Jenkins vs Rios

MCC 37 “Thanksgiving Throwdown” Main Card Review

Gary Hedlund vs. Ronnie Britt, 3rd, RNC

When Ronnie “The Warfrog” Britt lost his fourth ever mixed martial arts fight at MCC 36, many people thought the 46 year old would hang it up (really hang it up this time), but rather than calling it quits he immediately asked for another fight.

He was called out by Gary Hedlund and the match was set up.

Hedlund, a 39 year old fighter from Precision Combat Training claims the call out was strictly out of respect and the rumor that Britt was hard to match up given his skill set and friendly bond with many of the local fighters.

Regardless, the request fueled the fire of Britt who turned to several local gyms to fine tune his fight game. Training with younger, faster fighters is exactly the formula Britt wanted to put into place even though this time, he would finally be facing someone closer in age.

On paper, Britt was the shoo in for a W. Hedlund with just four fights and Britt with twenty four, most though this would end early in the first. Not Hedlund though!

For almost three straight round both fighters went toe to toe, boxing, kicking, clinching, grappling and trying to best the other one. It was close. Britt was there to prove that the ol’ frog still had it in him to compete and Hedlund was out to get respect.

They both accomplished their goals.

Britt, however, proved that experience and will to survive would outlast raw determination as he submitted his opponent with a rear naked choke late in the final round.

Hats off to Hedlund for challenging himself so early into his career and props to Britt who teased that he would compete until the ripe age of 50.

Have you even seen someone enter the cage with a walker?

Andy Stock vs. Victor Moreno

With the possibility of Moreno’s career winding down, he certainly showed now signs of stopping in his win over journeyman, Andy “The Bully” Stock.

While most fans are used to seeing flashy strikes from “Superman”, he seemed to have taken a page out of his trainer and close friend, Josh Neer’s book; The Art of Ground and Pound!

Moreno looked light on his feet at he outpointed the 25-fight veteran, but the real display of talent came once the fight went to the ground. Using a takedown off a missed punch, Moreno pushed his opponent against the cage and delivered a flurry of jack hammers to the head and body of Stock.

As time winded down in the opening frame, Moreno locked up an arm bar- yes, that’s right… Victor Moreno does know how to use submissions! This one was tight, and with no where to spin, Stock was forced to tap with just five seconds remaining in the round!

It was a triumphant return for the former king of the welterweight division. Moreno stated that he will sit back and wait for a fight from his long-time rival, Ben Crowder before he finally hangs up the gloves!

Doug Jenkins vs. Miguel Rios

Fight of the night, right here! If you missed this one, kindly ball up your own fist and punch yourself in a place of choice on our own body because you deserve that!

There is no other word I could possibly use to describe these guys other than: warrior. Period!

This is the type of fight that does one of two things for a fight fan- it either motivates them to join a gym, train their ass off, and someday have a fight like this, or… makes them glad they paid for their seat because that’s as close as they’d ever want to be to a battle like this!

Three rounds, back and forth action- both on the feet and on the ground, quite a few cuts, a lot of blood and sweat and two guys who had to dig deep to pull off fifteen minutes of fighting. Did I even come close to describing this? Probably not…

Congratulations to Miguel “El Rey” Rios, Jr. for pulling out a hard earned decision win over Hear of a Warrior and two-time fight of the night winner, Doug Jenkins.

I’m pretty sure that Jenkins, a South Dakota based mixed martial artist is going to develop quite a big fan base after this battle. Keep your eyes out for him when he returns to his natural weight class of 155 lbs.

Kevin Burns vs. Eddie Larrea

After a year long layoff, five time UFC veteran, Kevin “The Fire” Burns was chomping at the bit to step back in the cage. Originally set to face undefeated prospect, Jay Woods, Burns was fired up when called a “stepping stone” on the way to the UFC. When Woods was forced out of the contest due to an injury sustained in training camp, Wisconsin knock out artists, “Fast” Eddie Larrea quickly answered the call.

