Buentello, just because he did more damage with his strikes while standing than Hoffman did with his from the top position on the mat.
Round Two
Buentello with a HUGE combination that stuns Hoffman and Hoffman doesn't want any part of it, moving to the clinch to try for the takedown. They clinch against the fence and don't really do a lot, minus Buentello landing a couple of shots to the ribs. Buentello with another uppercut as Hoffman lands a knee from the clinch. More body work from Buentello and he's really punishing Hoffman's rib cage. Knees from Hoffman and another HUGE uppercut from Buentello as they continue clinching. Buentello again working the body as he presses Hoffman up against the cage, and as they separate they throw tons of punches with Buentello landing the better ones.
Knees to the thigh and punches inside to the body from Buentello and he's starting to wear out Hoffman. Two WICKED uppercuts that land on Hoffman and Hoffman is cut under his left eye, as they clinch against the cage. Buentello with the foot stomps against the cage and Herb Dean callls for them to separate from the clinch. ANOTHER uppercut for Buentello as Hoffman rushes forward and clinches. Hoffman hits a couple of good punches in combination and they just trade back and forth, with both swinging wildly and connecting more often than not. They end up clinched against the cage again as the round comes to a close.
Round Analysis: That was an entirely different round and ALL Buentello. He picked Hoffman apart with the stand-up and avoided the takedown that was his Achilles' heel in the first round. We're one round apiece heading into the third and final round of this exciting championship fight.
Round Three
Hoffman tries for the clinch and takes Buentello down again, working him up against the fence and pounding at the body from the full guard. Hoffman tries to pass the guard and keeps throwing punches from the guard, landing rights and lefts to the head and body. A good pair of rights land from the top position for Hoffman and Buentello is trying to throw his guard up high. Hoffman moves and passes the guard, into side control, and tries for an armbar but can't secure it. Possibly a big mistake from Hoffman as Buentello ends up on top of him off of the armbar attempt and Buentello starts pounding away from the guard with a big right hand and some short punches. Hoffman trying to work out from under Buentello and Herb Dean moves in for a stand-up.
Hoffman looks winded and misses with a wild right hand off of the stand-up and Buentello loads up the uppercut and LANDS it again. Back to the clinch against the cage and Hoffman grabs the Thai clinch to try for some knees but can't get any off. A right and left hand both land for Hoffman as he presses Buentello against the fence. HARD body shot from Buentello and Hoffman tries the knee to the chin. Herb Dean separates them from the clinch and starts them back in the middle. FLYING KNEE from Buentello that lands glancingly and they clinch with Buentello ending up on top of Hoffman in the full guard. They trade short punches from the mat and Herb Dean stands them back up again. STIFF jab from Buentello and a huge uppercut with ten seconds left in the round. They clinch against the fence and the fight is OVER!!!
Winner: Bobby Hoffman, Split Decision
Fight Analysis: What a great fight. These two stood and slugged and fought well on the mat, with no real slow points at all in the bout. There were stand-ups and things, but it never felt like the fight was lagging at all. Hoffman has a great chin, as does Buentello, and he managed to weather all of those huge uppercuts to score enough takedowns in the first and third to win the fight, but just barely. A great, great fight and one of the more entertaining decision fights I've seen in all my King Of The Cage experiences.
The crowd isn't terribly happy with that result, except for one guy, who is celebrating by pressing his chair up over his head. It almost looks like one of those celebrations you see in some Middle Eastern country when they overthrow their president or something. Lots of people waving their arms, some happy, some angry, and the one guy waving a chair around like a lunatic.
That does it for this event and we're off to the credits to end the show.
The 411: Well, this event was a real mixed bag. The opening fights were great to see for the finishes, but they were hardly competitive. Add in the Aurelio/McKee humpfest and this thing was headed towards the trash heap. Then the heavyweight main event hit the cage and everything turned around. The main event was the best part of this show and a great back-and-forth slugfest. Look for this one, if only to see Buentello and Hoffman tear the house down.
