AFO LAST MAN STANDING REVIEW
From: Old School

The American Fight Organization’s “Last Man Standing” was held here at the Holiday Inn in Mansfield, MA on Friday, March 4th! Although they experienced technical difficulties while playing musical chairs with the main event, Promo Pete and Matchman Mark put it all together for an eventful night of MMA. The night featured eight amateur fights (with three five minute rounds each) and four pro fights (with five five minute rounds each). Despite the lack of a true “Headliner” type fight, there seemed to be a fairly full house for the event.
Throughout the night, we were reminded of the April AFO “Night of Champions” event that is just around the bend. This event looks to be one of the best yet. We were also constantly made aware of another upcoming event called “Brawling for Boobies”, which is an event to support breast cancer or breast awareness or something. I couldn’t really tell, because every time they mentioned Brawling for Boobies I seemed to become distracted. Now I don’t think we really need a breast awareness thing, because I, for one, am fully aware of breasts (You’ve seen one you’ve seen them both)! I do, however, believe in Brawling for Boobies; I believe in brawling, and there is no greater reason than boobies! In fact I believe that boobies have been at the root of many brawls, fights, and even wars, but that’s a topic for a different forum…You see, I just got distracted again.
So with all circuits running and switches checked, the lights are on to stay and we are all ready to get on with the fights:

FIGHT # 1:
150 lb amateurs
Shane Stephenson 0-1 (Wareham) vs
Rob Font 0-1 (Sityodtong)

The fight starts with each warrior circling cautiously, occasionally trading leg kicks. Rob misses a kick and falls down and Shane dives into top of guard. Rob pulls a triangle from the bottom and he works it for a loooong time, but he can’t seem to lock it in just right. He switches to an arm bar and gets the tap out!!
Winner by Submission (Arm Bar) @ 2:48 rd 1: Rob Font

FIGHT # 2:
125 lb amateurs
Mike DeLosReyes 0-1 (Dexter) vs
Shane DeCritoforo 0-0 (Team United Muay Lao)

The first round saw some stand up sparring until Shane took it to the mat and dug in a rear naked choke; He had two hooks in and worked it for a long time, but couldn’t get it. The round ended with the fighters back on their feet and Shane landing punches in the clinch.
Round two starts with Mike throwing a nice shin kick, but Shane blocks it with his cup! OUCH! Shane is down and in serious pain and/or discomfort. He takes the full time to recover…Back in the cage center, mike scores with a few jabs. Shane takes it to the floor and secures the second round with some nice G&P.
The boys are trading in the cage center to start the final round when Shane nails a takedown. He fights through a triangle attempt and starts the G&P. Mike is active on the bottom, but Shane is just as busy on the top with G&P. Shane is in a standing guard, dropping punches, when he throws a flying Superman punch to end the round!
Winner by Unanimous Decision: Shane De Critoforo

FIGHT # 3
155 lb amateurs
Danny Alexis 1-0 (Red Line) vs
Jamie Courtney1-2 (Sityodtong)

Danny dominated the first round with a plethora of kicks: leg kicks, body and head kicks, side kicks and front kicks, even some old school hook kicks. Jamie did come alive at the end of the round with a flurry of punches but this was too little too late!
The second round was a continuation of the Danny Alexis Kick Clinic, but Jamie stuck a takedown and landed in Danny’s guillotine attempt. Back on the feet, Danny continued to control the fight with more nice kicks.
Danny started the third frame with more of the same, but Jamie has seen enough. He takes the fight to the mat and works a nice ground game. He got the mount and rear control, and basically owned the final round, but couldn’t quite finish it and the round came to an end!
Winner by Unanimous Decision: Danny Alexis

FIGHT # 4
Heavy Weight amateur
Kevin Remillard 0-0 (Big Paw) vs
Mario Gonzales 1-0 (Team United Muay Lao)

The big boys trade punches and into a clinch. Mario helps himself to a takedown, landing in side control. Mario lands some effective G&P until Kevin works it back up. Mario throws some knees and Kevin lands a big punch. Mario shoots and Kevin sprawls to end the first round!
Kevin starts the second round with some nice punches and Kicks. Mario misses a superman punch but nails a takedown into side control. There’s not much action, so eventually, Kevin rolls and Mario gets rear control. Mario works for a RNC, but Kevin sweeps to top and drops some bombs to end the round!
Kevin knows he’s down on the score cards, so he comes out throwing bombs. Kevin is looking to end this and he is connecting. Mario defends and throws some punches that back up Kevin. Now Kevin is totally gassed and, though still standing, turning and covering up. Mario keeps the pressure on until the ref halts the action.
Winner by TKO @ 1:11 rd 3: Mario Gonzales

The fight was stopped not because big Kevin was hurt, but he was simply too tired to fight on. The win puts Mario in line for the amateur HW title shot in April.

