Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the place to be this past Saturday night if you’re a fight fan. Big names, big fights, big action, all for a regional gate fee. New Year’s Revolution paid dividends to its investors on a grand scale.
Oklahoma fight fans in attendance were treated to a great night of fights. For those who could not sit cage side, gofightlive.tv had their backs too.
At gofightlive.tv fight fans were able to tune in via live pay per view stream for a modest $10. Most fight fans spent that much on Jack in the Box Saturday night. Why not drop a ten spot watching some great fights?
To really display the magnitude of the card 5150 put up this weekend you only have to hear the names competing: Alexander, Monson, Clementi, Horn, Boetsch, Lambert, all former UFC fighters. That does not even scratch the surface of the talent representing the up-and-coming regional fighters who held their own with the star studded lineup.
What is this? A UFC Fight Night? No fight fans, it’s 5150 bringing you some of the best in the business for a nominal fee. Not too many regional cards can rival the star power of New Year’s Revolution for the price tag.
One fight that could have carried the event, though it did not have to, was the epic battle between Rich “No Love” Clementi and Mike “Wildfire” Budnik.
Clementi, the UFC veteran, and Budnik, a local favorite and WEC veteran, squared off for the 5150 lightweight title. They squared off alright, as the two took to rolling and pulling out all the tricks in a four round war.
Transitions, rolling heel hooks, reversals, more submissions, sweeps – this fight had it all. Mixed in to spice up the fight were plenty of strikes to keep it interesting for the casual fan.
Even with Clementi clearly ahead on the cards, these two went back and forth in an all out war. They traded dominant position for submission attempts, followed up by spectacular escapes all to wind up with the other guy on top, over and over again.
Again, this fight alone made showing up or supporting this card worth its weight in less than five rounds of fighting. It ended with Clementi half neck cranking, half choking Budnik in a rear naked choke position, resulting in the tapout.
One man had to win, and the new lightweight 5150 champion emerged in Rich Clementi. Even still, he had his hands full with a very game and dangerous Mike Budnik. The crowd were the real winners on this one, and a rematch would certainly be very interesting if it proves an option for the promoter.
The two showed the finest display of class and exemplified what the sport of mixed martial arts is all about after their bout. Mutual competition between respected and respectful world class athletes was on display. It was obvious after their war that they were both appreciative of the efforts that each other put forth.
In another notable fight, Joey Beltran, “The Mexicutioner”, stepped into the cage with feared UFC veteran Houston “The Assassin” Alexander. Beltran squared off with a man who had made a name for himself on the biggest stage in the sport, but was clearly unmoved by Alexander’s star power.
Beltran, clearly the larger man in this heavyweight bout, took to controlling Alexander from start to finish. His domination and the level of manipulation necessary in controlling his opponent was flawless.
He punished Alexander with a superior ground game and ground striking that brutalized the downed UFC veteran. In the end, Beltran stopped him and now could claim his stake to the 5150 heavyweight title at Alexander’s expense.
Beltran finished Alexander in the second round via technical knockout due to strikes after Alexander turtled up and gave up his back. An extremely impressive aspect to Beltran’s efforts was his response to the communications from his corner.
The best of warriors are molded and led by the best of leaders, and it was apparent that Beltran and his people have a genuine connection that shines through come fight time; a very important aspect to fighting that rarely gets its time in the light. The call and response was very effective for him and his team.
In another fight that should have decided who the next in line will be to face Beltran for his belt, Jeff “The Snowman” Monson fought with John Brown.
Brown weathered Monson’s storm, gave him a run for his money, and took him the distance. But in the end it wasn’t enough to take the match. Monson clearly won a decision and, one would imagine, a shot at “The Mexicutioner’s” title.
Again, these fights are only the tip of the iceberg, as there were many more noteworthy battles, but only enough room here to mention a few.
Overall, in a time where money may be tight, but the peak of interest in MMA is at its highest, cards like New Year’s Revolution give fight fans the most value for their dollar.
Sure a fight fan can drop half a C-Note on the monthly pay per view, but for the price of ten bucks, how can you go wrong? We are talking great fights featuring great fighters here.
The bottom line is one article can’t really do the card justice. All the dominoes fell, and the event was a good one. For what was being offered at this reasonable price, a fight fan couldn’t go wrong. Quite to the contrary, the fight fan may not have been able to better spend their time and hard earned money this past Saturday night. And if you missed it, why not catch the replay of this entertaining card on PPV?
