MCC Seeks New Talent in Guthrie Center, Van Meer Seeks Revenge

On Saturday, September 4 at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds, Midwest Cage Championship will hold its fourth Trials event. The show will feature a twelve bout fight card including a rematch of former MCC Middleweight Champion, Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer and rising star “Mean” Dean Bradley. The two faced each other earlier this year with Van Meer dropping a close decision.

Van Meer, who has completely re-vamped his training regimen has vowed to not only put on a dominating performance on his way to a victory, but ensured that the fight will not be left in the judges hands again.

“I’m taking him out in the first round, maybe the second if he’s lucky. I’m a month out and already in fight condition. If he can keep up with my pace, he will do okay. If he’s not in the best shape of his life, it’s going to be a bad night for him.”

In past Trials events, MCC has discovered some of the top talent in the region, including current Welterweight contender, Miguel “El Rey” Rios Jr. and former Featherweight Champion, Josh “Jigsaw” Atwell.

Tickets are available at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com or by phone at 515-229-8566. For more information on upcoming fight cards, news, and fighter interviews, check out the web site.

DO YOU WANT TO FIGHT FOR MCC? Fill out this application- http://www.midwestcagechampionship.com/want-to-be-an-mcc-fighter/

MCC23

Thanksgiving Throwdown has become a tradition for the Midwest’s top promotion, and with thirteen fights down, the fighters and MCC crew are ready to relax and spend some time giving thanks for all that is good.

There were three belts on the line last night, and all three champions proved to a crowd of over 2,000 people why they proudly wear the strap around their waist.  In the first title match of the night, relative newcomer, Demetrius “D-Mo” Richards stepped in as an underdog against number one contender Jesse Lund.  Taking the fight on less than ten days notice, Richards came into the cage with his game plan in tact, swiftly putting Lund on his back and securing a Kimura just minutes into the opening round, forcing the tap from Lund.  With the Interim Championship secured, D-Mo has already called out MCC current Light Heavyweight Champion, Chuck Grigsby- a fighter that recently put the only blemish on Richards record.  After congratulating the newly crowned champ, Grigsby quickly accepted the challenge and MCC is already working on their fight for an upcoming event.

Next up on the card was a battle of featherweight brawlers as Josh “Bam Bam” Henry, who was on a three fight win streak, took a big leap in competition to challenge MCC Featherweight title holder, Eric Marriott for his belt.  Right off the bat, Henry came on strong, slamming the champion to the mat and delivering some brutal ground and pound.  Marriott showed his experience and cage prowess and he remained composed as he went for submission after submission.  Henry was able to defend a barrage or arm bars, but the relentless Marriott was finally able to secure an arm which had Bam Bam quickly tapping out at the end of the first round.  Before the fight Marriott made no qualms that the belt was going back to Independence, Missouri with him, and he made good on his claim.

In the main event of the evening, former Middleweight Champion, Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer, made another run for the best when he faced Elvis “The King” Mutapcic.  The first round saw the taller, more muscular Mutapcic stalking Van Meer like a lion chasing down a gazelle.  With brutal leg kicks, Mutapcic battered Van Meers legs and mid-section over and over again.  Despite having less than ten fights under his belt, Mutapcic remained extremely calm as he picked his shots over and over.  It was not until the final seconds of the first round Van Meer was finally able to land any significant strikes.
The second round started with Van Meer coming out more aggressively, looking for the take down.  The King was able to shrug Van Meer off, delivering more leg strikes for his effort.  following Van Meers third attempt to get the Bosnian phenom to the mat, his leg buckled and he went down with Mutapcic following him to fire off ten unanswered blows before referee Thomas Mastin was forced to call a halt to the action.  Mutapcic left the cage with the Middleweight Championship belt around his waist.

The nights under card bouts were just as exciting as the title fights with two bantamweight fighters making impressive MCC debuts.