FIGHT # 5
135 lb Amateurs
Jesse Gutierez 1-0 (Connors) vs
Graeme Pru 3-2 (Boneyard)

Jesse starts the round with an enormous barrage of punches that backs Pru up along the cage. Assault and battery is legal in the cage! This guy is like a windmill in a tornado!!! Jesse continues to unload like a UPS worker at Christmas time! Pru is covering up well, but is still taking a beating. Pru seems to have weathered the storm, as Jesse clinches to take a breather. Still standing, Jesse then starts striking again and is called for an illegal knee. (In amateur rules, there are no knees to the head, even when standing) The knee in question seemed to be a body shot that caught Graeme a little bit in the head as he was bent over from trying to defend the shock and awe attack of Jesse Gutierez. The fight is declared a No Contest, as Graeme Pru does not wish to continue to model as human punching bag!
I felt bad for Jesse, because the knee was inadvertent. It also appeared that Graeme was a bit shell shocked from the barrage of punches, not so much from the knee. Jesse, we’ll see more of you in the future. Walk proud, like Jon Jones after the Matt Hamill debacle!!

FIGHT # 6
145 lb amateurs
Matt Doherty 0-1 (Connors) vs
Tom Evans 0-1 (Team United Muay Loa)
Tom enters to a speech by Rocky Balboa, followed by “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. Real Cool!

Tom Evans is the taller of the two and he is using that to his advantage in round one, landing lots of knees and range controlling kicks. Matt does land a few hand combinations in the first round, but otherwise, it was all Evans.
The second round was razor thin, with Evans landing some nice knees while Matt Doherty controlled the tempo with punch combinations, clinching, and dirty boxing. Matt seemed to be a bit busier in the second frame and did have one real big overhand right that wobbled Evans.
Round three sees Tom come out with the kicks and Matt landing flurries of punches and a big overhand right!! Matt lands some knees and keeps the pressure on as Tom seems to be tiring. Once again, Matt is staying the busier guy. Both guys finish the round with a flurry of punches to end the Fight of the Night, so far!
Winner by Split Decision: Matt Doherty

This was a well matched fight with both warriors showing good skills and great heart!!! Matt’s cardio seemed to be the difference in this match up. This was a great job from two of our favorites here at the AFO.

FIGHT # 7
155 lb amateurs
Vychaslav Phinney 1-2 (North Shore Martial Arts) vs
Anson Hatfield 0-1 (Knuckle Up)

The boys are circling and trading nice kicks (oops, one to the groin…no problem…tap gloves) when Vych clinches and nails a beautiful hip throw into side control. Anson pulls guard as Vych lands some strikes. Vych is showing nice ground control from the top. Vych is trying to find some space to open up and he finally does. Vych postures up and unloads on Anson for the stoppage!!!
Winner by TKO @ 2:54 rd 1: Vychaslav Phinney

FIGHT # 8
185 lb amateurs
Joe Cloutier 2-2 (Doomsday) vs
Tom Venticinque 2-0 (Team United Muay Lao)
Promoter Pete DiLorenzo has a hunch that this could be fight of the Night!

Round one saw Joe control his opponent on the ground after a clinch and a takedown. Joe dropped some G&P and generally dominated the first round, despite an arm bar attempt from the bottom by Tom.
In the second frame, it’s all Joe Cloutier as he nails a takedown to top of guard. He works to side and then to mount, all while staying busy and striking. From the mount, he opens up a big can of G&P whoopass to end the fight with a TKO!!!
Winner by TKO @ 2:21 rd 1: Joe Cloutier

Despite being the underdog in this match, Cloutier controlled his opponent wire to wire, earning a date in April to fight for the AFO Middle Weight Ammy belt. Great job, Joe!!!

FIGHT # 9
165 lb Pro
Joe Powers 0-1 (Doomsday) vs
Shawn Summey 0-0 (Dragon Lair)

Round 1: The fight starts very cautiously, although Shawn is landing leg kicks. The fight continues slowly and cautiously and Joe Powers grabs a kick and follows with an overhand right and into a takedown. Joe lands some G&P from the top of guard, but Shawn defends well and works it back to the feet. There is little activity on the feet when Shawn nails a hip throw to end the round!
Old School score: Shawn Summey 10-9

Round 2: Shawn is landing some kicks and punches, but this is a generally cautious fight. Summey is slowly winning this one with kicks, distance, and timing. Shawn lands an overhand right that floors Powers. He follows it to the mat and adds some nice G&P to end the fight with a TKO!!!
Winner by TKO @ 2:35 rd 2: Shawn Summey

Shawn really controlled the pace and distance of this fight. He seemed to be able to keep Powers a bit confused and off his game. Nice job by Shawn in his pro debut!