Unfortunately for Larrea, he had to bear the brunt of Woods harsh words, and Burns had no intentions of letting Larrea showcase his hands!

As the bout began, Larrea came out quickly in an attempt to catch Burns off guard. However, for someone who has fought the toughest competition in the sport, Larrea displayed no tricks that Burns has not seen in the past. Using his always developing wrestling skills, Burns took Larrea out of his comfort zone and onto the mat where he went to work with swift punches to the head and body. The flurry forced “Fast” Eddie to make the terminal mistake of giving up his back to avoid further battering. And when he did Burns was able to sign, seal and deliver the bout-ending envelop which was the rear naked choke submission at just 1:09 of the opening frame.

Burns, who stated his intentions of making his way back to the UFC took one step closer. Look for Burns to return to the MCC cage in the near future (hopefully against his original opponent, Jay Woods!)

Miguel Rios

Fighter Focus: Miguel “El Rey” Rios, Jr. carries on four-year tradition at Thanksgiving Throwdown, looks to impress fans and his students alike

MCC: Miguel, welcome back to MCC. Since we last talked to you it sounds like you are training with same crew but moved locations and you started your own MMA gym. Wow- busy man! Tell us all about all of that.

MR: I like to train year round and I’m blessed to have excellent training partners who also take training very seriously. I have trained under the coaching of Josh Neer for nearly three years now and will continue to as long as I can. Due to some unfortunate circumstances we were recently without a training facility but through (North HS wrestling coach) Geno Hildreth, we were able to move into North High Wrestling room without missing any practice time. We trained at North for three weeks but now will a permanent home at a new gym. I am very excited to add more coaches and a great facility for my MMA training.

As far as my own project. back in September, I went to Knoxville and trained with several area pro fighters including (MCC stand-out) Matt Rider because they wanted to sharpen up some of their ground fighting skills. A few days after that training session, I was contacted by ICE Performance Training Center (8803 SE 32nd Ave, Runnells, IA). They had a youth wrestling program already established at the facility, but they were interested in adding a MMA training program. They heard from Matt Rider and the guys from Knoxville that I did a good job showing the techniques and enforcing the basics. They were interested in doing their MMA training under my influence and coaching. I agreed immediately to do it and we now have had 4 weeks of MMA training at the facility. You’re right- I now have a lot on my plate with my teammates and my students, but it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted.

MCC: Best of luck with all of that. You are an outstanding fighter. I’m sure your knowledge will go along way with developing the careers of other fighters. Speaking of training, are you doing anything differently for Jenkins that you haven’t done in the past?

MR: I continue to expand on my all around game and I don’t try to focus on what my opponent does well. I try to emphasize being ready for any situation in a fight and not worried about specific techniques or situations. Just like any fights at the pro level, I must make sure I’m in excellent conditioning in order to fight at 100% the whole fight.

MCC: How do you see this fight with Jenkins going?

MR: I expect this fight to cover all areas of the cage. He has a high motor and no quit attitude, so this fight will not be quick. I must capitalize on his errors and make sure I don’t commit any fatal mistakes.

MCC: From watching his last fight against Ronnie Britt, what holes did you see in his game?

MR: Honestly, I’d rather not attempt to break him down because I expect him to be better than his previous performances. He will bring a tough fight to me. I’m sure of that.

MCC: You said you like to stay in shape year-round, so I assume everything is coming into place as far as your conditioning and weight goes. What is your plan in training and diet over the next couple weeks leading up to this fight?

MR: I plan on continuing training with the same group of guys so my conditioning will be as good as always. Plus, I also get to train with my students at ICE Performance TC as a bonus. As far as dieting, I usually stop eating chocolate and junk food three weeks before weigh ins. That’s usually enough weight to get me within striking distance of lbs..

MCC: That’s probably tough to do seeing as how great of a cook your wife Tiffany is.

MR: True. My wife is an amazing cook! It makes waiting until Thanksgiving that much sweeter.

MCC: You’ve been around for a while now. What does it feel like fighting in the annual Thanksgiving Throwdown?

