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ARCHIVED STORY FALL 2016
Two Amateur Titles Awarded at Premiere FC on Oct. 22
By Brian Woodman Jr.
Although Premiere Fighting Championship’s Oct. 22 event in Agawam Massachusetts was held in a relatively small venue and boasted a modest fight card, it nonetheless entertained the audience and featured interesting outcomes to its bouts.
The event, which the restaurant Chez Josef hosted in its dining hall that evening, featured eight amateur and three professional fights. The organization awarded championship belts during the last two amateur bouts.
The first title bout was a 205-pound fight between William Knight (2-1) of Thorntons MMA and Larry Perna (2-1) of Vision Quest. Each fighter reversed his position on the ground during the first round, with Knight managing a shoulder throw on his opponent earlier in the fight. But Perna was bleeding from his nose during the second round and Knight eventually grounded-and-pounded him. The referee waved the fight off at 2:34 and Knight won.
Alex Ortiz (5-2), who trains at Golden Falcon, won a 155-pound amateur title fight with Swagith Pallai (3-1) of Team Plus One by TKO.
Pallai managed a nice throw during the clinch first round and managed to ground-and-=pound from a bully mount during the second. But Ortiz reversed it during the second round and in the third eventually grounded and pounded his way to a victory.
Dan Cormier (5-6) of Tri Force MMA sustained a kick to the cup during the first professional fight, prompting a temporary stoppage. But he managed to secure a 29-28 decision over Ken Murphy (0-2) of Team Link New Hampshire following the fast-paced 125-pound bout.
The other two professional fights ended quickly. One of them, a 170-pound fight between Montoya Swillings (1-5) of Ultimate MMA and Addison O’Neil (2-3) of DCNU, ended at 1:39 in the first with O’Neil winning by TKO following some ground-and-pound. The 185-pound professional fight that concluded he event ended with Justin Sumter (2-1) of FAA submitting Ralph Johnson (9-19) by rear naked choke at :23 in the first round.
The amateur card opened with a 145-pound fight between Harrison Adamo (1-0) of Ultimate MMA and Chris Almestica (0-1) of Team Link. Adamo secured a bully mount in the second round and submitted Almestica by triangle choke at 2:14.
The next fight was an exciting back-and-forth affair between Dennis Brown (1-1) of Ambition MMA and Miguel Cuevas (0-1) of Battlefield MMA. Brown dominated the stand-up portion of the bout early, but Cuevas managed to get a single-leg takedown. Brown promptly reversed his position, but Cuevas secured a triangle choke with is legs while holding Brown’s head and won by submission at 1:42 in the first round.
Harris Bonfiglio (2-2) of Ultimate MMA dominated the first round of a 130-pound fight with Mike Kimbel (1-3) of Team Thunder, eventually winning by TKO at about 1:30 in the second round following some ground-and-pound. Kimbel did manage some spectacular strikes during the second round and attempted a reversal toward the end.
The fourth fight, a 145-pound bout between Kenny Champion (1-1) of Golden Falcon and Marcel Romero (2-0) of Team Link, got ugly.
The first round opened at a furious pace with frenzied striking exchanges that culminated n Romero sticking his chin out and taunting Champion -- Champion responded by shooting for a double-leg takedown, but Romero secured a guillotine choke. They stood up and clinched as he round ended.
During the second round, Romero sank a guillotine choke from he bottom and later released, apparently under the impression that Champion tapped. Assuming that Champion did tap, the referee didn’t see it and the fight continued with Romero repeatedly shouting “he tapped!” The referee separated the fighters after the round ended. Some of the crowd loudly expressed their displeasure with the round’s outcome.
Romero pummeled Champion with knees during the third round during the clinch. The referee waved the fight off at 2:20 and Romero won by TKO.
The referee briefly stopped the next fight, a 170-pound bout between Ray Johns (1-9) of Team Thunder and Mario Peterson (2-0) of Ambition MMA, after the latter sustained an accidental poke to the eyes. But Peterson secured a bully mount and won by TKO at 2:12 in the second round.
Pat Casey (4-1) of Team Link secured a 30-27 decision following the next fight -- a 155-pound bout Davon Zimmerman (2-5) of Golden Falcon. Casey secured several takedowns and generally dominated the fight.
Justin Sumter, left, and Ralph Johnson do battle on Oct. 22
Photo by John Fulcher