FIGHT # 10:
135 lb pro
Joe Finneran 0-2 (Tri-State MMA) vs
Theo Desjardin 1-2 (Team United Muay Lao)
Both fighters enter to real big cheering sections. Theo has recently found a new camp to train with and is eager to display some of his new found skills!

Round 1: Finneran shoots a double leg and Theo sprawls nicely and the fighters clinch up. Theo nails a takedown and begins to strike from the standing guard. Theo continues to strike with G&P from the guard, alternating to standing guard. He is really showcasing the new and improved Theo Desjardin!! Theo drops from guard and sits back for a leg lock but can’t get it done. Finneran gets mount and starts with his own G&P. After the continued striking, the ref has seen enough and stops the action!
Winner by TKO @ 3:15 rd 1: Joe Finneran

This was shaping up to be a real nice fight; Theo looked to be a different fighter, showing good poise and newly developed skills. There is one big drawback to the leg lock theory of Bjj and it is that you often risk giving up position to gain submission. That was the story of this fight.

FIGHT # 11:
170 lb pro
Luis Torres 0-2 (Team Pradel-Serey) vs
Jason Sarbacker 1-1 (Sityodtong)

Round 1: Jason starts off landing some big kicks and punches. The fighters clinch, scramble, and separate. Luis misses with a flying knee and Jason wins the scramble that follows and he ends up in side control. Jason works to mount and is showing good top control, but very little G&P and no submission attempts. The action is slow when Jason tries an arm triangle and then adds some strikes and elbows. The action stays pretty slow until Luis sweeps to top and fires off some punches to end the round, but it’s too little too late !!!
Old School score: Jason Sarbacker 10-9

Round 2: Jason tries a spinning back kick that misses, but does get a takedown to top of guard. Once again, the action is slow and the ref is looking to stand the fight back up. Jason works to side control and then to mount. Jason doesn’t appear tired, but he is not really working too hard from the mount and is risking having the fight stood back up. Jason finally moves to side control and unloads some punches to end the fight!!!
Winner by submission due to strikes @ 4:30 rd 2: Jason Sarbacker

FIGHT # 12:
145 lb pro
Chris “Kumite” Rowley 2-2 (Dragonfire) vs
Josh Parker 1-2 (Littlefield’s MMA)
Chris “Clay Guida” Rowley enters to Led Zepplin’s “Kashmir”.

Round 1: After a quick scramble, Josh nails a takedown to top of guard, but is caught in Rowley’s guillotine. Josh pulls out and is landing some G&P and Rowley tries to defend. The ref stands it up after a period of inactivity and Parker whistles a round kick that just grazes Rowley’s face! Chris Rowley sticks a double leg takedown and Parker grabs a guillotine into bottom guard for the quick tap out by Rowley; Slick as a cup of custard!!!
Winner by submission due to guillotine choke @ 3:28 rd 1: Josh Parker

Parker showed good poise and control throughout the fight. He seemed to have a big strength advantage and was able to use it! For Rowley, this might be a reminder to go back to his natural fight weight of 135 lbs.

RANDOM THOUGHTS:
Saul Almeida was in the house. He was supposed to headline this card, but one opponent after another agreed and then backed out. (And you thought it was fun to be a promoter!) We hope to see him at the Night of Champions event in April. Reep “The Candlemaker” was in the house and he claimed to be taking pictures for his web site, but mostly he seemed to be focused on taking pictures of the ring girls. Mike “Lights Out” Dexter was also in the house, and he was looking and feeling good after a scary moment in the Reality Fighting cage one week ago! It’s good to see you looking well Mike! Oh, yeah, Kevin MacDonald was in the house and in the cage. Kevin the Ref is making his UFC debut at UFC 128!! We all wish him the best of luck there!

KEVIN THE REF CONTEST
Kevin is in the market for a new nickname before his UFC debut, because Kevin “Kevin the Ref” MacDonald might not cut it on the big stage. So we are taking suggestions; Post your best suggestion in the Kevin “Kevin the Ref” MacDonald new nickname contest here at our website. The winner will receive a one year’s supply of great respect at future MMA events! (Kevin “Old School” MacDonald is an invalid entry and will not be accepted.)
Please hurry with your best entry as we don’t have a lot of time!!!

AWARDS:

FIGHT OF THE NIGHT: Matt Doherty and Tom Evans
SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT: Rob Font
TKO OF THE NIGHT: Joe Cloutier
FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT: Jesse Gutierez

Congratulations to our winners tonight. You all may pick up your bonus checks from Pete DiLorenzo at the next event!!!

Well, fight fans, I’m signing off… Always remember that fighting solves everything! So keep it legal and clean up when you’re done.

OLD SCHOOL