By Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori 

Destiny MMA started 2015 off with a bang at Na Koa VIII, which took place at Blaisdell Arena on January 17^th.

Matchups for this card were overall well-crafted. The fifteen-bout card contained some of the most action packet fights that the island has seen in the last year and will hopefully be an serve to set the pace for all of 2015. Despite questionable judging, the crowd was energetically supportive of the fighters.

There were six professional fights on the card starting with a highly anticipated 155lb match up between Jose Barreiro and Micah Abru with victory going to Abru after 3 hard fought rounds, containing multiple submission attempts by Barreiro. After the bout Barreiro announced that due to his service in the military he will be moving and that tonight’s bout would be his last as a Hawaii fighter. Barreiro has fought five times on the island in his three years of service on Oahu. The crowd gave a warm farwell to show their support.

Edward Thommes of Hawaii Elite MMA made quick work of Shane Sargent of Oregon with a head and arm choke in round one in a 145lb bout.

“Fight of the Night” honors and possibly the bloodiest fight of the night was the 140lb match up between Martin Day of Hawaii Elite MMA and Dylan Morgan of Spokane, Washington. Day kept the crowd on edge with fancy footwork and devastating stand up skills which included a number of well-placed head and spinning kicks, while Morgan showed un-paralled heart and resilliance. Morgan held solid ground position for much of the bout, but both fighters competed with seemingly endless energy even into the third round. Day was awarded the split decision victory.

Arnold Burdon of West Oahu MMA won the 140lb bout against Eduardo Torres of Seattle, Washington by unanimous decision. The fight was a solid back and forth battle.

In a 180lb match up, Adam Smith of Spokane, Washington defeated L. John Borges of 808 Top Team with a belly-down arm bar mere seconds away from the end of round one.

The main event for the show put the 145lb Destiny Professional Belt Title on the line when Ryan Mulvhill of Spokane, Washington took on Ryan Delacruz of Hawaii Elite MMA. Mulvhill came out like a bull out of the shoot and continued the momentum through the second round when he achieved victory by rear naked choke in the second round.

145lb Title

Matt Lascola def Brandon Fraiser via rear naked choke

135lb

Manakiai Puahala def Ryan Mondola via Unanimous Decision

155lb

Adam Azimov def Treston Reballiza via Majority Decision

135lb

Donovan Parilla def Keoni Chang via Majority Decision

185lb

Aaron Rodrigues def Anthony Marker via rear naked choke in round one

130lb

Joey Vonblankenburg def Stu Jones via rear naked choke in round two.

145lb

Joshua Coleon def Micah Todd via Unanimous Decision

185lb

Daichi Abe def Simeon Crawford via TKO in round one (knock out of the night)

125lb Female

Kendra Linn def Wanda Werner via rear naked choke in round one.

By Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori

Following on the heels of last weekend’s Icon Grappling submission-only tournament, Hawaii All-Star Jiu Jitsu held their first event featuring 10 of the islands best Jiu Jitsu practitioners.

The event took place on February 7^th at The Fix Nightclub in downtown Honolulu. Presentation came together surprisingly well for this inaugural event with a raised mat in the center of the venue secured to a stage had to be constructed same-day in avoidance of the previous night’s “First Friday” crowd. Mat host Chris West kept the matches rolling at a smooth pace with no intermission, introducing each competitor and allowing them time to address the audience a the end of each match.

The night started off with a no-gi match up between Marcus Willson of Grappling Unlimited and Jeremy Nita of Mad Tiger Jiu Jitsu. Both players looked comfortable in both top and bottom positions with a number of sub attempts from guard by Wilson who eventually got the win Wilson with a Omoplata camel clutch (also called a inimari choke) that earned him “Sub of the Night” honors.

The second match was a hard fought match up between Luke Hacker of Longman BJJ and Neil Andre of Novo Uniao. The two athletes came to play hard and the crowd responded well to the energy they brought. Hacker, very comfortable with his bottom game submitted Andre via Brabo choke with less than five minutes left on the clock.

Frank Cabral of Brazilian Freestyle and Joel Bouhey of Maui Jiu Jitsu had the most aggressive match up of the evening, with dramatic takedowns and transitions that left the two competitors straining to stay on the mat, while the Hawaii All-Star BJJ crew made a consorted effort to keep them out of the crowd’s laps. This did cause the two to stop and reset in the center of the mat a number of times. The match ended up a draw.

Brad Scott vs. Alessandro Ferreira was cancelled due to injury.