MR: I love the Throwdown. This is my forth one in a row. Last year was my first loss in MMA so I look forward to starting a new Throwdown win streak. The MCC stacks this card with the areas best and I am honored to be apart of it.

MCC: As far as one of the best you fit right into that category. Miguel, thank you so much for your time. As always we look forward to watching you compete. Is there anything else you’d like add or anyone you’d like to thank?

MR: I want to thank my training partners and my coach Josh Neer for pushing me to become a better fighter. I want everyone at ICE Performance TC to know I am honored to be able to lead them in the MMA training and I am so happy on the progress we are making. I want to thank my friends and supporters who encourage me to become a better man and always are behind me with any venture I take on. I take pride on how loyal they are to me. Lastly, I want to thank my wife, Tiffany for being the glue to my entire world and showing me the true meaning of unconditional love. She deserves so much credit in my preparation before a fight. I am very lucky to have her in my corner…..Thanks to everyone for reading my rambling and I’ll see everyone next month at the Thanksgiving Throwdown!

Nutrishop presents MCC 37 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”, Wednesday, November 23 at Hy Vee Hall, downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets are available on-line at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com, by phone at 888-324-5849 and at all Dahl’s Food Store ticket outlets.

For more information on this card, including fighter interviews, video’s and blogs, check out the web site.

Miguel Rios

Doug Jenkins

Rios vs. Jenkins added to MCC 37 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”

Coming straight off a potential fight of the year performance in his MCC debut, South Dakota native, Doug Jenkins looks to take another step towards the top of the food chain on November 23 when he takes on perennial contender, Miguel “El Rey” Rios, Jr.

When Doug Jenkins got the call to fight Ronnie “Warfrog” Britt at MCC 36 he had ten days to prepare for the bout.  When Britt’s original opponent, Maurice Spiers pulled out of the bout, MCC officials were scrambling to find a suitable replacement.

Jenkins, who became a fan of Britt’s from watching Mediacom broadcasts of MCC for years, jumped at the opportunity.  With a professional record of 4-1, it seemed he was fighting an uphill battle against the more experienced Britt, who was 20-3 prior to their fight, however, once inside the cage Jenkins proved, for three rounds, that he was worthy of hanging with one of the best.

At the end of the back and forth war the judges awarded the split decision to Doug Jenkins, and all of a sudden there was a new contender in the welterweight division.

That same night during an in cage interview, longtime MCC fighter, Miguel Rios, Jr. campaigned for a fight against Jenkins.  This week his wish came true as officials were able to sign the bout to take place on November 23.

Rios, who has tasted defeat just one time throughout his career burst onto the scene in 2007 at MCC Trials I winning the tournament and getting his invitation to compete in the Midwest’s most popular promotion.  Throughout his career Rios has won over fans with his exciting style and his willingness to tough out any situation he’s dealt with.  One of the most respected fighters at New Beginning’s MMA (training facility), Rios puts his nearly perfect record on the line when he faces off against Doug Jenkins.

MCC officials added, “After watching Jenkins take on Britt, the fight with Rios has the makings of an equally explosive fight.  Rios is aggressive, skilled, and determined, while Jenkins is unorthodox, resilient and driven to compete with the best.  This bout really completes the already stellar MCC card.”

Rios vs. Jenkins is scheduled for three- five minute rounds in a bout to be contested at 170 lbs.

Nutrishop presents, MCC 37 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”, Wednesday, November 23 at Hy Vee Hall, downtown Des Moines, Iowa.  Tickets, which will be available later this week, can be purchased on-line at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com, by phone at 888-324-5849 and at all Dahl’s Food Store ticket outlets.  For more information on this card, including fighter interviews, video’s and blogs, check out the web site.

MCC 37

MCC gears up for annual Thanksgiving Throwdown, stacks card with top talent

Historically, the Midwest’s most popular promotion reserves its annual Thanksgiving Throwdown event to showcase the area’s top talent, and this year’s event is certain not to disappoint.

