CAGE CONTENDER XIII : BELFAST : 28 APRIL 2012

Ian Whelan wrote: »

When can we expect to see Owen Roddy back again? Seems like a while since he fought.

The plan is for Owen to have a title defense in Dublin on 21st July. We have been talking to him about a UFC vet and will let you know when we get to an agreed fight

Pccb wrote: »

Why is owen fightig a pet doctor from ufc john? Lol
Roddy never disappoints and is rightly top of the food chain

To be fair Roddy is top of the domestic food chain in his division!! In fact reading the list of CC champions I believe they all are!

HEAVYWEIGHT

Nial Houston (FAI) -v- Piotr Nowaki (CSC)

Unfortunately Tom "The Quiet Man" Maguire has withdrawn from his planned fight with Greg "The Hitman" Loughran due to work commitments. While we are dissapointed we fully understand Tom's decision and look forward to seeing him on one of our cards soon.

The hope is that we will find another match up for Greg this week.

The second Cage Contender event in a row features on Sherdog's 10 tussles.

Dean Lister vs. Rodney Moore
Cage Contender 13 | April 28 -- Belfast, Northern Ireland

Heading into last year’s Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships finals, few experts gave old wolf Lister a chance against the new breed of Brazilian light heavyweights like Rodolfo Vieira, Joao Assis or Antonio Braga Neto. They appeared too big, too strong and too technical. Yet Lister, the competition’s 2003 absolute division gold medalist, submitted everybody en route to his second title. Now, the 36-year-old wants to give MMA fighting another go. He is slated to face Irish MMA legend Moore in the main event of Cage Contender 13.

LINK TO FULL FEATURE

Baz’s Cage Contender XIII preview and predictions



CAGE CONTENDER HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

Neil “Old Skool” Wain -v- Colin “Big C” Robinson (Next Gen NI)
Man mountain versus man dolmen. This will make me very unpopular with Northern fight fans but I am going to pick Wain to win in a carbon copy of the first fight. I don’t think there’s a sprawl in existence that can stop a giant like Wain taking you down in the first 6-8 minutes of a fight. I’d like to see Colin prove me wrong, but my head says that Wain will have too much in the early rounds for him and will win by decision.
My pick: Wain by decision


Rodney Moore (Next Gen NI) -v- Dean “The Boogeyman” Lister

This is a saucy little number. Let me lay some biased cards on the table and say that when I was starting out in the world of MMA Dean Lister was one of those guys I used to really enjoy watching, and that I’m delighted to have him in Ireland as he’s coming to train in my gym the week after. There, full disclosure. Now for the meat and bones. This is Lister’s to lose and everyone including Rodney Moore knows this. However Rodney has over a decade of footage of Lister’s fights to plan for, and he’s in amazing shape. If he can keep this one on the feet, he stands a chance, but if Lister can bring it to the mat this could be over quick as a flash. Rod is an excellent grappler but he won’t be able to live with Lister once the fight goes near sea level, which it inevitably will at some stage.
My pick: Lister by submission round 2.


Damien “The Rage” Rooney -v- Paddy “The Holigan” Holohan (SBGi)

I am a fan of both of these guys and when they signed for Cage Contender this was a match I knew had to happen soon. It took a bit longer than I wanted but here it is at last and that leaves me with an awkward decision to make. Hoolahan is a livewire on the mat and I’m on record as saying that his cage control single legs are as good as you’ll see at any level in MMA. Once it’s on the deck I think he’ll have the advantage, but on the feet I think Rooney has a far greater arsenal. However, I think Rooney’s game planning needs work and he could benefit from some greater experience in his corner. If he’d changed tactics earlier in the Seery match he would have had his hand raised. This is going to be a cracker but I’m going to edge it to Hoolahan.
My pick: Hoolahan by decision


Greg “The Hitman” Loughran (EFR/Next Gen NI) -v- Jorge Santos (MMA Lucan)

I think Greg has consistently been one of Ireland’s best since the dawn of MMA time, and I’m delighted to get to see him so regularly now. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Santos is taking this at very late notice but has been preparing and training hard for a bout in May. But still I don’t see this going any other way than Greg Loughran’s who I think will have far too many tools in the box for Santos. Greg to keep it on the feet, control the clinch and finish this with strikes in the second.
My pick: Loughran by stoppage rd.2


John Michael Shiel (SBGi) -v- Conor “DaCrook” Cooke (Red Dragon)

Well well well. If it isn’t me oul mate JMS. There can’t be a fighter in Europe who would look forward to fighting this guy. He’s going to stand in front of you and throw lots and lots of things that hurt at you, and not care very much when you do likewise. Something you probably didn’t know about Shiel is that there’s actually a tremendous amount of skill in what he does and in the manner in which he finds his range. However I think Conor Cooke is one of the best boxers I’ve seen on the Irish circuit so this will be an interesting battle. Sooner or later, Shiel might have to pay for wanting to stand and bang so much, but I don’t think it will be this time. I can see him taking this to the clinch as he did with Fadipe and working his less vaunted but equally fierce round and pound skills.
My pick: Shiel by stoppage rd.1


Bogusz Pochylski (Husaria) -v- Caolin Shivers (S.I)