Scott Junk of the UFC Gym and Patrick Stachel of Mad Tiger Jiu Jitsu faced off in a heavy weight no-gi bout at 280 pounds each. The bout went the whole distance with lots of movement from both opponents on the takedown attempts before Junk settled in to a dominating back position followed by side control in which he nearly finished Stachel via Americana in the very last minute making for an exciting finish, complete with a count down from the crowd.

The main event between Rhalan Gracie of Relson/Ralph Gracie Academies and Mike Fowler of North Shore Jiu Jitsu was what you would expect from two high-level, evenly matched masters of the art. Following dynamic takedown attempts, the two black belts fell into a standard position of Fowler on bottom with Gracie in his guard, which is where they stayed for the majority of the match making it a very technical performance which ended in a draw. There was a an obvious amount of respect between the opponents, setting a positive example for Jiu Jitsu etiquette and a calmness that can only come from a lifetime on the mats.

The overwhelming take away from the night was that every competitor was excited to preform the art on a larger platform and would like to see Jiu Jitsu grow and improve across the island. The sense of respect and commerodery between opponents is rare consistency in any sport, but has the potential to be a catalyst for the state to grow into a true Jiu Jitsu force to be reckoned with.

EVENT PHOTOS {gallery}2015/HAS/event{/gallery}

By Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori

The first day of spring is symbolic for the rise of new beginnings, and for six SEC competitors March 20th also marked the rise of a new champion. Following an action packed undercard, SEC hosted four matches to fill vacant titles along with two title defense. The slots for main and co-main event were filled by professional bouts featuring high-level competitors that kept the Filcom crowd on their feet.

Click Here for more photos.

Main and Co-Main Events

Higa v Hopps
The co-main event between professional 145lb fighters Spencer Higa and Isaac Hopps was a fast paced stand-up battle. Despite vicious flurries from Hopps, which included some brutal hooks, Higa directed the pace and landed more significant punches. Higa managed to catch Hopps against the cage, raining down blows on the grounded opponent and forcing the TKO ref stoppage for the first round victory.

Cooper v Mazany
In the main event pitted Hawaii’s Ray “Bradda Boy” Cooper III against David Mazany of Las Vegas, Nevada in a 155lb professional battle. Both fighters came out of the gate ready to kill. There were a number of submission attempts along with technical wall wrestling from both sides during the first round. After being placed in some very unfavorable positions in the second round, Cooper was able to revers position for the win by rear naked choke.

Title Matches

After three rounds, Abasi Young secured a decision win against Roy Cooper making him the new titleholder.

Paul Lopez secured the 155lb amateur title against reigning champion Adam Azimov with a hard-fought second round arm bar.

An amateur champion was belted at 170lbs, when Jace Kaopua defeated Marcus Nelson in a controversial first round stoppage following an eye poke that left Nelson squinting despite medical clearance for the bout to continue. Nelson signaled that he could not continue the bout due to the injury and the title was awarded to Kaopua. Up to the point of the injury, the crowd at the Filcom was eagerly enjoying the high level stand up exchanges from the two featherweights.

Joey Vonblankenburg secured the 125lb title against reigning champion Dominic Abalos with a win via second round rear naked choke.

In the 185lb championship match up, Aaeon Rodrigues followed Vonblankenburg’s lead and defeated opponent Chevas Lamoya with a rear naked choke, though he waited until round three to secure the title.

To finish off the title matches Gary Rebalizsa received a decision win over Jerimy Crawford to secure the 185lb amateur title.

Undercard Results

145lb MMA
Titus Strickland def Joe Hopps via 3rd rnd armbar

Heavyweight MMA
Ryan Fonoti def Loren Sua via decision

160lb Triple Threat
Brysen Bolohoa (2nd match of the night) def Brandon Alcantra via decision

155lb MMA
Marc Ho def Joseph Ena Ena via 1st rnd TKO

135lb MMA

By Bryanna "Pink Ranger" Fissori 

MFC 5 “Bad Intentions” took place at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Kahului on Saturday, March 28^th. Maui fans packed the venue to the brim and the decibel level rivaled that of a Seattle Seahawks game. Fighters from across the islands came to leave it on the cage and bring viewers to the edge of their seats… Success.

MAIN CARD

128lb Pro Bout

Justin Cook def. Ryan Mondala via decision

In a fight that was confirmed on short notice, these two warriors met at a catch weight of 128lbs. Oahu’s Ryan Mondala has been on the amateur circuit in Hawaii for a couple of years, but this fight marked his pro debut and a drop from his normal weight class at 135lbs. Cook was hungry for a win in front of his home crowd. Both fighters came out scrappy in round one. Mondala established himself as the counter puncher and had some success with that strategy, but had difficulty getting off the cage with the heavy pressure of Cook. One of the highlights of the round was a dynamic high-crotch takedown from Cook. The second round continued at a cautious pace. Cook dominated with wall pressure, though Mondala was able to land knees with his back to the cage.  Cook landed another big takedown in the third, which was reversed by Mondala. The fight maintained the same cautious pace standing with Cook the more active fighter. The judges granted Cook the decision for his first professional win.

