Combat Games MMA held Supreme Showdown 7 at the Tulalip Resort and Casino on Saturday, January 14. The event was sold out and was streamed live on pay-per-view. There were four amateur bouts to kick off the card, followed by a five bout main card. The following is a recap of all of the fights.
Kees Huisman Takes Split Decision Against Sahab Khazei
Southpaw Kees Huisman opened the fight by pressuring early. Huisman attacked with a series of low kicks. After the fifth or sixth low kick offering, Huisman followed with a couple punches, landing a nice straight left hand. It was rinse and repeat with another inside leg kick followed by a 1-2 connection. Shab Khazei had enough of that and then shot for a takedown and landed it. However, Huisman was able to work his way back to standing after a brief period in which he was able avoid much, if any, damage on the ground. Khazei then had his best moments of the round as he landed a big right hand and immediately landed a nice head kick. With the strong finish to the round, coupled with the takedown, this was likely Khazei’s round.
To start Round 2, Huisman once again went to work with the low leg kicks. He also landed a solid 1-2 in the opening moments of the frame. Khazei then threw a kick, which Huisman countered and with Khazei off balance he momentarily went to the canvas. But Khazei immediately then shot for the takedown and landed it with Huisman against the fence. Khazei landed a few short left hands but Huisman once more quickly worked his way back to standing. Khazei landed a knee right as Huisman got back to standing and Huisman immediately answered with a solid left hand. The fighters then traded a series of punches during a flurry of action. Khazei then went for a low single shot and completed the takedown. Khazei immediately attacked with short punches and Huisman also attacked with punches from the bottom. Huisman then scooted over to the cage and used it to work back to the feet. As Huisman rose, Khazei attacked with a knee and was answered with a knee by Huisman. Khazei finished the round by landing a solid head kick.
Huisman continued with his pressure to start round 3. Early in the round, Khazei landed a nice right hand counter off of a Huisman low kick. Huisman then displayed a nice sneaky jab. But Khazei answered with a good right hand. Huisman then showed some creativity landing an uppercut followed by a left hook. Huisman then was able to use leverage to thwart a Khazei takedown attempt and end up in top position. Khazei briefly worked his way back up, but Huisman was able to take Khazei back down. Huisman was able pass to mount late in the round and transitioned to the back just prior to the end of the fight.
The judges gave Huisman the split decision in a fight that could have went either way. Huisman improved his amateur record to 1-0.
Austin Abby Defeats Michael Pratt By Third Round TKO Displaying Strong Wrestling In The Process
Austin Abby and Michael Pratt made their amateur MMA debuts in the second fight of the night. It was a slow start to the first half of the opening frame as the fighters took an extended period to feel each other out. Abby landed the first significant strike with a left body kick. Abby showed good timing with his shot as he secured a takedown and immediately went to work with a flurry of punches to the ribs. Abby then upped the intensity and threw some hard right hands. Abby then postured up a bit and landed four or five hard right hands to close out the round.
Abby once more displayed nice timing on a takedown attempt as he ducked under a punch and opened round 2 with a double leg takedown. Straight into side control, Abby initially looked to attack an americana but quickly abandoned the attempt. Abby then used his left knee to pin down Pratt’s right arm as he proceeded to land a few left hands. Abby then scored with some short right hands. Abby continued to work ground and pound from top position.
Pratt opened round 3 with a big haymaker that missed. About halfway through the round, Abby scored another double leg takedown. Abby then landed a series of left hands to the ribs and head. At 2:46 of round 3 the referee had seen enough and stopped the fight for an Abby TKO victory.
Francisco “El Guapo” Ramirez Defeats Chase Robinson By Third Round TKO
Francisco Ramirez wasted no time jumping on Chase Robinson at the start of the first round. El Guapo initially overwhelmed Robinson who ended up on the canvas as the result of a Ramirez right hand. Ramirez then threw a couple hammerfists that connected. Robinson then blocked a few more hammerfists but some of the offerings got through. Ramirez then transitioned from side control to full mount. Ramirez then hammered away with alternating lefts and rights. The fighters then rolled around a bit as Ramirez transitioned to the back. Midway through the round Robinson was bleeding from the punishment. Ramirez then decided to let up Robinson as he wanted to reset the fight on the feet. El Guapo then immediately pressured as Robinson backed up. To Robinson’s credit he was throwing punches as he retreated. Ramirez then scored another takedown as he clasped his hand and lifted Robinson up before putting him down. Ramirez attacked from top position with punches and hammerfists. A lot of the strikes did not land cleanly but some found their mark.