With more high profile fights than any other event this year, returning superstars Victor “Superman” Moreno, multi-time UFC vet, Kevin “The Fire” Burns, Miguel “El Rey” Rios, Jr., Ronnie “Warfrog” Britt, bantamweight title contenders Will “The Real Deal” Shutt and Laramie “Contract Killer” Shaffer and a bevy of talented up and comers, are ready to close out 2011 with a bang.

MCC 37 “Thanksgiving Throwdown” is scheduled for Wednesday, November 23 at Hy Vee Hall, downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets for the event, which go on sale this week, are sure to move quickly. Fans can go to www.MidwestCageChampionship.com to reserve theirs today.

MCC officials stated, “If you look at the past five Thanksgiving Throwdown events you’ll see more big-show fighters than any other show in the Midwest. This year not only features some of the best, most popular fighters on the MCC roster, but the undercard itself is totally stacked. If you don’t go to another show all year, this one is a must see.”

Fight fans can keep up to date with all of the action by logging onto the web site. Stay tuned for the full card release as well as video’s, weekly blogs by Kevin Burns and interviews from the Thanksgiving Throwdown fighters.

Moreno vs Kruger

MCC 34: Moreno victorious, Rios dominates, Williams closes in on title shot

Moreno vs. Kruger

In the main event of MCC 34, Victor “Superman” Moreno proved that his post-retirement campaign was exactly what he had trained for. Taking just one and a half minutes in the very first round to put a halt to top prospect, Calley Kruger, Moreno used a combination of wrestling and jiu jitsu to submit his opponent.

In what appeared to be a slug fest when the bout started, Moreno and Kruger stood toe to toe for a few brief exchanges. When Kruger closed the distance, Moreno shucked him to the ground with his underestimated grappling skills. Once on the ground, Kruger went for side control, but mid-position Moreno was able to catch hold of Kruger’s exposed neck. As Kruger tried to escape the position it gave Moreno just the opening he needed to cinch up the hold. Even without getting his hooks in, Moreno was able to squeeze hard enough to force the tap.

This is Victor Moreno’s second consecutive win since his return to MCC. Could another run at the big show be in his future? With an impressive mixed martial arts record of 39 wins and 12 losses (to top guys, I might mention), he definitely has the skills to make it happen!

Deeds vs Williams

Williams vs. Deeds

One of the Midwest’s top grapplers, Williams, took on one of the Midwest’s best strikers, and lo and behold, each of them played into the others game and fared well!

When you hear of fighters’ pedigree in a specific martial art, one would assume that since it’s their strong suit, that’s what they will ultimately use to win the fight. However, this is “mixed” martial arts, and now days, you have to be good at everything!

So, when you hear that Deeds was able to stuff shots and even able to take Williams down, don’t be surprised. And when you hard that Williams was able to take hard punches from Deeds while lighting his up with his own shots, you should just expect it.

It was, however,Williams night as he was able to capitalize on his superior cardio skill and slick ground transitions as he was able to catch Deeds in a head-arm choke 25 seconds into the third and final round.

The performance earned Williams another win over a tough competitor. With the win over Deeds, Williams moves one step closer to a shot at the MCC Welterweight title.

Rios vs Severe

Following his first career loss to, now-UFC bound, Lance Benoist, Rios went back to the drawing board, spending countless hours in the gym improving his overall game and helping to prepare his teammates for upcoming fights.

Friday night all of that hard work paid off.

From the start of the bout Rios proved that patience and flawless technique would prove to be too much for Severe as he controlled the takedowns and was able to move into dominant positions time after time. Although Severe would show that his strength and durability would make it hard to finish him, Rios was able to render him limp at 4:22 of round number one with a head-arm choke.

Rios stated after the fight that the time away from the cage was good for him and allowed him to fill some of the holes he felt were in his game. Now, back in the win column, a run at the title could very well be in Rios’ future. However the always humble martial artist in content to take his time to get to the top and has already vowed to get right back into the gym to continue his training.