155lb Amateur Title Match

Analu Mattos def Kainui Meyers via decision

Meyers came out strong with a takedown and established enough control to land ground and pound punches before Mattos was able to reverse the position. Obviously wanting to stand and bang, Mattos stood up allowing Meyers to do the same. In a wall-work battle part way through the round Meyers suffered a groin shot, but recovered and the match finished with the two on their feet in a stand up war. Much of the second round was spent with Mattos ridding the mount, ending with a rear naked choke submission attempt with no time left in the round. Meyers landed heavy hooks to start round three, while Mattos pressured with relentless uppercut attempts. There was a moment when it appeared that the fight had turned into a chin testing contest, but the round ended with Mattos mounted and reigning down punches to win the decision

205lb Amateur Title Match

Raymond Lopez def. Brady Spiridigliozzi via 2^nd Rend TKO  

The crowd was a prepared for this bout to be a barnburner. Both warriors came out swinging and both incurred a swing and a miss with groin shots in the first round, but showed great sportsmanship. Lopez backed Spiridigliozzi against the cage for a good portion of the round. The wall pressure, coupled with vicious knees to the body overwhelmed Spiridigliozzi in the second round and, and allowed Lopez remain the 205lb champ with a win via TKO.

135lb Amateur Title Match

Kale Moniz def. Federico Vento via 2^nd Rnd Kimura

Moniz came out hard with a quick takedown right off the bat, which put Vento in a bad position for long enough that he seemed to be in some real trouble. Once Vento got the escape he came back with combos to get in followed by a takedown of his own, initiating control, which kept until the end of the round. Vento came out overwhelmingly dominant in the second, having little trouble backing Moniz up with punches and kicks before setting up the successful takedown. Moniz had an answer for that when he caught Vento in a kimura from the bottom while Moniz was working on passing and punching.

125lb Amateur

Maui Acantilado def. Jair Rocha via 2^nd Rnd Armbar

These warriors came out with a purpose and drive that proved immediately why they should both be belt contenders. Acantilado started off the bout with a convincing takedown, but it was reversed by Rocha, who opened up some ground and pound before Acantilado got back to his feet. Both fighters demonstrated a high level of technique and athleticism. The second round followed much like the first with the takedown by Acantilado and reversal by Rocha. This was not a bout to be left to the judges and with less than 10 seconds to go in round two, Acantilado secured an armbar victory.  This was one of the most technical fights of the night.

205lb Amateur

Ekolu Kalama def TJ Akima via Doctor Stoppage

Round one was a stand up war at a pretty even pace. Kalama endured a cut over the left eye that may or may not have been the reason for Akima’s obviously chipper expression. The round ended with Kalama landing a barrage of wild punches backing Akima against the cage. In the beginning of the second round Akima seemed to have little trouble evading Kalama’s unconventional punching style until being clipped with an overhand right that dropped the fighter but was not enough to keep him down. Akima remained active enough to keep the fight from being called, but rose bloodied and was taken down again shortly after, received more ground and pound accompanied by controversial strikes near the back of the head that caused the ref deduct a point and stop the fight temporarily to examine Akima who’s eye was swelling. The cageside doctor put a stop to the bout deeming Kalama the winner.

115lb Amateur Women

Tiani Valle def Jodi Poouahi-Cummings via decision

The first round of this female match up was heavily dominated by cage pressure, most of which was instigated by Valle, though she made minimal efforts for takedowns or punches from the position. Poouahi- Cummings answered with numerous leg trip attempts as she tried to edge herself off the cage.  Bloodied from an elbow in the first round, Poouahi-Cummings came out in the second with an arsenal of kicks, which helped her control the pace early on before being forced back against the cage by Valle, who’s cage pressure was allowing her to maintain control most of the round. Switching gears in the third round, Poouahi-Cummings had a number of takedown attempts as well as an attempted to armbar from the bottom. Unsuccessful, the position allowed Valle some freedom to land punches from the guard. With ten seconds to go, Poouahi-Cummings followed up a successful takedown with a rear naked choke attempt that she may have been able to execute with more time on the clock. The judge’s decision went to Valle.

