On paper it looked like a mixed martial arts mismatch because Paul Norman is 6 feet 5 and there stood his much shorter opponent, 5-7 Raymond Lopez. ADVERTISING On paper it looked like a mixed martial arts mismatch because Paul
On paper it looked like a mixed martial arts mismatch because Paul Norman is 6 feet 5 and there stood his much shorter opponent, 5-7 Raymond Lopez.
They were both combatants in a pro light heavyweight bout at Just Scrap on Friday night at Edith Kanakaole Multipurpose Stadium, where the crowd got its money’s worth with 14 exciting battles.
Lopez and Norman both checked in at 205 pounds, though their weight, obviously, is distributed in a much different manner.
That mattered little to Lopez, who knocked out Norman just 14 seconds in the first round with a vicious leg kick for the card’s only KO of the night.
Norman (0-4) circled Lopez (2-0) and dropped his head for a second as if he were going for a takedown. It was an opening Lopez didn’t miss. He whipped his right leg and down went the tall guy.
“I was cautious. Normally, I come in,” said Lopez, who fights out of Hawaii International Boxing Club. “My mindset was to go in with no fear and do what you do.”
Just Scrap promoter JD Penn has established a relationship with Team Alaska and it’s a good one. That’s because the boys from the cold don’t come out for a vacation (that’s after the fights); they come out swinging.
Team Alaska claimed the unofficial pro team title over the Hilo clubs, HIBC and Boss MMA, which is based out of the BJ Penn Training and Fitness Center, 2-1.
In a 135-pound bout, Alaska’s Maurice Mitchell defeated Daniel Friend with a first-round arm-triangle choke, a submission where the victim has an arm extended and his neck is squeezed.
That choke requires a bit of strength because there’s an arm in the way, unlike a rear-naked choke where an arm is directly around someone’s neck.
Mitchell (3-1) had enough strength and a few inches on the 5-6 Friend (4-2), who like most of the fighters out of Ross Ebanez’ Boss MMA club relies on jiu-jitsu skills.
Friend went for a takedown, Mitchell defended, and got a reversal on the ground, where he eventually applied his submission.
In a 155 battle, Boss MMA’s Joey Gomez put Billy Zimmerman, literally, to sleep with a first-round rear-naked choke.
Gomez (4-0) had the same game plan as Friend: get a takedown, punch the opponent in the face for an opening, and follow with a submission.
Zimmerman (0-2) refused to tap out, the referee stopped the fight in time, and the Team Alaska member blacked out for a few seconds. He was soon back on his feet and walked out of the cage.
In a 205 fight, Team Alaska’s Mike Fannon scored a submission against HIBC’s Delbert Grace just 1:22 into the first round.
Grace (3-3) came out ready to throw down and clinched Fannon (12-3). But after they separated, Fannon worked in a guillotine.
The Hilo vs. Alaska battle levels out to 2-2 if the main event is included. Local boy Wesley “Cabbage” Correira scored a first-round technical knockout against Matt Kovacs, who fights out of Alaska’s Catalyst Fight House.
In a 135 pro fight, Puna’s Keenin Cohen displayed smooth takedown and finishing skills against Hilo’s Justin Yamauchi, who gave up several inches to the 5-7 Puna Boys club member.
Cohen shot for a takedown, went from half-guard to a mount on Yamauchi’s back, and tenderized him with punches before his rear-naked choke.
In the first pro fight of the night, Riquo Abadilla (1-1) got a first-round standing guillotine against Tyler Leopoldino (0-3). The two 130-pound brawlers fought at Toughman Hawaii in 2012, and Abadilla scored a TKO.
“I wanted to make sure I got a win and stayed humble,” Abadilla said. “Everybody shoots me and tries to take me down. It’s something (takedown defense) I’ve been working on. When I saw I had a chance to finish, I seized it.”
Title fights
There were four Just Scrap amateur title fights on the line, and one interim belt to hold.
In the 205 title fight, Honolulu’s Punahele Soriano (2-0) defeated Thor Soder (1-2) from AP Boxing (Ka’u) with a TKO, 2:39 into the first round.
In the 185 title bout, Honokaa’s Kien Aveiro (4-0) defeated HIBC’s Yahsuha Mims (2-3) with a first-round TKO, 1:30 into the first round, when he pinned Mims against the fence and fired a barrage of punches.
In the 155 title battle, Honokaa’s Kaeo Meyers (8-5) defeated HIBC’s Matt Majamay (3-2) by unanimous decision. For all three rounds, Meyers was able to score takedowns, and dish out punches.
In a 145 interim belt matchup, Boss MMA’s Austin Bloch (6-1) defeated Team Puna’s Keoni Rodrigues by rear-naked choke, just 54 seconds into the first round.
Bloch is from Maui and attending UH-Hilo majoring in agriculture. He’s got a year left of school, but already has a agriculture job as a technician.
“We train hard and the coaches push me harder, which is perfect because it shows in the cage,” said Bloch, who’s been with Boss MMA for a year.
In a 115 title fight, Killabeez member Jeremy Pereira (4-0) defeated HIBC’s Chris Emeliano, who was making his amateur debut, by second-round guillotine.
The battle showed the risk-reward of going for takedowns. Emeliano got a takedown, but left his neck open. Pereira secured it on his fall to the floor, and soon got a submission.
“The feeling is indescribable,” Pereira said. “The key was he left his head open when he shot. It was right under my armpit and I took it.”
Other amateurs
Federico Vento is a 2013 Hilo graduate, who competed in judo and wrestling for the Vikings, skills that have helped him in MMA, especially against taller foes.
The 5-6 Vento used his striking to set up a pair of takedowns against Nat Rowland (6-6), who had a few inches on his younger opponent.
Vento relied on a back-heel judo trip for his first takedown, later got another, and worked his way to Rowland’s back where a rear-naked choke produced a tap-out submission.
In the opening fight at 155 pounds, Pagan MMA’s Avery Sanchis made his debut after turning 18 years old two weeks ago. He scored a second-round guillotine submission against Team Puna’s Isaac Soares (0-2).
“Winning is like no other feeling,” said Sanchis, whose older brother Andrew also fights. “I wanted to keep my mind quiet and focus on one thing, do what you have to do to win.”
Sanchis pointed out that he had no choice but to develop toughness because he got good lickings as a youngster from his big brother.
“Growing up, I got cracks from him,” Sanchis said. “The best tip he gave me and what he said to me before I went into the cage was show what a Sanchis can do.”
