Hoosier Fight Club 11: Play-by-Play

HFC 11 Poster

Hoosier Fight Club 11 took place at the Porter County Fair Grounds in Valparaiso, Indiana on Saturday June 2.  The night of action featured seven professional mixed martial arts bouts and five amateur fights.  Like many HFC events, the card featured a mix of top local talent and former UFC stars.  The full recap and results are below.

Main Event: Welterweight – Chuck O’Neil vs. Kevin Nowaczyk
Round One: Nowaczyk opened up with a hook that stunned O’Neil for an instant, but O’Neil answered with body lock then moved against the cage. O’Neil delivered a knee while Nowaczyk delivered a jab at the same time. O’Neil walked down Nowaczyk for the most part, but both fighters gave and took solid shots and mixed up their standing strikes. Nowaczyk started to end all combos with an inside leg kick that may pay dividends later. O’Neil delivered a left hook that stun Nowaczyk enough to attempt a single leg against the cage. Nowaczyk fought out of it. The round ends with O’Neil pinning Nowaczyk against the cage and landing small body shots.

Round Two: both mixed their strikes to start he round and O’Neil delivered a knee to end the exchange. Nowaczyk started to bleed from his nose while O’Neil’s face is red from punches. Nowaczyk threw unusual hand faints, but it didn’t seem to faze O’Neil. More knees landed by O’Neil while near the cage. Another takedown defended by Nowaczyk. Nowaczyk started to land more punches than in the first round. Both fought at an advanced level as the round ended. A very spirited fight with the crowd’s appreciation.

Round Three: O’Neil landed first with an upper cut while Nowaczyk continued to throw long combinations. Body shots and kicks were traded at the start of this round. O’Neil continued from the previous rounds by taking the center and walking down Nowaczyk. Another takedown stuffed by Nowaczyk against the cage. Nowaczyk landed a heavy right hook to the side of O’Neil’s head. O’Neil moved in for another takedown from the high crotch position. Nowaczyk got out of the takedown attempt and landed more punches and kicks as the fight ends.

Kevin Nowaczyk defeats Chuck O’Neil via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)

Co-Main Event: Featherweight – Anthony Hill vs. Lance Surma
Round One: Hill came out with traditional MT stance and kicks. Surma rushed in for a body lock against the cage. Solid hook from Surma after the break. Hill answered with a huge spinning back kick directly to the liver that slowed Surma down tremendously. Hill moved in to finish, but Surma moved off of his back and sprung into a power double into closed guard. Surma delivered elbows to the side of Hill’s face until he couldn’t fight back and the ref stopped the fight.

Lance Surma defeats Anthony Hill via KO (elbows) at 2.40 of round one

Catch weight – Dustin Jacoby vs. Billy Johnson
Round One: Jacoby stalked Johnson down in the opening seconds. Johnson dove in for a takedown and ate a right hook to the temple on the way down to Jacoby’s hips. Jacoby leaned his hips on the back of Johnson‘s neck and delivered more punches until the ref called the fight.

Dustin Jacoby defeats Billy Johnson via KO at .45 of round one

Bantamweight – Jake Griggson vs. Rob Menigoz
Round One: Menigoz may have been a little disrespected and therefore angry after not touching gloves and unloaded punches on Griggson. Then Menigoz moved for a takedown against the cage. Menigoz controlled the middle of the round on top and in his own corner. Menigoz also delivered ground and pound punches. Griggson exploded to push Menigoz out of guard and delivered an up kick to the chin. Menigoz continued his ground and pound as the round ended.

Round Two: both came out and exploded with punches, but Menigoz came out on top with a right hook that landed on Griggson. Menigoz went in for the takedown and more ground and pound. Griggson finally sprung out from under Menigoz, but found himself defending a triangle attempt from Menigoz. Griggson forced to tap after a valiant effort to get out of the hold.