UNDERCARD

Martian Tevaga def. John Quinian Heavyweights via 1st rnd TKO

Rodrigo Tabladillo def. Stu Jones 125lb Muay Thai via decision

Kendra Linn def. Colleen Kirby 130lb MMA via armbar 2^nd rd

Greg Morton def. Ethan Borges 155lb MMA via submission

Gerald Gammet def. Kevin Kaaihue 150lb MMA via submission

Christian Alvarez def. Anoai Keahi 155lb MMA

Jonathan Wun def. Romeo Cabbat 135lb MMA via TKO

Bryson Kanamu def. Scott Hayashi 150lb KB via decision

EVENT PHOTOS

{gallery}2015/mfc/2015_0328{/gallery}

By Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori

April 11, 2015 - Honolulu, Hawaii  - Though a number of scheduled bouts did not make it into the cage, the fighters that showed up for Destiny MMA Na Koa IX were undoubtedly ready to perform. The six-fight undercard was quite possibly the best undercard this year in all of Hawaii’s MMA events, with two of the bouts determined by spit decision.  This was not a night to “skip the undercard.” These were all great match-ups, and fans can anticipate that many of these fighters will be climbing the ranks quickly in their weight divisions

.

The main card was staked with dynamic fighters extending beyond the shores of Oahu. Even UFC veteran Nick Diaz was spoted in the crowd tonight with Destiny MMA promoter Jay Bolos. 

Please see the results below for details on the individual bouts. Mahalo again to Destiny MMA for another great show.

Main Card

Pro Welterweight Title Defense

Zane Kamaka (Hawaii Elite MMA) def Colin Reuter (Alaska) via RNC in round 1 to retain title

The evening’s main event was a quick bout with a lot of action. Less than a minute into the round Kamaka caught the end of a kick to set Reuter off balance for the takedown. Kamaka ended up in the guard of Reuter, which proved to be a dangerous position as Reuter worked for the arm bar before transitioning to the triangle. Kamaka defended and in the process of passing the guard was able to take Reuter’s back and secure a one-handed rear naked choke for the finish.

Toby Misech (Hilo, HI) v Gabe Solorio (Seattle, WA) – KO

Solorio came out with intent to prove that his heavy hands could keep up with the speed of “Too-Quick”  Misech, who quickly demonstrated his kicks could be just as fast. Solario put heavy pressure on Misech against the cage, issuing knees to the legs and body of the Hawaii fighter. The two jockeyed for position before coming off the cage for more stand up work. Feeling some pressure with his back to the cage, Misech landed a heavy overhand left for the KO.

Pro Welterweight

Maki Pitolo (WOMMA) def Adam Smith (Spokane, WA) via  1^st round Reverse Guillotine Choke (AKA- Gangsta Maki Choke)

Exciting does not begin to describe this fight. The dynamic Washington native started off the round by running from his corner straight at Pitolo to deliver a dramatic flying knee attempt. The scramble that ensued from the cage to the mat was a blur of strength, technique and desperation. Pitolo secured position, but before he could do any real settling in Smith exploded for the reversal. The grappling match continued until Pitolo took mount and was able to reach behind the head of Smith with one arm underhooked for the win via reverse guillotine choke, or what one official referred to as the “Gangsta Maki Choke.”

Martin Day (Hawaii Elite MMA) def Stu Jones via KO

Taking the fight on one-day notice, Jones was game against the aggressive and experience opponent. Day showed very technical kickboxing skills with a noticeable Muay Thai flare, while Jones held ground much like a boxer. Overwhelmed by a heavy and well-placed kick to the body, Jones dropped and was unable to recover before the 1^st round bell.

Pro Featherweight

Ed Thommes (Hawaii Elite MMA) def Dustin Winter (Spokane, WA) via 1^st round TKO

Thommes, the shorter of the two fighters was patient at the bell, waiting to see what Winter would bring to the table. The two quickly ended up against the cage, with Thommes winning the wall work battle using heavy pressure. Winters had a takedown attempt that could have placed Thommes in an arm wrenching position, but Thommes was able to recover, showing off his grappling technical work as he secured position for ground and pound, which he used to finish Winter just seconds before the end of the round.

Flyweight Pro

Ian Delacuesta (Hawaii Elite MMA) v Jacob Smith (Spokane, WA) via 1^st round Kimura

Smith came in throwing a number of leg kicks to open up the round, though it became quickly clear that he was on the lookout for takedowns.  Smith drove Delacuesta to the cage early in the round before putting the Hawaii fighter on his back. Delacuesta remained composed as he used technique to get off his back and up to his feet. The fight ended up back on the ground fairly quickly and Delacuesta secured the kimura for the win in round one.

