CageWarriors Northwest held its debut MMA event on Saturday November 19 at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Vancouver, Washington. There were a total of eight MMA bouts on the card. The first four were amateur bouts and the last four were professional. The scheduled main event between John Simon and Jarel Askew was canceled after Askew missed weight.
Gavin Rice Defeats Shawn Sack via Tap to Strikes in First Round
Gavin Rice improved his amateur MMA record to 3-0 with a first round finish of Shawn Sack. Rice started quickly landing leg kicks. Sack, who was making his amateur MMA debut, then threw a big overhand right that connected. Sack shortly thereafter threw another big overhand right but Rice was ready as he deftly ducked under the punch to convert a takedown. From top half guard, Rice then went to work with right hands. He kept up a fast pace on the ground as Sack was unable to work his way out of the position. The bout came to an end at 1:28 of the first round when Sack tapped to strikes.
Tyler Hoogendoorn Submits Josh Adams with Second Round Rear Naked Choke
Josh Adams started the second amateur bout of the night started fast, connecting with an overhand right as he charged forward. Adams landed a nice right hand to the body and followed with a single leg takedown attempt up against the cage. Tyler Hoogendoorn defended the initial attempt well and attacked with standing hammerfist punches before Adams gave up on the single leg attempt. Adams then engaged the clinch and secured a trip takedown. Adams quickly passed to side control and scored with right hands to the body.
Hoogendoorn, however, did well to quickly work his way back to standing. Hoogendoorn then scored with a solid knee to the midsection before putting Adams’s back up against the cage in the clinch. Hoogendoorn then got a takedown of his own where he quickly transitioned from top half guard into mount. Hoogendoorn scored with a handful of big right hands to the face. Although Hoogendoorn spent less time in top position than Adams, he landed the more damaging ground strikes to rate the edge in the first round.
Hoogendoorn put a quick end to the fight in the second round as he started fast by landing a hard outside leg kick. After Adams missed with a right hand, Hoogendoorn countered with a big right hand and knee to the body as Adams charged forward. After connecting with the knee, Hoogendoorn stuffed Adams shot and collapsed on top of him to take top position. Hoogendoorn immediately took Adams back and started quickly secured the rear naked choke just 0:54 into the second round.
Tyler Morris Wins Amateur MMA Debut Against Preston Gregory
Both flyweights in this amateur MMA bout displayed good quickness and striking throughout all three rounds. But it was Tyler Morris who took the unanimous decision 30-27 on all three judges’ scorecards. Morris had success early in the first round with both low kicks and body kicks. Morris showed some flair, as well, by throwing spinning back fist, left head kick combination. Preston Gregory also had success with kicks, in particular landing several hard body kicks in the opening frame. However, it was Morris who pushed the pace in the first round. Morris also landed a takedown at the very end of the round.
The best strike of the fight happened in the second round when Morris landed a big left hand that backed Gregory up against the cage. Morris followed up with a flurry of punches. Gregory smartly engaged the clinch to stop the attack. Late in the round the fighters traded hard body kicks.
Morris started the third round with more hard leg kicks, a technique that he had success with throughout the fight. Gregory continued to have success with body kicks in the final frame. But Morris, a southpaw, closed the fight strong by scoring with several hard left hands and a knee at the end of the third round.
Nicol Hansen Submits Mireya Sanchez by First Round Armbar
Nicol Hansen opened the fight attacking with outside leg kicks as Mireya Sanchez pressured. Continuing with pressure, Sanchez blitzed forward and landed a flurry of nice punches, drawing the clinch from Hansen to stem the attack. Hansen maneuvered Sanchez up against the cage and landed a couple short punches and knees. Sanchez looked for a judo throw takedown from the clinch. On Sanchez’s second attempt at a throw, the fighters went down to the mat but it was Hansen who was able to maintain her position and take Sanchez’s back. Sanchez tried to twist and turn into Hansen’s guard and was able to land a couple left hands during her attempt to reverse. But Hansen was able to maintain the position and quickly got the armbar tap. The end came at 1:29 into the first round.
Alvin Welch Impresses with Knockout in Pro Debut
Alvin Welch made a statement with his power in a knockout victory in his professional MMA debut. Welch opened the first round by landing a solid side kick. Chris Varner responded with an inside leg kick. Welch then responded with a hard inside leg kick and a counter right hand. But it was a huge left hand from Welch that put Varner out cold and ended the fight just 44 seconds into the first round. With the loss Varner’s pro record dropped to 1-5.
