Ring of Combat XXV happened tonight in the Showroom of the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City. 15 fights went down, with one cancelled. There was a few brutal KOs, some sick ground work, and some decisions. Overall it was an excellent show that we’ve come to expect from one of the best MMA Events on the East Coast.

Bout 1 – Catchweight 200 lbs.

Carlos Brooks (Tiger Schulman’s MMA) vs. David Shapiro (L.V.I.R.K)

• Brooks by TKO (Strikes) Round 2
• Brooks get’s on top early and reigns strikes down for most of the 1st round. Both fight for the clinch in the beginning of the 2nd Shapiro pulls guard from double underhooks, and Brooks let’s down an unrelenting reign of strikes that cause Ref Donny Carolei to step in.

Bout 2 – Middleweight 185 lbs.

Jose Viera Jr. (KTFO) vs. Howard Longus (Wilkies Warriors)

• Viera by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 1
• Viera get’s a take down early, and takes the back. Viera locks in an easy choke victory early in the 1st.

Bout 3 – Bantamweight 135 lbs.

Jose Villanueva (Tiger Schulman’s MMA) vs. Sean Santella (AMA Fight Club)

• Majority Draw (19-19, 20-18, 19-19)
• First round was deemed mostly in favor of Santella who scored a few take downs early, Villanueva made good use of the butterfly guard using it to get the fight up to the feet near the end of the first, and he capitalized on the little striking that took place in the fight. The 2nd started off the same way, with Santella getting an early takedown, but Villanueva sweeps him and ends up on top, switching to the back mount. Santella defends until the bell.

Bout 4 – Lightweight 155 lbs.

Jay Isip (Team Pellegrino) vs. Mike Prokop (Rhino Fight Team NY)

• Jay Isip by Unanimous Decision (20-17, 20-18, 20-18)
• Two start off striking Prokop lands a nice right, but is stunned and hurt by an Isip right hand seconds later. Prokop goes for a take down but is reversed. Isip lands strikes and transitions to the side mount to win the 1st round. The 2nd round starts off similar with Prokop landing a good right hand but Isip takes him down. Isip lands strikes from the guard, until Referee Carolei stands them up. Prokop stuffs an initial shot, but Isip follows up with another shot gets the takedown and lands in side mount, winning round 2 as well.

Bout 5 – Catchweight 128 lbs.

Louis Gaudinot (Tiger Schulman’s MMA) vs. Nick Cottone (Daddis FC)

• Cottone by Unanimous Decision
• Both fight in the clinch, Cottone has the advantage keeping Gaudinot up against the cage, but Gaudinot lands some strikes from the clinch. Eventually Cottone picks a leg and gets the takedown. Gaudinot works a few mission control rubber guard positions, but neither one can get anything going. 2nd round is more of the same with cottone smothering Gaudinot.

Bout 6 – Lightweight 155 lbs.

David Church (Team Pellegrino) vs. John Salgado (Team Inner G Systems)

• Bout cancelled

Bout 7 – Lightweight 155 lbs.

Jim Bova (Anthracite Combat Club) vs. Nabih Barakat (Team Serra/Longo)

• Barakat by Split Decision

Bout 8 – Welterweight 170 lbs.

Ryan LaFlare (Bellmore Kickboxing) vs. Robert Cunane (L.A. Boxing)

• LaFlare by KO (Right Hook) Round 1
• LaFlare lands a suplex early, and then catches Cunane with a right hook during a sloppy combination.

Bout 9 – Welterweight 170 lbs.

Anthony Abatelli (Team Serra/Longo) vs. Kevin Horowitz (Rhino Fight Team NY)

• Horowitz by Unanimous Decision

Bout 10 – Middleweight 185 lbs.

