By Jaime Feal
Featherweight Division (145 lbs.):
Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (15-5) vs. Cub Swanson (16-5)
Round 1:
The fighters touch gloves and exchange outside leg kicks to begin the fight. Both fighters at a distance, throwing left hooks but missing. Swanson comes forward with a nice left body kick. Flying knee by Pearson just misses. Nice jab from Swanson. Pearson with an awesome takedown, clinched Swanson coming in then threw him down. Pearson in guard. Swanson wall walks back to his feet. Nice straight right from Swanson knocked Pearson off balance. Good counter left hook buy Pearson. Swanson throws a head kick and Pearson takes him down off it, then lands a hard right hand. Another big left by Pearson, then Cub gets up. Spinning wheel kick misses for Swanson. Left hand finds the mark for Pearson. Right body kick connects for “The Real Deal.” Pearson in on a single leg but Swanson defends nicely. Very nice straight left hand by Pearson. The fighters turn up the intensity as the round closes but neither man lands anything hard. 10-9 round for Pearson
Round 2:
The fighters begin to open up and Swanson is getting the better of it. Pearson has a small cut on his face. Beautiful spinning kick by Swanson misses, but a stiff jab lands hard. Pearson clinches and is looking for the takedown. Pearson gets him down. Swanson is struggling to get back up but Pearson tosses him back down. Swanson gets up again and Ross is coming forward. Nice straight right by Swanson. Good uppercut from Pearson. Nice one-one-two combo from Cub. Hard left hook from “The Real Deal” hits home. Good jab by Pearson. Back and forth war. Flying knee misses for Swanson and Pearson takes him down off the attempt. Pearson in guard again, working ground and pound. Big right hand by Ross, Now Pearson passes to a more dominant position, really starting to throw. Cub rolls back to guard. Pearson with excellent short elbows. Hard body shots. Really taking control of the round, finally Cub gets up with a minute left. The fighters exchange jabs. Pearson coming forward, eats two straight right hands and then a nasty left hand counter that drops him. Swanson looks to pounce but the ref intervenes, and Swanson has earned a 2nd round stoppage victory.
Cub Swanson wins by TKO at 4:14 of Round 2.
Welterweight Division (170 lbs.):
T.J. Waldburger (15-6) vs. Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole (49-14-1)
Round 1:
Waldburger misses with a head kick. Amazing jab by Waldburger rocks Ebersole, violently shaking his head and drops him down. Waldburger jumps on top into half guard and throws an elbow, but is looking surprisingly methodical. He had Ebersole hurt bad. Waldburger looking to pass from half guard into mount, not really striking. Waldburger trying to push the knee down and pass to mount which he does. Waldburger with sick control, Ebersole trying to buck off but can’t do it. Ebersole’s corner yelling at him to “keep moving,” he listens and is able to buck Waldburger off. Waldburger transitions to a d’arce choke and its really tight. Ebersole’s entire head is turning red. Ebersole somehow manages to spin out. Ebersole gets up and lands a knee to the body from the clinch. Good hook to the body from Ebersole. The fighters clinch and Ebersole does some good work with a knee to the body, and a left hand on the break .Nice right kick to the body by Waldburger, but Ebersole comes right back and tags him with a left head kick. Nice straight right from Waldburger. Ebersole clinches his opponent against the cage ti close the round. 10-9 Round for Waldburger.
Round 2:
Waldburger with a nice double leg takedown. Ebersole squirming to try to get up. Ebersole manages to get up and takedown Waldburger himself. Waldburger has his legs up high, in an omaplata position. Ebersole escapes and gets back in guard. Waldburger looking for a sweep but eats an elbow and sits back down. Waldburger again throws his hips up and transitions to a straight armbar from his back. Ebersole looks calm and is fdefending well. Ebersole escapes, and lands a nice right hand. Now Waldburger in a triangle position. Relentless jiu jitsu from his guard. Ebersole throws him off and lands some more ground and pound. Ebersole starting to land harder shots. Good hammerfists from Ebersole but widnds up in a triangle. Waldburger has his legs locked. Ebersole again showing excellent submission defense, and finishes the round on top with big right hands. 10-9 Round for Ebersole.
Round 3:
Waldburger and Ebersole clinch, and Ebersole has the Thai clinch with the plum. Nice knee from Ebersole, then tries a weird spinning double backick that is blocked. Ebersole has his opponent against the cage. Ebersole works a single leg takedown and drags Waldburger down. Ebersole again in guard. Waldburger looking for a triangle, but it’s not that tight. Ebersole escapes yet again. “Bad Boy” transitions to the back of Waldburger, but TJ regains guard. Nice left from Ebersole. Ebersole maintains top position and is landing shoulder strikes, and another right hand. Ebersole with a nice leaping punch from the postured up guard position. Ebersole finishes the round with a hard left and right hand. 10-9 Round for Ebersole.
The Judges score the fight 29-28, 29-28, and 29-28 for the winner by unanimous decision, Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole.
Lightweight Division (155 lbs.)
Spencer “The King” Fisher (25-8) vs. Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout (18-7-1)
Round 1:
Nice left counter from Fisher. Frenetic pace to start. Fisher with a nice hook combo. Stout circling on the outside, backing away. Stout misses a leg kick .Good punch from Fisher, nice response from Stout. Back and forth we go. Both fighters testing each other’s chins and boxing skills. Nice inside leg kick by Stout. Same kick from Fisher. Hard lead right by Fisher. Nice left hook finds the mark for the King. Good left hand from Stout. Solid right from Fisher on a counter punch. Stout shoots for a double and immediately takes Fisher down. Stout in guard working light strikes. Stout looking to pass to half guard and land hammerfists. Stout staying active, but Fisher does a good job of blocking his attacks and gets back up. Stout again shoots on a double and get sit. Fisher pops back up. Fighters trade knees in the clinch. Stout with a body kick. Inside leg kick for Stout. 10-10 Round.