Pro Lightweight

Makana Fronda (Hawaii Elite MMA) def Nate Harris (Molokai) by 2^nd round TKO

Round one of this lightweight bout was a stand up battle heavily laden with clinch work and knees. In the last minute Harris was rocked with a punch that landed him on his back. He chose to stay there, baiting Fronda for ground work. Fronda instead used the opportunity for kicks to the legs of Harris leading into a scramble that ended the round with Fronda in position for a guillotine choke. Changing the opening pace in the second round, the fight quickly went to the mat with Harris in top position. Fronda reversed but had trouble stabilizing the position before being put back down on the mat. Fronda was able to stand but only for a moment before Harris dropped down to the mat, again asking for the ground fight and again paying for it in kicks to the legs. Harris stood and repeated the process once more. This time Fronda took the bait and mounted Harris to ground and pound for the finish.

Under Card

Flyweight MMA

Chaz Dunhour (Hawaii Elite MMA) def Ikaika Rodrigues (Hilo) via 1^st rnd Rear Naked Choke

Flyweight Amateur MMA

Kevin Natividad (EightSixx BJJ) def Jared Miyamoto (United MMA) via Unanimous Decision

Lightweight Amateur MMA

Treston Rabelliza (Hawaii Elite MMA) def Adam Azimov via Unanimous Decision

Bantamweight Amateur MMA

Zach Sterling (United MMA) def Joey Vonblankenburg (Grappling Unlimited) via Split Decision

Lightweight Amateur MMA

Timothy Teves (Kaui) def Titus Strickland (United MMA) via Split Decision

Bantamweight Amateur MMA

Mark Keomalu (United MMA) def Scott Higashi (Kurupt Ambitionz) via 1^st Rnd Arm Bar

by Bryanna "Pink Ranger" Fissori 

Another great show in the books for Man Up Stand Up and Star Elite Cagefighting went down on Friday, April 24^th at the Waipahu Filcom.

The 145lb main event between Keegan Ho and Richard Robb was the type of fight you would expect to see in a Kung Fu movie or maybe something with ninjas. These two warriors put on a flashy and effective battle that left the crowd wanting another round when the draw was announced. 

In other highlights, there were also four female bouts on the card, all of which had spectators practically out of their seats. In the 150 lb kickboxing title match up, Ashlee Taniyama defeated Lehua Aquino in under a minute with heavy hands and a body kick that hurt to watch. At a 130 catch weight Kendra Linn and the defiant Kat Vincent went a grueling three rounds with Linn pressuring hard and Vincent refusing to stay down on the standing 8 counts each round after ending up on the wrong end of Linn’s persistent head kicks. Both ladies won over the crowd with their heart and ferocity.

Pretty Dung was awarded the decision over Sadie Reyes in the 125 lb kickboxing bout.  Both fighters came out extremely aggressive as was expected given their “big-league” weigh-in tension. Dung was able to throw flurries at Reyes forcing her back to the cage. Reyes’ favorite answer for that was the front kick to the body. Reyes continued to land kicks but they were not enough to keep up with the hard punches of Dung.  A split decision awarded to Jazelle Robago-Bobadilla against Jai Hale in the 108 lb modified kickboxing match was a display of heart from two female fighters Hawaii can look forward to watching move up the ranks.

Results:

