AMMO at the Big E on February 25 -- Glastonbury-based org's first MMA event
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/26/17
By Brian Woodman Jr.
The Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, better known as the Big E, hosted AMMO Fight League’s debut MMA event on Feb. 25. The event, AMMO Locked and Loaded MMA 1, included four mixed grappling bouts, two amateur MMA fights and two professional championship matches.
The organization has up to this point been best known for its mixed grappling events, which are held at the Nomads Quest recreation facility in South Windsor. The AMMO event was originally scheduled for November of last year.
Leon Davis secured the organization’s inaugural welterweight belt during the main event. He submitted Ralph Johnson at :40 in the first round with a guillotine choke.
During a lightweight title fight that preceded it, Vovka Clay submitted Andrew Chirico with an anaconda choke at 1:50 in the first round. Earlier in the fight Chirico took Clay’s back and attempted a rear naked choke.
The event opened with a submission-only grappling bout between Gabriel Souza and Donnie Osier. Both competitors wore gis in the cage -- the other grappling matches were gi-less with the fighters wearing rash guards. The first bout ended with Souza winning by securing what appeared to be a wrist lock.
Damian Roofy, who came in as a replacement, submitted Matt Bienia with an ankle hold at 4:44 in a subsequent grappling match.
Mike Kimbel of Waterbury fought fellow 140-pounder Randy Francis of Norwich during the evening’s first MMA bout. After a first round marked primarily by ground work, the fighters entered the second round swinging. Kimbel combined punching with a few high kicks and won following a referee stoppage, with Francis appearing dazed but still on his feet as the fight ended.
The next match was a 155-pound MMA bout between Harrison Adamo and Chris Balboni. Adamo submitted Balboni at 2:44 in the first round with a guillotine choke.
During another mixed grappling match, Placido Santos submitted Chris Manley at 4:41 with what appeared to be a heel hook. Santos spent much of the match actually sitting and waiting for Manley to grapple with him.
The final grappling match lasted for nearly 13 minutes. It ended with Oliver Taza submitting Caio Magales with an ankle lock.