Rob Menigoz defeats Rob Menigoz via Tapout due to a triangle choke at 3.30 of round two

Middleweight – Dan Sandmann vs. John Cantu
Round One: Sandmann stunned Cantu early with punches, but Cantu countered with a takedown into half guard. Cantu worked ground and pound from there. Sandmann worked back to full guard, but Cantu postured up. In the transition from Cantu, Sandmann had space to stand up. Cantu delivered a huge knee while Sandmann’s corner tell him that Cantu‘s got no hands. Cantu started to bleed from the nose. Sandmann dropped Cantu with punches, but Cantu grabbed a single for a takedown. Sandmann reached behind Cantu‘s back to grab Cantu‘s left heal for an awkward submission, but unsuccessful. Sandmann pinned Cantu against the cage with standing range strikes, both punches and kicks until Cantu dropped to the floor. Sandmann pounced on him to finish the fight.

Dan Sandmann defeats John Cantu via TKO at 4.35 of round one

Bantamweight – Michael Shields vs. Matt Hemry
Round One: Hemry tagged Shields early, but Shields gave it right back. Shields pushed the action against the cage to deliver a knee to the midsection of Hemry. They both landed jabs at the same time and snap their necks back. Hemry landed a solid right hook and jab combination that dropped Shields straight to his backside. He stood back up quickly to deliver punishment of his own as Hemry looked woozy from a punch landed by Shields. Another takedown attempt from red to push them against the cage, but Shields powered off and out of Hemry‘s control. Hemry now showed damage with a cut over his right eye after a flurry of punches rom Shields. Hemry secured a takedown into guard. Hemry landed some ground and pound, but Shields put him in a triangle as the round ended.

Round Two: after trading several blows, Hemry decided that it was time to go to the ground with a double leg into closed guard. Shields again, put up his legs for a submission attempt, but Hemry backed out of it. Shields stood up, but he was met with an another flurry of punches and knees from Hemry. Another takedown from Hemry after he didn’t finish the fight on the feet. Shields fought back up again. A third takedown attempt was reversed and Shields was able to take the back for a few seconds, but Hemry slipped out the back and into guard. Shields worked to get another triangle from the bottom and secured it for several seconds. Hemry finally worked out of the submission attempt and delivered heavy ground an pound as the round ended.

Round Three: Hemry dropped Shields early in the round and more ground and pound from guard. Hemry passed the guard and into side control until Shields attacked a leg for a leg lock attempt. Hemry delivered more ground and pound while his right leg was attacked for a heal hook attempt. Hemry moved down to go chest-to-chest with his opponent to secure a shoulder lock, then began to squeeze.

Matt Hemry defeats Michael Shields via Tapout due to shoulder choke at 2.36 of round three

Bantamweight – Larry Digiulio vs. Lloyd Carter
Round One: Carter came out with some jesters and antics that the crowd didn’t like. Carter smiled and shook his head then Digiulio jabbed his opponent right in the mouth to please the crowd greatly. More standing strikes traded with most of them missing their indented targets. A right hook landed on Carter‘s chin, but continued to push forward unfazed. Carter showed excellent showmanship and evasive maneuvers. Crowd was not happy with that round.

Round Two: Carter opened the second as he did in the first with single strikes and dodging Digiulio’s strikes plus takedowns. Both fighters started to take large steps to reach the target. Digiulio finally reached his target and sent Carter flying back against the cage, but quickly bounced off back into the center. Digiulio ran in for a double leg takedown against the cage and the crowd was extremely excited about that, but he couldn’t hold Carter down for long as he escaped from the bottom. Carter finally got on the score board with a solid left head kick, but Digiulio was still on his feet at the end of the round.

Round Three: Digiulio continued his pursuit of Carter to start the last round. Carter demonstrating his footwork for the crowd, but they’re not impressed. Digiulio landed solid headshots and Carter just takes them then motioned his hands to asked for more. Digiulio landed a punch from his knees when they stood back up from a judo scramble. Crowd started to chant for Digiulio. Both fighters need to learn how to cut off the cage instead of circle each other like planets. Fight ended with both fighters raising their hands and the crowd knowingly unhappy.

Larry Digulio defeated Lloyd Carter via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)

Amateur Bouts MMA

Featherweight – Brandon Shelhart vs. Jacob Morales
Round One: Morales countered a kick into a takedown attempt, but he didn’t follow through with it to completion. Shelhart caught Morales with a punch to the head and that started the flurry that lead into a battle of position against the cage. Small punches and footwork mostly while against the wall. Shelhart ended the round with a double leg takedown, but with no time to work.