145 lb Title

Keegan Ho v Richard Robb – Draw

160 lb Kickboxing Title

Brysen Bolohao defeated Marcus Nelson via decision

150 lb Kickboxing Title

Ashlee Taniyama defeated Lehua Aquino via 1^st round TKO

Super Heavy Weight

Cy Pagofie defeated Aaron Suda via decision

125lb Women’s Kickboxing

Pretty Dung defeated Sadie Reyes via decision

175 lb Kickboxing

Cole Lake defeated Joseph Enaena via decision

205 lb Kickboxing

Tony Reyes defeated Andymar Renon via decision

155 lb Pankration Title

Randy Kamaiopili defeated Adam Azimov via 1^st round arm bar

145 lb Kickboxing Title

Matt Lascola defeated Jonah Cadiz via decision

155 lb Kickboxing

Abasi Young defeated Randy Oh

135 lb Kickboxing

Joe Bird defeated Sheydon Joseph via KO

145 lb Kickboxing

Jonah Gerard defeated Anthony Ortiz

180 lb Muay Thai

Ikaika Earl defeated Andrew Watson via decision

125 lb Muay Thai

Keawe Germano defeated Rocky Edades via decision

130 lb Female Kickboxing

Kendra Linn defeated Kat Vincent via decision

155 lb Kickboxing

Matt Miranda v Darren Wong = Draw

135 l lb Kickboxing

Jonathan Wun defeated Justin Akana via doctor stoppage

108 lb Modified Kickboxing

Jazelle Robago-Bobadillla defeated Jai Hale via split decision

60 lb Kickboxing

Savon Barnado defeated Iokela Perez-Amaral via decision

60 lb Kickboxing

Pookela Kalua defeated Ka’apuani Peters via decision

45 lb Modified Kickboxing

Stetson Aquino defeated JJ Baker via decision

By Bryanna "Pink Ranger" Fissori

WAIPAHU, HI – May 21, 2015 Star Elite Cage Fighting hosted another action packed event at the Filcom, totaling 18 fights for the night starting off with the upcoming generation of warriors and ending with epic battles in the pro ranks.

Main Card

Pro 175lbs MMA

Jonavan Vistante def Gabriel Rivas via 1st round TKO

Vistante made short work of his opponent landing a shot that dropped him to the ground and following up with heavy ground and pound for the TKO victory and the 175lb belt in seconds.

Pro 135lb MMA

Arnold Berdon def Jordan Mackin via 1st round Rear Naked Choke

Typically fights that are heavily doiminated by ground or cagework are not fan favorites. That was not the case for this bout. The crowd at the Filcom was on their feet and nearly every voice was screaming. The first punch of the bout was not even thrown until the fighters were already jockeying for position against the fence. Words can't do justice to the dynamic scramble that ensued. The power and athleticism demonstrated by both Berdon and Mackin in their grappling ablilities was outstanding with each fighter exploding in and out of positions. Berdon secured the rear naked choke in round one for the win.

145lb MMA

Matt Lascola def Paul Lopes via decision

Relentless! Lascola came out in round one as if he was determined the there would not be a round two. Lopes rose to match the pace and had no trouble maintaining it. The stand up battle was minimal before Lascola went in for the takedown. In the scramble, Lopes began to set up for a triangle from his back, but was overturned by Lascola who spent the remainder of the round stuck to Lopes' back like glue with the body lock in. Lopes would put on his back quickly in round two by Lascola, but should great control from the guard. He was able to stand back up, but not for long. On the second takedown Lascola nearly secured the Americana before being reversed and barraged with ground and pound by Lopes. Lascola literally dove for the leg of Lopes to get the takedown. Though successful, he was quickly reversed and found himself defending from the guard. Lascola was likely not excited about taking punches from his back, but did appear comfortable with his ground work from that position. He was unable to secure a submission or escape before the end of the round. This fast-paced fight was a race from the first glove touch. Lascola secured the 29-28 decision victory.

125lb MMA

Jeremy Pereira-Kanakanui def Dominic Abalos via 1st round Peruvian Necktie

There was a tap controversy on this fight. They say that the lighter weight classes move faster and that appeared to be true. Pereira-Kanakanui immediately started in on creative submission attempts. The official ruling was win by first round Peruvian Necktie submission.

125lb MMA Title Defense

Joey Vonblankenburg def Shojin Miki via decision

Neither fighter showed off much stand up in round one. Vonblankenburg second most of the round attempting to escape the tight triange of Miki. The second round was a battle against the fence and a jockey for position that appeared to be dominated by Miki. Vonblankenburg did score a number of significant knees to Miki from the controlled position. The third round was a battle for position on the ground and against the cage. Both fighters were extremely composed and patient in their attacks. Vonblankenburg won the decision.

175lb MMA

Preston Morgan def Brady Spiridgilo via 1st round Rear Naked Choke

It looked like Morgan could have some trouble with the power of Spiridgilo who appeared to be swinging to kill with convincing force. Morgan showed composure under the pressure and was able to secure Spiridgilo's back quickly once the match hit the mat. Morgan wins via rear naked choke with less than 30 seconds left in round one.

MMA Heavyweight

Aaron Rose def Haron Suda via 1st round Americana

The short lived stand up battle was nearly forgotten amongst the grappling and ground and pound that ensued ending in the delivery of an Americana by Rose to secure the win in round one.

135lb MMA

Jerimy Crawford def Julio Moreno via decision

After making his way to the inside for the takedown multiple times, Moreno narrowly survived two rear naked choke, and two arm bar attempts form Crawford just in round one. Crawford followed up with a triangle attempt at the end of both round two and three. The submissions were in tight, but Moreno's heart was on point if his defense was flawed. Crawford used his range and technical grappling to land strikes throughout the bout and maintain dominant control for the win.