Anlgo International was on hand to award a beautiful Polanti watch to the fighter of the night, which went to a well deserving, Allen Hernandez who won a tough back and forth battle over Alex Harper. It was Hernandez’ promotional debut with MCC, but certainly not his first introduction to the sport. Hernandez showed that he will be a force in the MCC lightweight division and a bout between Hernandez and perennial contender, Jake “Dirty Bird” Brown is being discussed now.

MCC’s prestigious Heart of a Warrior award went to another well deserved fighter, Kendall Davis, who took a fight with multi-time MCC veteran, Randy Meyer on just ten days notice. Both fighters fought back and forth for three rounds, and just when it appeared that Meyer had landed a tight choke, Davis was able to reverse the position and sink in a seldom landed, Von Flue choke to force the tap.

Davis remains undefeated at 7-0, and we are glad to add him to our roster of talented fighters.

Full Results Below

Jake McDonald vs Roy Moore- More wins by TKO Strikes in 2nd round (1:42)
Steve Green vs Matt Rider- Rider wins by TKO Strike in 1st round (2:54)
Chris Avery vs Eric Kapayou- Avery wins by Guillotine in 1st round (2:06)
Mike Graham vs Chad Vandermark- Vandermark wins by TKO Strikes in 2nd round (2:21)
Kendall Davis vs Randy Meyer- Davis wins by Von Flue Choke in 3rd round (1:32)
Matt Young vs Tony Crowder- Crowder wins by RNC in 1st round (1:15)
Nick Walker vs Joe Morris- Morris wins by TKO Strikes in 2nd round (1:13)
Allen Hernandez vs Alex Harper- Hernandez wins by Guillotine in 2nd round (2:49)
Orlando Peace vs Luis Saldana- Saldana wins by RNC in 1st round (3:56)
Dave Severe vs Miguel Rios- Rios wins by Head & Arm Choke in 1st round (4:22)
Cole Williams vs Demi Deeds- Williams wins by Head & Arm Choke in 3rd round (0:25)
Calley Kruger vs Victor Moreno- Moreno wins by RNC in the 1st round (1:30)

MCC has already set the next event for Friday, August 5 at Hy Vee Hall. The evening will feature the first title defense for MCC light heavyweight champion, Jesse Lund, as well a a title defense between MCC’s featherweight champ, Rick “The Gladiator” Glenn and UFC veteran, Ryan “Are You Ready” Roberts. Plus, a rematch between two former middleweight title holders has been set for Brian “Smokin” Green and Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer and bantamweight contenders Will Shutt and Laramie Shaffer will go head to head. More bouts will be released soon so keep checking back with www.MidwestCageChampionship.com.

Rios vs Benoist

Fighter Focus: Catching up with Miguel “El Rey” Rios, Jr.

Miguel, welcome back to MCC. It seems like forever since we’ve seen you in the cage. What have you been up to?

It has been too long since I’ve competed in MMA. However, I have been training consistently since the first of the year. I’ve been busy growing as a fighter and as man. I have greatly enjoyed focusing on getting better without the stress of an upcoming fight. Outside of the gym, I have enjoyed my free time with my wife, friends, and family. I was able to enjoy the holidays, my one year wedding anniversary, and many fun weekends, including a trip to Austin, TX. At the gym, I was enjoying helping others prepare for their own fights and along the way I believe I’ve made improvements. I like the progress I’ve made and would like to show it in this upcoming bout.

In your last bout you faced Lance Benoist and came up on the short end of a submission. Talk about what that fight taught you, both mentally and physically?

The fight with Lance really bugged me for a few months. I really hated how impatient I was during the fight. It taught me to not force anything that isn’t there. I feel like it didn’t go my way from the start so instead of resetting and re-approaching the fight in a different manner, I rushed into a terrible takedown attempt and was submitted. Also, mentally the fight has fueled my passion for competition and training. I believe the physical lesson I learned from the fight was to focus more on technique and proper execution.