Robinson decided to go on the attack first in the second round as he opened the frame with an outside kick to the thigh and a front kick. El Guapo countered with a left hand. Ramirez then immediately followed with a nice left kick and a right hand and left and a right and a knee as he backed Robinson up against the cage. Ramirez continued the assault with punches, landing a solid left hand in the process. Robinson then got off a nice jab that snapped El Guapo’s head back. Robinson then landed a nice left hook. In the next sequence Ramirez attacked with a front kick which Robinson countered nicely with a right hand. But El Guapo ate it well and unleashed a flurry of eight or more punches as Robinson backed up against the cage. Many of the punches Ramirez threw were not with great power, but he kept touching Robinson doing damage in the process. Ramirez enjoyed a significant reach advantage in this fight and used it well. Late in the round, Ramirez scored another takedown. He attacked with strikes but there was little time to do much damage.
Robinson had a good start to the final round attacking with kicks. Ramirez then went on the assault for a final time. Ramirez landed solid uppercut and followed with a hard knee to the midsection that finished the bout via TKO at 1:11 of the final round. Ramirez improved his amateur record to 1-1 while Robinson fell to 0-2.
Jeremiah Robinson Takes Unanimous Decision Win Over Tanner Rigdon
Tanner Rigdon opened the final amateur bout of the night with a head kick and then immediately shot for a double leg. With Jeremiah Robinson up against the cage, Rigdon lifted his foe and almost completed the takedown but Robinson did well to keep his balance and thwart the attempt. Robinson then locked onto a standing guillotine that he used to take down Rigdon. Robinson landed some big right hands prior to Rigdon working his way back to standing. Rigdon then looked for another takedown and Robinson once more attacked a standing headlock and once again used the hold to secure a takedown. Robinson landed a few hammerfists before Rigdon briefly attempted an armbar. Robinson then attacked with right hands. Rigdon once more attacked an armbar that initially looked pretty deep but used the attempt to transition to Robinson’s back. Rigdon showed good jiu-jitsu in the round.
Robinson opened round 2 with a leg kick and Rigdon was immediately onto a single leg attempt. Rigdon briefly picked up Robinson but Robinson fought off the dump to keep it standing. With the fight on the feet in the clinch Rigdon pulled guard. With Robinson standing over Rigdon he attacked with hammerfists. Rigdon then used a double ankle sweep to put Robinson on the canvas. Rigdon then looked for an ankle lock before taking top half guard. Rigdon then looked for an arm-in guillotine as Robinson looked to get back to the feet. Robinson then reversed position by using his feet to push off the cage. Robinson scored with some left hands s he stood over Rigdon. Rigdon was wearing it at the end of the round with a fair amount of bleeding.
Rigdon opened with a front kick but missed on some kicks and a big punch that Robinson used to take down Rigdon. Robinson scored with a big left hand. Rigdon then attacked another armbar but Robinson defended well and delivered a left hand that scored. With the fight going back to the feet Rigdon looked for another takedown and Robinson responded with some hard hammerfists to the ribs. Rigdon then went to the ground that appeared to be the result of a slip and Robinson capitalized with hard left hands as he launched a vicious attack. Robinson won the fight by judges scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 30-28. With the win Robinson rises to 4-1 while Rigdon fell to 4-3.
Chris “Chapo” Garcia Wins Pro MMA Debut by Second Round TKO Against “Rambo” Rob Morrison
Chris “Chapo” Garcia started his pro mma career 1-0 with a second round TKO of “Rambo” Rob Morrison. Morrison opened the first round with a nice inside leg kick and Garcia responded with one of his own. Rambo then went to the waist-lock looking for a takedown. With the failed attempt, Rambo punched his way out of the clinch. Chapo then landed a nice left kick to the body. And Rambo responded with a inside low kick. Chapo then went on a flurry of strikes first landing a front kick, then a head kick and a 1-2 combination. With Rambo backed up to the fence, Chapo then let go with a flurry of punches. After Morrison landed an inside leg kick, Garcia continued with his forward pressure, landing several punches. Morrison had had enough of that and then shot for the takedown. He ended up on top but was unable to control Garcia for any length of time. With Garcia immediately back to the feet, Morrison locked on to an anaconda attempt. With Garcia backed up to the fence he escaped the submission attempt. After a brief clinch, Morrison landed a nifty elbow on the clinch break. Garcia then pushed forward and landed a solid 1-2 combination that appeared to stun Morrison. Another 1-2 then caused Morrison to bounce off the fence and fall forward onto the canvas. From top position, Chapo landed some hard right elbows. Morrison later attempted an armbar that initially appeared to be in deep. But Garcia defended well before Morrison gave up on the attempt and went back to full guard. Garcia did well to control top position, periodically posturing up to throw strikes. Garcia also landed some good, hard knees to the body as he stood over his grounded opponent.