135lb MMA

James Chung def Patrick Panagan via 1st Round Rear Naked Choke

This bout was over in a matter of 16 seconds. The first contact between the two bantamweights was a opening kick from Chung, which was caught by Panagan. Chung jumped guard to the side of Panagan, sinking in a rear naked choke for the win. Those who blinked missed the whole thing.

Undercard

165lb Kickboxing

Brysen Bolohao def Randy Kamaiopili via TKO

Heavyweight Kickboxing

Able Rose def Hanalei Baisa decision

165lb Triple Threat

Joseph Ena Ena v Brandon Alcantra – Draw

145lb Kickboxing

Christian Fontes def Sean Kamaiopili via ref stoppage

135lb Kickboxing

Zach Ungurent def Thadius Wilson via decision

163lb Triple Threat

Gabriel Kesolei def Nainoa Fujimura via decision

Under 18 Triple Threat

Drake Nohara def Laakea Laastora via decision

145lb Kickboxing

Pookela Costa v Joshua Soliven via decision

120lb Kickboxing

Noah Timoteo def Ryan Tauro via decision

->EVENT PHOTOS<-

Results by: Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2015 (BLAISDELL ARENA, HONOLULU) - Destiny Na Koa X must have been planned just right to be within a day or so of the full moon because fighters were in rare form indeed. This was a night of finishes with only two bouts on the entire card going the distance.

Professional Card

Bantamweight Title
Tyson Nam (Oregon) defeated Arnold Berdon (WMMA) via 1st Round Knockout
Both athletes were composed throughout the first round. There was little to no disengagement from the stand up flurries which kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. Berdon landed long punches and kicks, keeping Nam at a distance with a consistent front kick. Both fighters were quick on their feet, but it was Nam who landed a hard right hand for victory by first round knockout.

Lightweight Title
Joey Gomez (BOSS MMA Hilo) defeated Robby Ostovich (Jesus is Lord) via 2nd Round Rear Naked Choke
Gomez made it clear he wanted to get to the ground in round one, fighting for the takedown multiple times before successfully getting Ostovich off balance and ending up on top. Ostovich made transitional submission attempts from the bottom but was not able to get the finish.

The game plan seemed unchanged going into the second round as the two quickly picked up where they left off with Gomez on top and Ostoivch submission hunting. In the groundwork, Gomez transitioned to Ostoivich’s back looking for the sub but comfortable landing punches from the position until he was able to flatten Ostovich out for the rear naked choke.

Catch Weight 150 lb
Ryan Delacruz (Hawaii Elite MMA) defeated Matt Goff (Oregon) via 1st Round Head Kick Knockout
The bout began with an abundance of kicks from both sides, before hands really became a factor, with both opponents landing hard. The end-all-be-all kick was the one to Goff’s head, dropping him for the 1st round KO victory by Delacruz.

Women Flyweight
Monica Franco (Jesus is Lord) defeated Jessica Doerner (UFC Gym) via 2nd Round Knockout
First round: Stand up fireworks. War. You should have been there. For real.

The second round looked like it was going to be the same all out striking battle to the death that the two women had engaged in for round one until Franco, pressured against the cage, landed a spinning back fist to KO Doerner.

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Flyweight
Cheyden Leialoha (Hawaii Elite MMA) defeated Rodney Mondala (LVL1) via Unanimous Decision
This flyweight matchup was the only professional bout to go the distance. The first round was composed of a lot of cagework, most of which was controlled by Leialoha who also had two successful takedown attempts from which Mondala recovered, landing punches and kicks at the end of the round.

After a good stand up flurry between the two to open the second round, Leialoha secured another takedown but had trouble finding position for ground and pound or submission attempts until the end of the round when he was able to land some elbows from the top and take a shot at a guillotine from mount.

Showing very technical stand-up skills, Mondola landed a number of punches before the two clinched, again landing Mondala with his back to the mat. Leialoha took mount for a moment landing punches before switching to side control then back to mount. Leialoha made a solid attempt at an arm triangle, which Mondala fought hard to escape. The two were stood up with seconds left in the round and a point was deducted from Leialoha for kneeing a downed opponent. Despite the deduction, he was awarded the unanimous decision.

Lightweight
Nathan Harris (Molokai) defeated Justin Burgess (Jesus is Lord) via 1st Round Rear Naked Choke
The bout opened with a successful takedown attempt from Harris who made it clear that he was a going to use his grappling arsenal in this match. Burgess successfully avoided several keylock and, guillotine and attempts before being submitted by rear naked choke.