You have proven to be one of the most dominant fighters in the MCC welterweight division. Of course, as they say, if you keep fighting tough people eventually you will come up with a loss. You’ve received your lone blemish. You’ve moved on. As a great fighter there is no doubt that you will use that energy to come back strong when you face Dave Severe at MCC 34. What do you know about your opponent and what are you doing to prepare for the fight?

From the fights I’ve seen of Dave’s, he is a well rounded fighter who is physical and very athletic. He is a big guy and will be hard to move around. He is especially good with his ground and pound. As far as training specifically for him, I make sure I grapple and spar with bigger guys as well as fast athletic types. I will emphasize good takedown defense and working off my back. he has quick, explosive hands too so there is no area I can not prepare for.

There are several fighters representing New Beginnings MMA next month at MCC 34. What is training camp like when you have several teammates preparing for bouts?

It’s awesome. It is the best case scenario for my training because we are all on the same page with our training schedule and trying to peak on June 24th. We also have three other teammates who will be fighting June 25th in Texas. As far as training partners, I have the best that Des Moines has to offer at 170 and 185lbs. The lighter weight fighters are also great up and comers who push all of the pro fighters due to their speed and cardio. We have over 150 professional mixed martial arts wins between the fighters at our camp. That experience and insight has helped all of us improve together.

Describe a perfect fight for you- do you get in there an try to put your opponent away, do you display more skills? I know in the past you’ve talked about showing your stand up game. Without giving away the plan, give us some insight.

Okay, a perfect fight for me would last 4:59 in round number one. Ideally, I would control the stand up portion and force a bad takedown attempt. I would use my grappling skills to control my opponent and execute good ground and pound. that would force an opening to submit him and I would just beat the end of the round with tapout due to mata leon (rear naked choke, lol). Of course that is an ideal fight.

Of course a perfect fight means you are standing in the middle of the cage with your hand raised. But, what’s next? Say you get past Severe and back on the winning track. With MCC champion Andy “Danger Zone” Branson pursuing his life-long dream of becoming a fighter pilot that opens up a potential title bout in the future. What are your thoughts on that?

Right now my only focus is Dave Severe. I know how tough of an opponent he is and it would be a huge mistake to look past him. After that anything is possible.

The last time we talked to you, both you and your opponent were trying out for the last season of The Ultimate Fighter. Surprisingly, neither of you got the call. Based on talent and personality we thought you were a sure thing. But those who don’t make it usually end up fighting their way into the UFC. Have you watched any of the episodes this season. What are thoughts on the show and/or the contestants?

I have only watched a couple of the fights from this season. I do feel I would of had success on the show due to my mental toughness, work ethic, and heart. I do feel skill wise I would match up just fine with any of the guys on there. However, I feel like it was a blessing in disguise to not have received the call for the show. I have used this time to make improvements in my life which includes making great strides in my MMA skills. I know there will be other opportunites and when the time is right, I will seize them.

Okay, thank you for your time. We look forward to your return to the cage next month. Take some time to thank anyone you’d like to.

I first want to thank my wife, Tiffany. I love her with all I have, and she’s a very positive influence in my life and helps with all aspects of it. She shows me true unconditional love which is rare to find. I also want to thank my family, including my in laws. They too are very good to me and have helped me in countless ways. Last but certainly not least, I want to thank Josh, Nate H, Allen S, Elvis, Vic, Rev, Chad V, Luis S, Nick J, Nate W, Andy B, Timmy G, Adam, Grant S, Jake S, Kiser, Cardell, Bob, and John M for pushing me in practice to become a better mixed martial artist and fighter. As far as teammates come, I absolutely wouldn’t change one guy for an outsider. We are a team and we will push each other to greatness.

Nutrishop presents MCC 34 :”Moreno vs. Kruger”, Friday, June 24 at Hy Vee Hall, downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets are available on-line at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com, by phone at 515-563-8300 and at all Dahl’s Food Store ticket outlets. For more information on this card as well as all upcoming events, plus fighter news, video’s and interviews, check out the web site.