Mike Davis’s United Combat League put on their annual charity event, Season’s Beatings. The night of action took place at the Local 399 Union Hall in downtown Chicago. The night of action featured ten amateur mixed martial arts fights. All of the proceeds from the night went to Folds of Honor which provides scholarships to families of fallen soldiers. Davis stated that at least a full scholarship was raised.

The main event featured James Waller taking on Jimmy Moreno for the vacant light heavyweight title. The first round was a crazy back and forth boxing battle with both Waller and Moreno landing clean shots on the other. Moreno was looking to counter Waller’s punches and as such landed more in the round giving him the round. The second round Moreno switched things up and took Waller down. The entire round was spent on the canvas as Moreno transitioned from side control to mount to back mount. Waller kept trying to escape and toyed with being mounted or having Moreno take his back. Moreno was looking for a rear naked choke but when he couldn’t get it, he threw punch after punch. The third round Waller’s right eye looked nearly swollen shut and was caught with a right hand by Moreno. Moreno either didn’t realize it landed or was trying to set something else up as he didn’t follow. The two set their feet and started throwing. Moreno landed first and it seemed like Waller was going to go down, but then a perfectly placed right hook by Waller sent Moreno crashing to the canvas in a crazy knockout.

The co-main event featured David Hammonds taking on the crowd favorite Quinn Corbett. Corbett had a massive height advantage over Hammonds, but Hammonds immediately closed the distance and took him down right away. Hammonds postured up and started to throw left hand after left hand and Corbett was in trouble and tapped to the strikes.

After the break heavyweights Jeff Szakas and Eric Bucio took the cage. Szakas swarmed Bucio and pressed him against the cage. He was working for a takedown and got it, keeping all of his weight on top of Bucio. Bucio sat up and worked punches to the head of Szakas and after several went through clean Szakas tapped to the strikes.

Todd Wilson and Andrew Munoz were up before the intermission and they put on a fantastic fight. Munoz came out swinging and then shot for a takedown, but Wilson worked for a guillotine choke. It looked tight, but Munoz continued to move and worked his way out. The two stood up and Wilson dropped Munoz, but Munoz was quick to secure an armbar. Wilson stood up, curled Munoz who was on his arm, and then slammed him to the canvas to break the submission. He landed a couple of punches from on top before he stood up. Munoz then took him down and landed in side control. Wilson tried to escape but Munoz took his back and sunk in a fight ending rear naked choke.

The longest entrance award goes to Juan Tapia as his song was over halfway done playing before he came out against Bryan Titus. He also scored one of the fastest wins of the night as Titus immediately shot for a takedown and Tapia grabbed a guillotine. At first it was standing, but then he pulled guard and was able to tighten the choke and force the tapout at 31 seconds into the fight.

A quick bout between Eric Siciliano and Terry Little. Siciliano came out swinging and Little tried for a double leg takedown. Siciliano sprawled and defended then took Little’s back. He threw multiple punches earning the technical knockout.

Lawrence Sieber dropped Chris McDonough at the start of the fight. He pounced and it looked like the fight was going to be stopped, but the ref let the fight continue. McDonough and Sieber clinched and worked knees. McDonough took Sieber down and then worked punches. He took the mount and threw punch after punch. Sieber didn’t defend and the ref stopped the fight.

Andrew West came out swinging against Trevor Relyea and didn’t let up until the fight was over. West quickly charged Relyea and landed punch after punch. He threw a knee that looked clean, but Relyea said it was low and a time out was called. After the restart West continued to throw punch after punch. Relyea tried to take the fight to the ground, but West reversed. The two stood up and West again charged Relyea working punches against the cage. Relyea ducked down for a single leg, but West got his arm around the throat of Relyea and squeezed. Relyea gave a thumbs up, then his knees buckled and the ref stopped the fight.

Bit of a controversy between Augie Rodriguez and Robert Little. The first round Rodriguez took Little down and worked small punches from side control. He got too top heavy and Little was able to roll him over and worked on top. Little tried for a keylock to finish Rodriguez off, but it wasn’t there. Little was too high and Rodriguez was able to sweep him. Little gave up his back and Rodriguez finished the round with punches. The second round Little came out with a front kick and Rodriguez caught it and took him down. They got back up, but again the fight went to the ground. Rodriguez was working for a kimura or a straight arm armbar and Little started yelling while trying to muscle his way out. He did it a couple of times and the ref took it as a verbal submission and called the fight.