Sioux City’s John “Bogus” DeVall received his invitation to the promotion after a successful tryout at MCC Trials III.  The quiet mixed martial artists did all his talking in the cage when he faced Des Moines native, Tony “Lil Crusher” Crowder.   After getting put on his back just seconds after the opening bell, DeVall hunted relentlessly for submissions until he secured the fight ending triangle he was searching for.  It was an impressive debut for the newcomer, DeVall.  His performance was anything but “Bogus”, and fight fans will see him on another card soon.

A native of Oahu, Hawaii, Max “Little Evil” Holloway traveled to the main land to help out fellow MCC alum Will Shutt and Josh Henry prepare for their bouts.  Known for his lightning fast hands and devastating kicks, this tall bantamweight had his hands full as he faced muay Thai prodigy, Corey McDonald.  In what was touted to be the stand up fight of the night, it was Holloway who used multiple Judo throws to keep McDonald on the canvas, peppering his with strikes.  This strategy proved to be the puzzle McDonald could not solve as “Little Evil” pounded away at the face and body until McDonald verbally submitted.  Taking the moniker, “Little Evil” after former UFC champion Jens Pulver, Holloway has some big shoes to fill.  He proved to MCC fans that he is here to make some noise and shake up the competition in the bantamweight division.

Full Event Results Below

Laird via Unaniamous Decision over Morrison- 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
DeVall via Triangle over Crowder- 2:34
Lepa via Unanimous Decision over Jones- 29-28 unan decision
Holloway via Ref Stoppage over McDonald- 2:51
Villareal via Doctor Stoppage due to Cut over Vandermark- 1:55 rd 3
Shaffer via Submission to Strikes over Moffit- :34
Rios via Ref stoppage due to Strikes over Naumann- 1:19
Branson via Triangle over Tice triangle- 4:41
Christenson via Rear Naked Choke over Johnson- 1:24
Mickle via Arm Bar over Shutt- 0:19
Marriot via Arm Bar over Henry- 2:23
Richards via Kimura over Lund- 1:31
Mutapcic via Ref Stoppage due to Strikes over Van Meer rd 2

Elvis Mutapcic

What’s up everyone!  This is my final blog before I take on Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer this Wednesday, November 25th at Vets Auditorium.  Doors open at 6:00PM; fights start at 7:00PM.
In this blog I’m going to give you a little insight into my week preparing for the fight…

Sunday I went down to Des Moines MMA and hit pads with Andy Branson, to tighten up our stand up game, preparing us both for our domination during Wednesday night’s fights.  As I mentioned in a previous blog Andy Branson is also fighting on the Thanksgiving Throwdown card against Ian Tice.
Monday I will be training as usual; in the morning with Nick Rouse at Spartan Strength and in the evening with Anthony Porcelli at Des Moines MMA; with the help of Josh Neer, Andy Branson, Miguel Rios and the rest of the Des Moines MMA Team.   Monday afternoon I will be doing an interview with News Channel 8; the segment will air during the noon news, check it out!
Tuesday morning will be the first morning in over 3 months that I will get to sleep in!  After I’m done sleeping in I will be hitting the sauna to cut the remainder of my weight.  On Tuesday night the public weigh-ins will be held at 7:00PM at the Twisted Parrot located at 6500 Hickman Rd Windsor Heights, IA. 
****WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH*****

The big night; MCC Thanksgiving Throwdown at Vets Auditorium!!!!  Doors will open at 6:00PM; fights start at 7:00PM.  Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer and I will be fighting the Main Event; showcasing all of my hard work and dedication over the past couple of months.  We will both be tested and pushed to our limits; but the better man will be victorious.   
After the fights, please join my family, friends and I for an after party at Oaza Bar and Grill located at 8048 Douglas Ave Urbandale, IA.
After you’re all done eat lots and lots of Turkey and, if you’re like my girlfriend and my sister-in-law, going shopping at midnight.  Please join me for a second after party on Friday, November 27th at Euro Bar located at 7625 Hickman Rd Urbandale, IA.
Thanks again for all your support over the past couple of years!  Hopefully my dream will come true soon and you will be seeing me in the UFC!!
Now I need to take some time and thank all of my sponsors:

Euro Bar   
Colonial Construction
Oaza Bar and Grill 
Perfection Heating and Cooling
M.K. Mali Flooring 
West Ridge Construction
Drina Trucking 
Des Moines MMA
Spartan Strength 

Hope to see you all Wednesday night at the MCC Thanksgiving Throwdown, and I’ll be back on here next week to talk about the after math

Elvis “The King” Mutapcic

Elvis Mutapcic

What up everyone, it’s about to go down in nine days I can’t wait!  This week will be my last week of practice before I take on Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer during the MCC Thanksgiving Throwdown on November 25th. 

In this blog I am going to take some time and tell all of you a little about my thoughts toward my upcoming opponent, Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer.  First off I’d like to say that I have a lot of respect for Mikey!  As I’m sure most of you know he’s been in the game a lot longer than I have and has had much more experience in the cage than myself.  He has fought and beaten a lot of very tough opponents in his career; because people don’t take him seriously as a fighter because of his physical appearance.

It’s not a secret how this fight is going to go down.  He is going to try and take me down against my will and work his ground and pound.  It is also well known that I will try as hard as I can to keep the fight on our feet and work my stand up until I finish him off.

Although I have a lot of respect for Mike, that will not be on my mind in the cage.  I have every intention of leaving my feelings toward Mike outside of the cage; fighting is my job and my life and I will not let my respect for him affect the outcome of this fight.  We both want the win and want to walk out of the cage with the belt; it’s all going to come to who wants it more and I want it more! 

I would love to talk to you all a little more in detail about my fight against Mike “Mini Van”  Van Meer; but you’ll all have to come down to Vets Memorial Auditorium and watch it all unfold on November 25th.
Thanks for all your support!

Until next time!

Elvis “The King” Mutapcic

MCC 23 Thanksgiving Throwdown

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 @ Vets Auditorium

1. Laird via Unaniamous Decision over Morrison- 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
2. DeVall via Triangle over Crowder- 2:34
3. Lepa via Unanimous Decision over Jones- 29-28 unan decision
4. Holloway via Ref Stoppage over McDonald- 2:51
5. Villareal via Doctor Stoppage due to Cut over Vandermark- 1:55 rd 3
6. Shaffer via Submission to Strikes over Moffit- :34
7. Rios via Ref stoppage due to Strikes over Naumann- 1:19
8. Branson via Triangle over Tice triangle- 4:41
9. Christenson via Rear Naked Choke over Johnson- 1:24
10. Mickle via Arm Bar over Shutt- 0:19
11. Marriot via Arm Bar over Henry- 2:23
12. Richards via Kimura over Lund- 1:31
13. Mutapcic via Ref Stoppage due to Strikes over Van Meer rd 2

Featherweight Division
Justin Morrisson	VS	Zak Laird
Batamweight Division
John DeVall	VS	Tony Crowder
Lightweight Division
Nick Lepa	VS	Jordan Jones
Featherweight Division
Max Holloway	VS	Corey McDonald
Welterweight Division
Leo Villareal	VS	Chad Vandermark
Bantamweight Division
Shane Moffit	VS	Laramie Shaffer
Welterweight Division
Thomas Naumann	VS	Miguel Rios
Middleweight Division
Andy Branson	VS	Ian Tice
Light Heavyweight Division
Josh Christenson	VS	Heath Johnson
Lightweight Division
Will Shutt	VS	Chris Mickle
Featherweight Championship
Josh Henry	VS	Eric Marriott
Interim Light Heavyweight Championship
Demetrius Richards	VS	Jesse Lund
Middleweight Championship
Elvis Mutapcic	VS	Mike Van Meer

Des Moines, IA- December 15, 2008- Fast on the heels of their previous event, and perhaps the best MMA event in Iowa during 2008, Midwest Cage Championship (MCC) returns to the historic Val Air Ballroom on Friday, January 16 with MCC 18: O’ Brien vs. Mickle. Quickly becoming known as an unstoppable submission wizard, MCC Champion TJ O’Brien is matched against Iowa icon Chris Mickle during the nights main event and title fight.