Mitch Whitesel (Wreck Room Athletics) vs. Andrew Riddles (Ricardo Almeida BJJ)

• Riddles by Unanimous Decision(29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Riddles scores two takedowns in the 2nd and stays on top giving him the round decisively. Round 3 Riddles pushes Whitesel up against the cage immediately, gets a double leg takdown. passes to half guard, Whitesel locks Riddles’ leg down and keeps him in half guard for the duration of the round where Riddles lands some shots to seal the deal.

Bout 11 – Catchweight 150 lbs.

Eddie Fyvie (Spa City BJJ) vs. Jeff Lentz (Rhino Fight Team NJ)

• Lentz by KO (Flying Knee) Round 1
• Fyvie goes for a couple failed take downs, Lentz wanted no part of the ground game. Lentz gets the better of the strikes. Lentz catches Fyvie with a flying knee when Fyvie shoots for the takedown. Lentz throws a couple punches for good measure, but Fyvie is out.

Bout 12 – Lightweight 155 lbs.

Al Iaquinta (Team Serra/Longo) vs. Tim Sylvester (Maxercise/Daddis FC)

• Iaquinta by KO (Right Hook) 0:13 Round 1
• Iaquinta comes out throwing heavy hands, Sylvester blocks the first but get’s caught on the jaw with the second. Iaquinta follows up with right hand on the ground, but it is unecessary. Sylvester tries to take down the ref.

Bout 13 – Welterweight 170 lbs.

Marc Berrocal (Bill Scott BJJ) vs. Radji Bryson-Barrett (Tiger Schulman’s MMA)

• Berrocal by KO (Right Haymaker) 0:13 Round 1
• If you read my preview of the event you saw where I mentioned Berrocal’s one punch KO power. That pretty much explains it. Bryson-Barrett lay motionless for a while, but eventually he got up and seemed none the worse for wear.

Bout 14 – Heavyweight 245 lbs.

Gian Villante (Bellmore Kickboxing) vs. Joe Abouata (Wilkies Warriors)

• Villante by TKO Ref Stoppage (Strikes) Round 1
• Villante and Abouata come out striking. Abouata lands a right hand with no effect, Villante throws one back and drops Abouata up against the cage. Villante follows down to side mount, and holds position. Abouata rolls giving up his back. Villante catches Abouata with an uppercut as Abouata tries to stand, this drops him right back down, and hurts him enough to allow Villante to get on top and strike til Referee Mulhall calls a stop.

Bout 15 – USKBA MMA U.S. Light Heavyweight Championship Title 205 lbs.

Ricardo Romero (Advanced Martial Arts) vs. Karen Grigoryan (Team Link)

• Romero by TKO Referee Stoppage (Strikes) Round 2
• Grigoryan throws a lot of wild left hooks not many score. Romero gets a takedown but doesnt do anything with it. Both just circle each other throwing some punches not much scoring. round 2 Romero shoots immediately, and passes to mount. Karen gets back to his feet, more looping left hooks. Romero lands a heavy right hand that staggers Grigoryan and leads Romero to clinch him up and throw some knees. Grigoryan eats a knee or two, before Romero takes him down and starts the ground ‘n’ pound. Grigoryan gives up his back, takes a couple shots, then rolls back to mount and takes a couple more punches until Referee Kevin Mulhall saves him. Romero is Light Heavyweight Champ for a second time.

Bout 16 – Ring of Combat Middleweight Championship 185 lbs.

Rafael “Sapo” Natal vs. Victor O’Donnell (Team Vision/Walker MMA)

• O’Donnell by TKO Dr. Stoppage Round 1
• Fireworks in this fight. Some back and forth striking, Sapo hurt O’Donnell early. However, O’Donnell regrouped and came back swinging and kept Sapo dazed with strikes the rest of the round. Sapo showed a lot of resilience never giving up and making it through the round. Unfortunately the doctor inspected Sapo and deemed him unfit to continue into the 2nd round. Both O’Donnell and Sapo expressed their discontent with the decision and the two may be scheduled for a rematch soon. But until then O’Donnell is the new Ring of Combat Middleweight Champ.