Round Two: Morales was getting off first at the start of this round. Morales pushed forward with heavy and fast punches then followed it up with an unsuccessful single leg takedown against the cage. Shelhart started to fight back with single strikes while Morales circled around him. Shelhart was swinging his strikes just out of range of Morales‘s body parts. Morales displayed excellent dodging and body positioning in that round.

Round Three: Morales pushed forward immediately with punches, but Shelhart countered with a double leg takedown into half guard. Ground and pound from Shelhart while he was in the top position while Morales tried to lock him down. Shelhart secured side control, but Morales quickly powered up to reverse the position and while on the way up back to their feet Morales went for a quick guillotine attempt. That was smartly shaken off by Shelhart. The fight ended with Shelhart in Morales‘s guard swinging his punches towards Morales‘s body. The crowd was split, but in the whole fight.

Brandon Shelhart defeats Jacob Morales via split decision (29-28; 29-28; 30-27)

Welterweight – Ricky Newton vs. Kyle Klein
Round One: good knee delivered from Klein during the clinch position. Strong scramble during a body lock takedown attempt from Newton. Unsuccessful and they went back tot eh center for striking. Powerful jab from Klein to stun Newton. When they got back in range, Klein delivered a knee to the liver that dropped Newton instantly and the ref moved in to call the fight.

Kyle Klein defeats Ricky Newton via Tapout due to strikes (knee to the body) at 1.56 of round one

Lightweight – Jordan Downey vs. James Frasure
Round One: Frasure opened up with an unusual striking stance and Downey made him pay for it with a strong jab. Frasure quickly went to a more traditional striking stance. After Frasure swung wildly, he closed the distance for a double leg takedown into full guard. Frasure delivered heavy ground and pound punches (right in front of me; awesome). Downey tried to walk up the cage, but to no avail. Downey threw his legs up for a last minute triangle attempt, but it was smartly stuffed by Frasure, then moved into side control. More ground and pound punches from Frasure as the round ended.

Round Two: Downey delivered a crafty head kick to the chin, but Frasure took it and pushed forward seemly unfazed. Superman punch from Frasure then directly into a double-leg takedown into half butterfly guard. Frasure soon past the one leg for full mount. Downey turned over into turtle then red secured the arm after an RNC attempt. Downey finally tapped out.

James Frasure defeats Jordan Downey via Tapout due to an arm bar at 2.16 of round two

Bantamweight – Jon Ciavirelli vs. Johnathan Bandy (red)
Round One: Bandy opened up with fire on his hands and landed good head strikes. Ciavirelli countered with a dropping left hook. Ciavirelli corner called for a finishing head kick, but he didn’t oblige. Ciavirelli looked to mix up his strikes, but Bandy just powered in close to push his opponent against the cage for clinch work. Ciavirelli delivered one good kneed before separation. Bandy retaliated with a slapping body kick to the liver and the crowd loved it. A counter takedown into guard from Ciavirelli after catching a leg kick from Bandy. Ciavirelli went for ground and pound, but Bandy throw up a armbar submission attempt at the closing seconds of the round.

Round Two: Bandy opened up with a stiff jab that buckled Ciavirelli’s knees but quickly recovered and delivered power strikes of his own. More good knees delivered from Ciavirelli as they move in the clinch against the cage. Bandy went for a single leg takedown against the cage, but Ciavirelli reached down to counter with a guillotine choke. Bandy quickly released the attempt. Bandy ended with another takedown counter from Ciavirelli’s body kick. Note: Bandy‘s right ribs are red and pink from the body kick from the first round.

Round Three: Bandy caught Ciavirelli with a right hook that dazed him and put him against the cage. A third takedown counter from a kick from Bandy. More ground and pound from Bandy from top position. Ciavirelli fought hard to get back to full guard after more heavy ground and pound from Bandy.

Johnathan Bandy defeats Jon Ciacirelli via Split Decision (29-28; 29-28; 30-27)

Lightweight – Nick Armstrong vs. Nicholas Martinez (red)
Round One: Martinez landed a left hook, but Armstrong turned it into an opportunity for a takedown for side control. Armstrong pushed his opponent against the cage to secure his arms around Martinez‘s neck then continue to squeeze. Martinez tapped out with his free hand on Armstrong’s back; ref stopped the fight.

Nick Armstrong defeats Nicholas Martinez via Tapout due to a von flue choke at 1.10 of round one