Mickle is not only a veteran of the Iraq war, he has also logged multiple fights against UFC “Knockout of the Night” main man Jeremy Stephens, even taking home one victory. This time, with two tours of duty, Army combative experience, and a recent 25 second arm bar victory to his credit, Mickle is purely focused on adding the MCC title belt to the awards he’s earned as a member of the U.S. Army. TJ O’ Brien has proved one of the most versatile fighters in the Midwest, competing at both 145 and 155 pound weight classes. This time, Mickle makes the moves down a weight class to compete at 145 for the Featherweight title. Predictions of the outcome run wildly in a fight one expert termed “the old guard meets the new guard”.

Another greatly anticipated match-up pits Omaha’s Matt Delanoit with Team Hard Drive 9 wins, 1 loss gunner Steve Carl. This match, Carl’s first for MCC, will determine who goes on to face Bobby Voelker for the MCC Welterweight title belt. Delanoit is coming off a victory against Carl’s Team Hard Drive mate Tom Grubb, and Carl took this fight with much of the purpose to avenge his opponents win over his friend and teammate. Delanoit is well known and respected with MCC and in th Midwest. Carl has just signed a major management contract with a national company and has competed around the country.

Another one of the nights favorites among the ten total bouts comes via the rematch of Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer and Jason Louck. Many established fight fans will recall Van Meer taking the MCC belt from Louck. in 2006, and new fans will witness a throw down between two fighters with the some of the most heart in the fight game.

Tickets for MCC 18: O’Brien vs. Mickle will go on sale later this week. Tickets can be purchased at the Val Air Box Office, by phone at (515) 223-6152, and on-line at http://www.midwestcagechampionship.com

Des Moines, IA- November 25, 2008- As injuries continue their attempt to plague tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Throwdown, promoters and contestants up their game to deliver even greater crowd pleasing action. Previously, Travis Fulton was forced out of his title bout with Chuck “The Reverend Grigsby” due to an injury sustained while training. A replacement for Fulton, two time NCAA Division Three wrestling champ Chad Vance, was secured quickly and faces Grigsby for the Light Heavyweight title tomorrow night.

Subsequently, Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer suffered a neck injury yesterday that has forced him out of the much anticipated showdown with number one contender Zak Cummings. Within minutes of the unfortunate news, the promoter scrambled to quickly build a MCC middleweight championship bout to fill the title left vacant when Joe Vedepo moved up to the UFC. In true warrior fashion, Cole “The Apprentice” Jennet quickly accepted the opportunity to face Cummings for a shot at the belt. “Cole didn’t hesitate for even a second. It was like he was already there” commented MCC co-owner and matchmaker Ryan Hass.

Jennet made an attempt for the MCC Middleweight title in 2006, falling short due to a TKO against then champion Mike Van Meer. Since then, Jennet remains undefeated and has upped his training regimen significantly. Jennet was originally scheduled for a non-title three round bout tomorrow and carries complete confidence as he steps up to the five round, five minutes per round title fight. When asked what will drive him most, Jennet, a man of few words, simply responded “I want the belt. Period”.

Wednesday November 26th, 2008 @ Val Air Ballroom

Show / Hide Results

Heavy Weight Division
Todd Schmauss	VS	Josh “Hardcore” Henry
Welter Weight Division
Mike Miller	VS	Miguel Rios
Light Weight Division
Matt Williams	VS	Josh “Bobby” Henry
Feather Weight Division
Joe Trader	VS	Derek Wilkins
Welter Weight Division
Shane Mosby	VS	Ryan Langmaid
Light Heavy Weight Division
Heath Johnson	VS	Josh Christenson
Light Heavy Weight Division
Phil Dawes	VS	Jesse Lund
Light Weight Division
Will Shutt	VS	TJ O’Brien
Middle Weight Championship
Zak Cummings	VS	Cole Jennett
Light Heavy Weight Championship
Chad Vance	VS	Chuck Grigsby