Kicking off the night of action was Jason Crose taking on Gilbert Grappling’s Justin Hughes. The two were quick close the distance and started throwing right hands at each other. Hughes ducked under and picked Crose up, slamming him to the canvas. He moved from side control to mount and threw a couple of punches. Crose tried to escape by giving up his back, but Hughes unloaded a flurry of punches forcing the ref to stop the fight.

Quick Results
Justin Hughes defeated Jason Crose by technical knockout at 0:35 of round one
Augie Rodriguez defeated Robert Little by verbal submission (Americana) at 1:47 of round two
Andrew West defeated Trevor Relyea by rear naked choke at 2:27 of round one
Chris McDonough defeated Lawrence Sieber by technical knockout at 2:20 of round one
Eric Siciliano defeated Terry Little by technical knockout at 0:41 of round one
Juan Tapia defeated Bryan Titus by guillotine choke at 0:31 of round one
Andrew Munoz defeated Todd Wilson by rear naked choke at 1:52 of round one
Eric Bucio defeated Jeff Szakas by submission due to strikes at 0:58 of round one
David Hammonds defeated Quinn Corbett by tapout due to strikes at 0:13 of round one
James Waller defeated Jimmy Moreno by knockout at 0:23 of round three

United Combat League put on their sophomore event at Bobak’s Signature Room in Woodridge, Illinois. The night of action was kicked off with two amateur kickboxing matches that got the crowd into the fights. The rest of the night showcased twenty amateur mixed martial arts fighters headlined by James Waller and Andrew Potapenko.

Waller rushed in at the start of the main event, but Potapenko was ready and landed a counter. He then threw a kick, but it was Waller’s turn to counter punch. Potapenko pulled guard as he had a good grip on the arm of Waller, but Waller started to throw bomb after bomb to get free. Potapenko tried to threaten a submission with his legs, but Waller opted to stand up and trade. Potapenko immediately clinched and Waller tripped the legs out from under Potapenko. Unfortunately for Waller he was reversed and Potapenko spent the last seconds of the round trying to pass to mount.

The second round Waller swarmed again, this time landing a knee. Potapenko wanted a takedown, but Waller countered with a guillotine. Potapenko popped free and landed an uppercut. Waller stepped back but a left hook landed flush and dropped him. Potapenko rushed and looked for the quick finish but Waller was able to recover. Potapenko adjusted his positioning, passed to mount and landed a big right hand. The right was enough to have Waller stop defending and the ref jumped in and stopped it.

The co-main event featured Kalee Howell taking on Deandra Brenn. Brenn took the fight to Howell immediately taking her down. She got the mount and started to throw punch after punch, but was holding the cage and was stood up with a warning. After the restart, Brenn again got the takedown and battled Howell. Brenn had a choke of some sort, but couldn’t secure a finish. The second round Brenn again scored the takedown. She immediately passed to mount but started to ride up to high. As she was attempting to sit back down, Howell muscled her way to a reversal. Brenn’s head was pushed against the cage and Howell unloaded with every bit of strength she had left. Brenn wasn’t defending enough and the ref stopped the fight.

David Mitchell rushed Hassan Umer at the start of the bell for a takedown, but Umer defended it well. He then dropped for a single leg takedown of his own, but Mitchell wanted a guillotine. Umer popped free from the submission and then scored another takedown. Mitchell gave up his back and Umer sunk in a rear naked choke. After a small grip adjustment, Mitchell was forced to tap.

There were back-to-back knockouts, both ending quickly. First up James Camisa took a big punch from Skylar Lindsey, but then countered and dropped Lindsey. He followed up with two short punches as the ref pulled him off, but they were unneeded. Just after Xavier Guzman took on Matt Colt. Colt came out with kicks, while Guzman wanted to counter. Another counter by Guzman that lands and Colt is unconscious.

Shane Camp and Mike Murphy should both be awarded a tough-to-finish award. In the first round Murphy defended a takedown attempt and worked for a D’Rce choke. He couldn’t get it, and switched to a guillotine choke. Again he couldn’t finish, so he let it go and took Camp’s back. He rode the back of Camp to mount and back all the while throwing punches. Camp tried to roll out, and Murphy used the opportunity to try for an arm triangle choke. He had it in deep, but couldn’t get the angle as he was against the cage as time ran out. The second round Murphy landed a right and Camp returned the favor. This time Camp defended the takedown attempt and wound up with a top mounted guillotine. He tried to adjust several times, but eventually he was too high and had to let go of the choke. Murphy rolled him over, and Camp threatened with a kimura, but time expired. All tied up after two rounds both fighters wanted to leave it all in the cage. Murphy scored the quick takedown and both fighters worked short punches. Murphy was able to pass to side control and against wanted the arm triangle. Camp was able to escape, but Murphy was able to control the position for the rest of the round . The judges were split, but Murphy won the fight.