Austin Daffron Wins Pro Debit with First Round Rear Naked Choke Submission of Quenton Hansen
Early in the first round Austin Daffron applied pressure as Quenton Hansen appeared to be looking for opportunities to counter. Both fighters landed body kicks and leg kicks in the early going. After the fighters traded hard body kicks, Hansen looked for a takedown. With the fight in the clinch Daffron attacked with elbows as his back was up against the cage. The elbow strikes caused a clinch break and Hansen threw a big right hand that was blocked by Daffron. As Hansen then closed distance, Daffron landed a solid left knee but Hansen caught the knee and then took Daffron down as Daffron was immediately looking for the guillotine. Daffron used butterfly hooks to reverse position and kick over into a mounted guillotine. After losing the guillotine from top position Daffron took Hansen’s back as Hansen tried to get up. Daffron showed excellent jiu-jitsu however as he quickly applied the rear naked choke to secure the tap.
Aireon Tavarres Takes Unanimous Decision Against Adland Benson
Aireon Tavarres was able to overcome a significant height and reach disadvantage against Adland Benson in taking a unanimous decision victory by judges’ scores of 29-28, 30-27, 30-27. In the first round Tavarres opened aggressively. Tavarres showed impressive heart by repeatedly charging forward, owing to the reach disparity, to land strikes. An early front kick followed by a flurry of punches by Tavarres had Benson up against the cage. Benson attempted to blunt the attack by engaging the thai clinch, but Tavarres broke the clinch with a flurry of punches. Benson then got some offense going with a right head kick followed by a jab. The jab appeared to be an underutilized technique throughout the fight for Benson considering his length. Tavarres stayed on the offensive, ducking under one punch and landing a solid left hand to the body. After the fighters engaged the thai clinch again, Tavarres landed some hard knees to the body. Benson responded by taking Tavarres down. Benson landed a solid left elbow after escaping a Tavarres guillotine attempt. After briefly standing up over his grounded opponent, Benson immediately passed to full mount and when Tavarres turned belly down, Benson attacked with a flurry of punches and hammerfists. Tavarres then did well to escape to the feet, but Benson quickly secured another takedown. Benson scored with a left elbow but right before the round ended Tavarres reversed and landed a couple solid punches.
Early in the second round, Tavarres had success with landing multiple kicks. After a couple nice right hand counters for Benson, the southpaw Tavarres landed a big left hand after landing a couple body punches. Tavarres was the more active fighter in the second round, a frame that featured a significantly slower pace than the first round as both fighters appeared to be a bit tired. Tavarres scored with some nice leg kicks late in the round.
The fighters quickly went to the clinch in the third round. Tavarres had success with knees to the body from the clinch. After the fight went to the ground, Tavarres spent a good portion of the round in top control. Benson attacked with triangle attempts, but Tavarres defended well. At the end of the final frame Tavarres landed a few heavy punches.
Brandon Cromartie Uses Wrestling Heavy Attack in Decision Victory over Brennan Crow
Brennan Crow opened the first round landing a couple jabs and an outside low kick before Brandon Cromartie quickly started in on his wrestling heavy game plan. After securing the double leg takedown, Cromartie attacked with some nasty elbows. After a brief scramble, Cromartie briefly had Crow’s back. While working from top position midway through the round, Cromartie unleashed a barrage of elbows that battered Crow. Cromartie also looked for an anaconda choke late in the round. The opening frame was a dominant round for Cromartie.
Early in the second round, Cromartie shot for a takedown, but Crow defended well by sprawling and forcing Cromartie to the mat before Crow took top position. But Cromartie showed his grappling superiority by sweeping and taking top position. Cromartie did well to control Crow and spend the rest of the round in top position. Cromartie attacked with punches and elbows, but used a much more measured pace than in the first round. Cromartie blasted Crow with a couple hard elbows as the round closed.
Early in the final round Cromartie shot for a double leg and converted the takedown attempt. Cromartie attacked with left hands. Crow, for his part, did a good job defending from guard and after a period in which Cromartie was fairly inactive from top position the referee reset the fight on the feet. Cromartie immediately landed a big left hand that appeared to rock Crow. Cromartie then shot for another takedown, but Crow was able to sprawl effectively and take Cromartie’s back in the process. Crow looked for a rear naked choke but Crow was a bit high in his positioning and Cromartie was able to escape out of the bottom. Cromartie then quickly took top position and attacked with punches and elbows. Cromartie won the decision on scorecards of 29-28, 30-27, 30-27.