Amateur Card

Amateur Featherweight Title
Matt Lascola (O2 MAA) defeated Tristan Kamaka (808 Fight Factory) via 2nd Round Arm Triangle

Amateur Bantamweight Title
Ricky Ing (HMC/TeamChinaman) defeated Keoni Chang (Hawaii Elite MMA) via 1st Round TKO

Amateur Heavyweight Title
Jayson Bray (Team Mixed Plate) defeated Okala Makaiau via 2nd Round Heel Hook

Welterweight
Davy Mayathong (HMC) defeated Kainoa Rivero (Animal House) via 1st Round TKO

Jr Lightweight Kickboxing Title
Nainoa Dung (Hawaii Elite MMA) defeated Christian Lee (United MMA) via Decision

Bantamweight
Jeff Nojo (HMC) defeated Manakiai Puahala via 1st Round Guillotine Choke

Catch weight 140lb
Clay Carpenter (Arizona) defeated Mark Ballocanog (Molokai) via 1st Round Rear Naked Choke

Featherweight
Austin Michael (Boss MMA Hilo) defeated Devin Yamada (HMC/Team Chinaman) via Unanimous Decision

By Bryanna "Pink Ranger" Fissori

(WAIPAHU, HAWAII) Friday, August 7, 2015 - Star Elite Cage fighting hosted some of the islands greatest up and comers on a night fitting to follow the previous weekend’s Destiny MMA card of finishes. With only three decisions victories on the card of 20 fights, the crowd was thoroughly entertained with the action.

Pro 170 Bout

-Raynald “Bradda” Cooper def David Douglas 27 seconds into round 1

If you blinked you missed it. Bradda dropped Douglas with an opening punch and finished with ground and pound 27 seconds into round one. Done.

Pro Heavyweight

-Raymond Lopezdef Clint Daniels via TKO 3:43 sec into round 3

Round one opened in the center, but quickly hit the chain link with the two heavyweights jockeying for position. Daniel eventually secured the takedown and subsequent mount. Lopez was having trouble with the pressure of Daniel but hit who may have been a game changer with a leg trip to regain control the end of the round.

Round two opened with a vengeance and Lopez was seemingly intent on making up for lost time. Daniel was hit with a barrage of punches and kicks before the tow hit fence again. They battled takedown attempt for tacked own attempt spending little time against the canvass. Daniel was about take the back of Lopez and secure hooks while landing punches from the back, but could not get the submission in before the bell.

Lopez came out again in round three like a bull out of a shoot immediately pressuring Daniel who was able to reverse position and get the takedown off the cage. Daniel looked like he may continue to maintain control but was reversed and Lopez took back mount and then mount for the TKO finish.

Pro 145 Bout

Zach Zanedef Matt Comeau via 1^st round guillotine

-Certainly the most dramatic finish of the night, Zane dropped Comeau with a hard punch and did not hesitate to follow up with a ground attack granting him a guillotine choke within seconds which put Comeau completely asleep.

Pro 125 Bout

Ryan Mondala def Riquo Abadilla via 1^st round rear naked choke

-One of the best rounds of the night, the two flyweights locked up quickly and Mondala spent a good part of the early minutes defending the relentless rear naked choke attempt form Abadilla. Once able to fully escape Mondala landed two takedown attempts in a row off the cage, but allowed Abadilla position for the guillotine attempt. The scramble continued until Mondala was able to take Abadilla’s back forcing his head to the cage while securing the rear naked choke for a first round win.

Undercard Titles

Amateur 125 Women’s Title

Kendra Linn def Veronica Cooper via 1^st round rear naked choke

Amateur 155 Title

Paul Lopesdef Matt Miranda via 1^st round arm triangle

Amateur 155 Pankration SEC Title

Christian Lee def Avery Sanchez via 1^st round Americana

Amateur Undercard

185lb XMA

Bryson Bolahaodef Andrew Watson

155lb MMA

Marc Ho def Brandon Alcantra via 1^st round rear naked choke

155lb MMA

James Clark def Wyatt Leong via 2^nd round front choke

145lb

Roy Cooper def Titus Strickland via decision

155lb MMA

Adam AzimovdefEthon Borges

165lb MMA

Anthony Kinoshita def Rockne Mawae via 1^st round guillotine choke

170lb MMA

Chris Gather def Joseph Enaena via 1^st round TKO

145lb American Style Kickboxing

Christian Fontesdef Jonathan Wunvia decision

205lb MMA

Marcus Gamble defCalivn Coward via 1^st round TKO

160lb American Style Kickboxing

Kesolei “Gabriel” RechelulkdefAmazKapuaala via decision

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