“Winning is not everything,†Gracie reflected, “But on the other hand, winning is the only thing.â€
Tonight’s episode focused on Renzo Gracie and the comeback efforts of his New York Pitbulls. After losing every match in 2006, the Pitbulls emerged in 2007 as the team to beat. Battleground examined the 2007 match up between the Pitbulls and last year’s championship finalists, Matt Lindland’s Oregon Wolfpack. Additionally, the controversial EliteXC battle between Gracie and Razorclaw coach Frank Shamrock is reviewed. And prayers have been answered as “Ask Don Frye†was added as a weekly Battleground feature. Amen.
In Russia, getting the yahoodies beat out of him by Fedor Emelianenko, Matt Lindland entrusted the leadership of his team to fellow Olympian, Kevin Jackson.
The undefeated Pitbulls risked their perfect season record against the undefeated Wolfpack.
Lightweight Alternates (Preliminary match up)
Deividas Taurosevicius vs. Zac George
The first 2 ½ minutes of round one were a bit boring as few strikes were exchanged and neither opponent appeared capable of taking the other down. Finally, Taurosevicius took the bout to the mat, landing on his back. Abandoning a failed armbar attempt, the Pitbull secured both an armbar and a triangle for the tap at 3:12. While this fight counted toward the combatant’s professional records, it did not count toward the teams’standing.
Lightweights
Joe Sampieri vs. Ryan “The Lion†Schultz
Returning to the ring after a frustrating 180 day medical suspension following last year’s knockout, Ryan Schultz intended to prove that he was stronger than ever. He did just that when he secured an early takedown on Sampieri. Schultz spun out of an armbar attempt, punishing his Brazilian counterpart with rabbit punches. From Sampieri’s half-guard, Schultz delivered shots to the face and body, squashing the Pitbull’s efforts to return to his feet.
Sampieri escaped a rear naked choke early in round two and the battle would go to the third round. The action picked up at the top of round three where Sampieri found himself once again face up on the mat. With both fighters entangled in the ropes, Mario Yamasaki moved the action to the middle of the ring. Schultz took Sampieri’s back, landing hard shots to the ribs. Sampieri returned to his feet twice, both times bearing the weight of his Wolfpack opponent, only to return to the mat. The third round ended in the hands of the judges. After clearly dominating all three rounds, the unanimous decision went to Schultz, putting the Wolfpack up 1 to 0.
Welterweights
Delson Heleno vs. Mike Dolce
After a dazzling display of Heleno’s capoeira skills, the battle of the middleweights was on. Dolce, who often describes his fighting style as “bone crushing,†earned himself a 1 point deduction after intentionally grabbing the ropes. Heleno took the fight to the ground, exposing Dolce’s weakness. Despite being cheered on by his sister, Dolce was hammered by haymakers. He defended against two rear naked attempts before being saved by the bell.
After a mutual show of respect for each other’s stand up at the open of round two, Delano secured a takedown, landing heavy shots to Dolce’s face and multiple submission attempts before the Wolfpack fighter was again saved by the bell.
Dolce once again proves he needs to work on his takedown defense in the third. When the fight returned to its feet, Dolce slipped attempting a kick. Heleno took Dolce down, taking his back, pounding him relentlessly until the bell put an end to Dolce’s misery. Not surprisingly, the unanimous decision went to Heleno setting the score at 1-1.
Middleweights
Fabio Leopoldo vs. Gerald Harris
Round one opened with a trademark body slam from Harris after Leopoldo attempted a head kick. Leopoldo answered with a triangle which Harris escaped. Harris dropped vicious haymakers, leaving an angry welt over Leopoldo’s right eye. The fight is stood up but Leopoldo is again slammed to the ground. Not to be outdone, Leopoldo locked in a guillotine but is stopped by the bell.
Harris slammed Leopoldo early in round two, dropping leather into his face. Leopoldo attempted a knee bar but was denied. Leopoldo attempted another triangle but Heleno slid out. The action is stood up where one body shot and one kick was exchanged before the bell.
Leopoldo returned in round three obviously battered. Harris powers his opponent to the corner of the mat, landing multiple punches to the Brazilian’s face. Leopoldo gets back to his feet, both fighters clearly exhausted. Harris hurt Leopoldo with two hard right hands. Going to the ground, Leopoldo attempted another failed triangle. The Pitbull worked a guillotine attempt but paid with haymakers. Leopoldo was in the process of sinking a knee bar when the bell rang. Much to everyone’s astonishment, and the crowd’s disappointment, the split decision went to Fabio Leopoldo.
Light Heavies
Jamal Patterson vs. Matt Horwich
Patterson’s brother sold him down the river by revealing that he was KO’d by a girl as a kid. In a much anticipated rematch, Patterson redeemed himself by choking a devastated Matt Horwich in less than a minute in the very first round. The quick victory secured the team win for Renzo Gracie’s Pitbulls.
Don Frye answered a fan’s question about whether or not to spend the money repairing his 1993 Chevy S-10. “You’re sitting on a pot of gold there, buddy,†responded Frye, “You might as well get yourself a year long bus ticket.â€
Frank Shamrock’s illegal knees to the back of Renzo Gracie’s head, ending their fight in Shamrock’s disqualification, was debated by the two fighters. Shamrock insisted the knees were accidental and that Gracie was exhausted to the point of throwing up (never mind that seconds before the knees were thrown, Gracie slammed Shamrock to the mat). Gracie proclaimed Shamrock’s cowardliness. Both challenged the other to a rematch and this writer hopes to see that happen soon.
Heavyweights
Brian Vetell vs. Devin Cole
Devin Cole was undefeated as a Tiger Shark. As a Wolfpack fighter, however, he has yet to claim a victory. In his first round against Vetell, he took an inadvertent knee to the package, causing a pause to the action, allowing him to recover. Vetell landed two hard rights to Cole’s face in the clinch. Cole then took a fist to the nose and was taken to the mat. Cole took more leather to the face before the bell.
Cole threw the first punches in round two but was taken down, escaping a guillotine. In an attempt to secure a single leg take down, Cole throws Vetell out of the ring, landing a punch while Vetell lay on the apron. Vetell retaliated with heavy punches to Cole’s mug. Despite his non-Tiger Shark’s record and Maurice Smith’s proclamation that he can’t take constructive criticism, Cole secured his first win as a Wolfpack by knocking out Vetell with a hailstorm of right hands.
In an early mother’s day tribute, Savant Young described his mom’s reaction to his decision to fight for a living. “Don’t come home crying to me if you get your ass kicked.†Now that’s love. Other fighters also described the love and support, and sometimes aggressive tendencies, of their moms.
Next week, IFL Battleground announces the new ring girls and explores the best knockouts. The weekly poll asked who the IFL’s best knockout art is. My vote is for Bart Palazewski.