Heavyweight Robert Little opened the fight with a flying kick against Pete Juska. Juska was able to avoid it, but the two fighters clinched against the cage. Juska landed body punches while Little worked knees to the body. Little attempted a standing guillotine, but Juska was able to escape. Once free of the submission attempt he unloaded a barrage of punches. Little looked hurt and he immediately clinched to recover. The two fighters separate and Little slipped while back-peddling. Juska tried to rush Little, but Little was able to shoot for a takedown and got it. Little started to work hammer fists, but Juska threw his legs up and secured an armbar. He adjusted his grip and Little was forced to tap.

Mike Demakes and John Marino put on an exciting back and forth battle. Demakes scored a takedown early but Marino tried to counter with a guillotine. Marino held onto the guillotine attempt for a long time before Demakes was able to slip free. Once out he started to work punches to the ribs. He postured up and threw short jabs before settling back into the guard. Marino was looking for an arm to trap, but Demakes kept punching his way out. Marino was able to push away and stood up, but not without eating several knees on his way up. Marino returned the favor by landing a knee to the body of Demakes who crumbled to the ground. Marino swarmed, but Demakes was playing possum as he secured a triangle. He couldn’t get the leverage and let it go as time expired in the round. The second the two fighters immediately went toe-to-toe before Marino scored a takedown. Demakes was able to trap an arm and had a deep armbar. Somehow Marino escaped and he started to throw punch after punch. He took the back and continued his punching assault until the ref stopped the fight.

Jason Croses had a reach advantage over Vaughn Camacho and tried to utilize it at the start with a kick. Camacho landed a straight right hand and then clinched. The two fighters went down, then stood back up and Croses landed a big knee. The two separate and Camacho lands a great one-two combo and Croses stumbled. Camacho jumped on Croses, took his back and sunk in a rear naked choke.

Both Martin Jones and Jorge Ignacio threw feint after feint to start the fight. Neither looked like they wanted to commit to a punch, so Ignacio threw a big leg kick to start the damage. Martin looked for a jab, but Ignacio countered with an overhand right. Martin rushed in, clinched and threw knees, but Ignacio took him down for his troubles. Ignacio was able to get Martin’s back, but Martin was trying to hold the held. Once he let go, Ignacio was able to get his hooks in as well as his arm under the chin of Martin and secure the fight ending rear naked choke.

Amateur MMA Quick Results
Jorge Ignacio defeated Martin Jones by rear naked choke at 1:26 of round 1
Vaughn Camacho defeated Jason Croses by rear naked choke at 1:10 of round 1
John Marino defeated Mike Demakes by TKO at 1:34 of round 2
Pete Juska defeated Robert Little by armbar at 2:17 of round 1
Mike Murphy defeated Shane Camp by split decision
James Camisa defeated Skyler Lindsey by knockout at 0:13 of round 1
Xavier Guzman defeated Matt Colt by knockout at 0:26 of round 1
Hassan Umer defeated David Mitchell by rear naked choke at 1:44 of round 1
Kalee Howell defeated Deandra Brenn by technical knockout at 1:46 of round 2
Andrew Potapenko defeated James Waller by technical knockout at 1:06 of round 2

Muay Thai Quick Results
Nick Savino defeated Asef Aksar by unanimous decision
Jeremy Miller defeated Askar Askar by split decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28

Cage provided by Kage Concepts. Visit them online at www.kageconcepts.net

Mike Davis is back with his second event under new banner United Combat League. This time the all amateur event will take place at Bobak’s Signature Room in Woodridge, Illinois.

Scheduled to fight on Thursday are two flyweight amateurs who have been making a splash on the scene as Dannie Lee and Matt Wilcox are set to throw down.

Additional fighters scheduled to appear on the card include Andrew Potapenko, James Waller, Mike Murphy and Vaughn Camacho.

The first UCL event took place at Bourbon Street and was a near sellout crowd. Impressive considering it took place on a Wednesday and was a new promotion to the venue.

For more information on United Combat League, visit them online at www.uclmma.com