Round 2:
The fighters go back to boxing, with good head movement. Neither fighter landing clean at the moment. Stout with a body shot, Fisher with a good left hand to the dome in response. Stout clinches up with Fisher, but “The King” muscles him off. Again a straight left lands for Fisher. And again. Fisher starting to take control of the fight. Sam has a mouse under his right eye now. Stout finally lands a right hand, he needed that. Stout with a body shot. Fisher really coming forward, eats another body shot. Good combo from Stout. Hard lead right for Fisher. Big counter left for Stout. “Hands of Stone” again surprisingly shoots for a takedown and takes Fisher down with ease. Stout starting to score with elbows and ground and pound. Another really tough round to score, will be very interesting if this goes to the judges. 10-10 Round.
Round 3:
Spinning back elbow from Fisher lands, then another straight left down the pipe. Stout displaying his solid chin. Fisher clinches up with Stout and lands some knees. Nice combo from “The King.” Good body kick by Stout. Looping right hook connects for Fisher. A shorter right hook lands for him next. Fisher getting the better of the standup, has to be careful to not get taken down again. Good push kick by Stout. Inside leg kick from “Hand of Stone.” Body kick from Stout,. Nice left hand sneaks in through Stout’s defense. Stout shoots for a double and drives for a takedown, again scoring it. Fisher turns against the cage and begins standing. Fisher gets back up. The lightweights go back to exchanging blows. Stout shoots for a double and Fisher initially defends, then Stout completes the takedown. Stout passes to half guard and is scoring points again. This is the defining moment in the fight and Stout will ride it out for a decision victory. Nope, the ref breaks it up. Questionable stand up. Fisher presses forward and eats a counter. Stout with a right hand. Fighters going crazy throwing, Fisher gets bloodied and tagged to end it. 10-9 Round for Stout.
The judges score the fight 30-27, 30-27, and 30-27 for the winner by unanimous decision, Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout.
Lightweight Division (155 lbs.):
Gray “The Bully” Maynard (11-1-1) vs. Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (29-9)
Round 1:
Guida is bobbing and weaving, coming forward. Maynard looking to load up on the right hand. Good jab by Guida. Hard left by Maynard. Gray misses with a one-tow. “The Bully” is already bleeding from the bridge of his nose. Nice left hook from Maynard. Guida keeping up the intensity and head movement. “The Carpenter” bobbing around, not landing or taking any punches. Guida finally connects. Maynard comes back with a left. Inside leg kick from Guida. 10-9 Round for Guida.
Round 2:
Guida misses with an uppercut, but grazes Maynard with a left. Nice jab from Guida. Good overhand right from Maynard. Nice right hand from Guida. “The Carpenter” continues with the unorthodox footwork and lands a right. Maynard a bit gun shu right now, not throwing as much as he normally does. Nice one-two from Guida, and a good head kick. Sharp counter right from Maynard. Gray switches to southpaw and is cutting off the cage well, looking to land a right hand. Guida lands a nice kick to Maynard’s nose, re-opens that cut. 10-9 Round for Guida.
Round 3:
Maynard connects with a few punches, Guida goes back to the crazy movement. Guida trying to annoy and frustrate Maynard with his defense, but is also frustrating the fans in Atlantic City in the process. Fans begin to boo, Maynard lands a right hand. Maynard shoots for a double and the fans cheer, but Guida thwarts the takedown attempt. Maynard lands a left hook. Guida in on a single, Gray defends. Maynard throws his hands out to the side like “Come on Clay” as Guida is all defense this fight. Maynard misses an overhand right and wild right hook. More footwork and speed from Guida, dictating the terms of the fight. 10-9 Round for Guida.
Round 4:
The pattern continues as Guida bounces on the outside, changing levels and feinting, using head movement to frustrate Maynard. Right hand lands for Guida. Guida not throwing to finish the fight, just to win a decision. Boring but effective strategy for Guida. Maynard shoots for a takedown, doesn’t complete it but does land a nice knee. Decent left hook for Maynard. Good right hook for Maynard. Left hook in response from “The Carpenter.” Maynard misses a left head kick. “The Bully” is completely annoyed by Guida’s style, and so is the crowd. Big right hand from Maynard. Good knees from Maynard. “The Bully” starts landing several hard shots from the clinch, tagging Guida. Then, uncharacteristically goes Nick Diaz and stands in from of Guida trash talking and taunting. Guida backs up, laugh, and lands some punches on his opponent who has his hands down. Guida shoot buts Maynard sprawls. Myanard now working a guillotine choke, it’s tight, but Guida slams him down and pops his head out. Guida in guard, then passes to half to close the round. 10-9 round for Maynard.
Round 5:
Maynard with a nice right hand. Good right hook and knee from “The Bully.” Maynard still in the southpaw stance looking to cut off the cage. Big kick from Guida and two punches follow. Nice right hand by Maynard. Guida with a light jab. Fast uppercut from Guida, then a counter left hook lands for him as well. Maynard stalking, looks for a single but is denied. Maynard glances at the clock, knows he probably needs a stoppage. Maynard back in orthodox, trying to close the distance. Good jab by Guida. Referee Dan Miragliotta briefly stops the fight and warns Clay Guida for running too much and not engaging. The Atlantic City crowd applauds in delight. Maynard shoots for a single but Clay is muscling him off. Guida is really straining to not get taken down, on one knee now. Maynard landing knees to the body. Two knees from the Thai clinch land for “The Bully.” 10-9 Round for Maynard.
The Judges score the fight 48-47, 47-48, and 48-47 for the winner by split decision, Gray “The Bully” Maynard.