I have never seen this guy Shivers live but I know a good bit about him and coming out of the SI camp you know he’ll be tough. He’s fighting an extremely unorthodox fighter in Pochylski. This guy, I can’t figure out. Sometimes I look at him and think he’s looking good, and then other times he does something that leaves me scratching my head. His spinning kicks get the crowd oohing and ahhing but often they lead to him being put on his back. I think this is where the fight will end up and I’m going to pick Shivers for a 3rd round GnP win.
My pick: Shivers by stoppage rd3

Karl Moore (FAI) -v- TBC


PRELIM CARD


Stephen Kilfin (FAI) -v- Alan Kavanagh (Husaria)

Two guys I’ve seen before and I’d expect Kilfin to take this one. All I see on Facebook are the guys from FAI photoshopping him in a variety of suggestive poses so I guess he must be either tough, or really sexy to his team mates. Kavanagh looked a little sluggish the last time I saw him so I’ll have to go against him.
My pick: Kilfin by TKO rd.2


Joe McColgan (FAI) -v- Levi Kehoe (SBGi)

I’m told that Kehoe just won’t be stopped in training, like the T1000, so I suppose that makes McColgan either John Connor or Arnie. I guess we’ll see which on the 28th. I’ve just tossed a coin and it said “Kehoe”. No it didn’t it said “heads” but I had previously stated that “heads=Kehoe” I just didn’t feel the need to share it with you until now. Anyway, the Gods of chance have spoken on this one.
My pick: Kehoe by decision


Gavin “Heamie” Kelly (Evolve) -v- Dee Dee Murphy (FAI)

This one is the pick of the undercard for me, so watch out. Murphy I’ve seen twice and both times he was impressive. I like the look of this guy and I’m told he’s only a nipper too. Kelly is another I’ve been watching from afar, like a stalker, and I’ve been impressed with his performances. I’ve high hopes for this one but I’m going to go with Murphy on the basis that I saw him take a 3 round win over the very tough Paul Alymer last year which I think will stand him in good stead.
My pick: Murphy by decision


Mark Hall (PHK) -v- Adie Cathcart (Red Dragon)

With these guys starts the guesswork. My trusty coin says Cathcart. I’ll pick him to win by TKO in 2.
My pick: Cathcart by TKO rd.2


Nial Smyth (Red Dragon) -v- Martin Kelly (PHK)

You can’t make this up. I tossed the coin. It slipped out of my hand, it landed on it’s edge leaning against my printer. I’m not a superstitious man, but I am struggling to make a decision here so…
My pick: Draw


Niall Houston (FAI) -v- Piotr Nowaki (CSC)

Heavyweights are awesome, but I do feel they’re always eyeing me up as an entreé. For that reason I’m going to pick Nowaki as he’s Polish and they seem to have higher quality meat there, so he may not want to eat me as much.
My pick: Nowaki by TKO rd2

monkey8 wrote: »

No offence to Jorge but this is a shocking mis-match.
To put a guy who has just started training mma in his first fight, with no stand up experience, up against a vet of 39 pro fights is ridiculous.

Fair play to Jorge for accepting it but I think this is reckless by cage contender. Sure, a guy pulled out at short notice but the promotion must have a match maker with enough common sense to see that this fight doesn't make sense.

Your obviously very knowledgeable so why not share your knowledge of Jorge's full combat background & experience with the rest of us.

monkey8 wrote: »

since its an mma fight, their mma experience is more relevant. a good bjj background is not much good with no wrestling, stand-up experience.
I'm sure Joprge will become a good mma athlete in time put I can't help feel he's being thrown to the wolves here.

Jorges mma experience about 8 months of mma training
0 fights

Gregs mma experience 10 years as a pro
fought for Bellator
39 pro fights

mis-match? i think so.

So let me get this right...... We have a situation where 2 seasoned and highly accomplished martial artists both with over 10 years experience are going into a fight to see who will win using different styles. I think it could be a good test to see which style works best, infact I think they could make a sport out of it..... Oh, wait hold on!

You are of course entitled to your opinion and we do welcome your view. At least 2 other people have PM'd me with similar arguments. But I stand by my decision on this one. I don't believe it to be reckless or more importantly dangerous.

Over the last few years I think I have probably made more matches than anyone in Ireland and while sometimes the odd eyebrow has been raised I can think of only 2 or 3 out of close to 150 that were mis matched. We will see how this one goes and if I am wrong I will as always hold my hands up and say so.

Spideog Rua wrote: »

@ John Ferguson.

What's Jorge Santos's MMA record?

This sport is Mixed Martial Arts. The secret is in the name.

On some occasions the number of fights on record are not the biggest factor. I believe this to be one of these occasions.

If I had matched Greg with a novice with no combat experience I would agree with all the arguments, but he is not novice.

peteclarke wrote: »

John why are you thanking posts that are saying how irresponsible and dangerous your match making is.
This is a selfish mis match formed out of desperation.
Your defensive, smug attitude also proves your critics right. But I suppose we are all just key board warriors.

Hopefully Jorge subs him.

I am thanking people for their opinion. And after all that's all it is, and we have differing opinions.

As for desperation, I suggest you read the rest of the fight card again. I am not being defensive or smug I just have a different opinion on this issue. I don't believe that you are all keyboard warriors, and am sure your concerns in your own opinion are genuine.

As I've said only time will tell who is right and who is wrong.