Garcia pressured to open round 2. Morrison landed a solid inside leg kick to Garcia’s thigh. Rambo continued the offense by landing a solid overhand right. Chapo answered with a solid right hand of his own. Morrison clearly didn’t like the shot as he reached for his left eye but it did not appear there was any eye poke and the referee did not pause the fight. With Morrison’s back to the cage and bent over, Garcia connected with a kick to Morrison’s head. Garcia then dropped Morrison with another head kick. Garcia initially took top position but decided to disengage and reset the fight on the feet. Garcia then went on the attack with a front kick and multiple head kicks. The fighters traded kicks for a period of time before Garcia landed a 1-2 with the 2 landing hard behind Morrison’s ear. After Garcia landed two ore 1-2 combinations, Morrison dropped to the canvas. It appeared Morrison was looking for Garcia to enter his guard but Garcia wasn’t having it and waived Morrison back up to the feet. Morrison then missed with two haymakers and Garcia landed another solid 1-2 that had Morrison hurt and backing up to the fence to cover up. Another 1-2 from Garcia had Morrison once more dropping to his knees. Chapo turned his back to Morrison and celebrated a bit prematurely before the fight restarted on the feet. Another 1-2, a front kick, and a Garcia knee strike as Morrison tried to engage the clinch and then a jumping knee from Garcia had Morrison back on the canvas. From there Garcia landed four elbows to the head drawing the TKO stoppage at 2:49 of Round 2. Chapo Garcia rises to 1-0 with the victory and Rambo Morrison dropped to 0-2.
“The Pacific Northwest Badboy” Patrick Benson Submits Jordan Stjern in Round 1
It was a classic grappler versus striker matchup as Patrick Benson took on Jordan Stjern in the second pro mma bout on the card. The Pacific Northwest Badboy opened the striking in round one with an outside leg kick. Stjern then landed a nice jab which drew an immediate counterattack from Stjern as he threw a three punch combination, landing a right hand and left hook. Benson then went on the attack and landed several punches that backed Stjern up to the cage. Benson’s fast start continued as he landed a solid left hook and immediately shot for and converted a takedown directly into to half guard. Benson got busy with strikes straight of as he landed elbows and punches. Benson kept heavy top pressure. Benson then briefly took mount before sliding off to Stjern’s side as he produced a quick tap via head and arm choke at 2:19 of round one. Benson improved his pro record to 5-6 with the win and Stjern fell to 0-1.
Brian Nuro Defeats Charon Spain in Unanimous Decision
Brian Nuro used solid jiu-jitsu and excellent top control as he largely dominated this fight on the ground. Credit to Charon Spain’s toughness and ground defense, though, as Nuro was unable to get the finish. Nuro improved his pro record to 9-5 while Spain fell to 18-33.
“Flashy” Dex Montenegro Wins the Legends Welterweight Title With Round 2 TKO Over Matt “Livewire” Coble
Bang Muay Thai product Dex Montenegro won the Legends Welterweight Title in a clash with Matt Coble. Coble started strong as he went on the attack with punches backing up Montenegro. From the clinch Coble landed some solid knee strikes. After initially being controlled in the clinch, Montenegro was able to reverse the position and landed a solid knee of his own. Midway through the round, Montenegro landed a takedown along the fence. He was able to land some ground and pound before Coble reversed position. Coble immediately went to mount before transitioning to Montenegro’s back. Coble attacked a rear naked choke, but Montenegro defended well and was able to slip out of the position and turn into Coble’s guard. Montenegro landed some solid elbows and punches as the round came to a close. It was a fast paced first round with lots of action for the legends division.
The fight went to the ground early in round two as the fighters changed and reversed positions several times. Clearly exhausted from the first round, both fighters appeared to be struggling a bit with conditioning. The finish came as Montenegro secured mount and smashed elbows into Coble’s head. The referee has seen enough and stopped the fight via TKO at 3:01 of round two.
UFC Veteran Anthony Hamilton Defeats Juan Jose Figuerva Via Third Round TKO
It was a bit of a mismatch in experience and size as the thirty-three fight 6’5” Anthony Hamilton took on the 5’9” Juan Jose Figuerva who brought a 3-1 record into the bout. Hamilton spent the majority of the first round in top position from half guard throwing ground and pound. Figuerva, for his part, did a decent job defending and limiting damage. In round two it was more of the same as Hamilton controlled much of the round from top half guard. Figuerva had a nice moment early in round three when he landed a big right hand. Hamilton decided to not risk trading with Figuerva and immediately engaged the clinch. Along the fence Hamilton dumped Figuerva to the ground and once more was immediately into half guard. About 10-12 hard left hands had the referee calling the TKO at 1:27 of round three.