Welcome to our real-time coverage of the March Badness event, featuring boxing, mixed martial arts and the second professional fight of former WWE star Bobby Lashley.
We’ll be starting the coverage in about ten minutes, so stay tuned.
I should preface this liveblog by telling you that I know very little about the modern boxing product. I followed it closely in high school and even boxed Golden Gloves briefly, but I stopped watching around 1997 and haven’t gotten back into it. Which is why Trent Pusey handles the boxing aspect of Inside Fights. Trust me, you don’t want me writing about boxing, so I’m going to give you basic results for the boxing matches tonight while going more in-depth into the MMA fights.
And the show is starting…and already looks like a low-rent cable access version of MMA and boxing. This is going to be epic.
They just announced that Monson vs. Nelson is the MMA main event, which isn’t correct. Or at least it’s not the advertised main event.
Seth Petruzelli is on commentary.
DENNIS HALLMAN VS. DANNY RUIZ
This looks like something you’d see on ESPN Classics from 1987. Some of the worst production values I have ever seen.
Hallman comes out for a shoot but Ruiz stops it. Hallman presses him against the ropes and tries some knees. Hallman with the takedown into the half guard. Hallman into side control and throws elbows. Hallman takes the back and sinks the hooks in and then sinks in the choke and forces the tapout.
WINNER: Dennis Hallman (1:50, Round One, Submission)
DIN THOMAS VS. GABE LEMLEY
The play by play guy just said that you’re not allowed to grab the ropes in a ring, but you’re allowed to hang onto the cage when a fight takes place there. You learn something new every day.
Lemley shoots but Thomas stuffs it. Both guys throwing knees. They break and Lemley tries some leg kicks that miss. Lemley working hard but not hitting much. Lemley tries another takedown but Thomas stuffs it again. Lemley throws an elbow before breaking. Thomas stuffs another takedown. Lemley has a mouse under his eye. Thomas rocks him with two punches and then pushes him through the ropes, so they move the fight back in. Thomas rains down hammer punches. Thomas lets him up. Thomas rocks him with 4 punches and then drops him with a knee to end the fight.
WINNER: Din Thomas (TKO, Round One)
Thomas cuts a promo on Chris Brown after the fight. Awesome.
BOBBY LASHLEY VS. JASON GUIDA
This is the only fight on this entire show that most people care about. And yes, that includes me, although I love watching Big Country.
Lashley is gigantic. I would take him in a handicap fight against both Guida brothers. They just used “two time ECW Champion” as a credential. Lashley gets a huge pop.
Lashley comes in for a takedown but Guida hooks a rope. He’s holding on for dear life. The ref breaks it up. Lashley with a right and then goes in for a takedown but Guida stuffs it. Lashley presses him into the corner. Lashley catches him with a huge right hand and then presses him back into the corner. Guida can’t do anything with Lashley leaning on him. Guida stuffs another takedown. Lashley hits him with an uppercut from the clinch. Guida reverses and presses Lashley into the corner. This is a greco roman match. The ref breaks it up. Guida is gassed. Lashley runs in with about 5 punches. Lashley presses him back into the corner again. Great. Lashley hits him twice as the bell rings. The round goes to Lashley but it was pretty boring.
ROUND TWO: Lashley throwing bombs again. Lashley with a huge takedown slam. Lashley in half guard. Guida is hanging on. They’re into the ropes, so the ref moves it back into the middle of the ring. Lashley holds Guida’s hand behind his head and punches him a few times. Guida’s eye is swollen. The first round was a greco roman match, and this one is mat wrestling. The round ends. Another one goes to Lashley.
ROUND THREE: Lashley presses him into the ropes and throws some knees, then presses him back in the corner. Lashley with some huge punches. The ref breaks it up again. Lashley with a takedown but Guida locks in a guillotine choke. Lashley pops his head out. This is one of the most boring fights I have ever seen, and thankfully it’s over.
WINNER: Bobby Lashley by decision
Bobby Lashley has a long way to go. It’s only his second pro fight, but he shows almost none of the skills that UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has. He’s very strong, but his wrestling skills (supposedly his strength, well, besides his strength) didn’t look at all impressive. He does have power and caught Guida with a few good punches, but that’s about it.
Boxing is up now, so I’m going to take a break.
