Tony Crowder

Tough talk, tougher guys; Crowder vs. Young has potential for greatness

When it comes to combat sports, whether it be boxing or mixed martial arts, fighters often draw their motivation from a couple different sources. Some are fueled by the deep seeded desire for the oldest form of competition; mano y mano. Others just want to beat the crap out of the other guy because he has a loud mouth!

Given that theory, if you put two guys in the cage together who can both scrap as well as run their mouths, it should make for an exciting match up, right?

Enter Tony “Lil Crusher” Crowder and Matt Young.

Either one of these guys could give Chael Sonnen a run for his money when it comes to hyping up a fight with snide comments and pre-fight predictions. In fact, most of the time, these two brawlers and their opponents have to be restrained during the official weigh in and face off!

In just a few weeks these guys will stand face to face with one another. The next night, on June 24th at MCC 34: “Moreno vs. Kruger” these guys will have the opportunity to prove who the better mixed martial artist is.

After a two-year hiatus, Matt Young returned to the sport and racked up two quick wins via submission against Jordan Webb and Mitch Parker. He is confident in his stand up game, but if you take him down he is not willing to let his opponent use his head for a punching bag. In fact, it’s almost as if an invisible stop watch goes off when he hits his back as he quickly swivels his hips in search of a loose limb to isolate and attack.

Crowder, on the other hand, makes no qualms about where he wants to keep the fight- standing, center cage, swinging for the fences until he can find the sweet spot to put you to sleep! Unfortunately, his willingness to put on exciting fights has also been his downfall. Unwilling to become a knock out statistic, most of his opponents choose the path of least resistance and take the fight right to the mat.

Crowder has been working diligently to fill the void as a complete mixed martial artist. On June 24th he will be looking to put Matt Young to sleep. But he will be just as content to submit him. That’s the game.

With the potential for fight of the night, I’m just as excited to watch these two weigh in the night before. This is when it get’s real! This is when you better be ready to back up the stuff you say!

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, buy phone at 515-563-8300 or at all Dahl’s Food Store ticket outlets. For more information on this card as well as all upcoming events, including fighter interviews, video’s and blogs log on to the web site.

Glenn Defends Title, Williams Grinds His Way to the Championship

Some fighters simply have that one hurdle they cannot make it over; a sort of kryptonite to their super powers. For Josh Henry, it’s Rick Glenn.

At MCC 32: “Bad Blood”, the current Featherweight Champion, Rick “The Gladiator” Glenn, once again, bested Josh “Bam Bam” Henry in a championship bout scheduled for five rounds. Unfortunately for Henry, this meeting was eerily reminiscent of the previous one; a match that saw Glenn submit the former champion midway through the opening frame.

Referee Matt Cook oversaw the action last night in the main event of the evening. From the word go, Henry charged at Glenn searching for a takedown to put the taller fighter on his back in an effort to dish out a little retribution in the form of ground and pound. Rick Glenn was good with that. When the action his the canvas, Glenn immediately started moving his hips, looking for a limb to grab. After fending off a few submission attempts the triangle choke presented itself and Glenn took full advantage. With no way out Henry was forced to tap out to the reigning, defending champion.

Immediately following the fight Rick Glenn let the fight fans know that he will be auditioning for the next season of the uber-popular television reality show, The Ultimate Fighter. Could Glenn be yet another MCC champion to make his way into the UFC? He certainly has the skill.

In earlier action, the four-man tournament to crown the first ever MCC Flyweight Champion started out with, Nate “Teddy Bear” Williams taking on late replacement and Minnesota native, Jovon Myles.

Myles, with the obvious reach advantage over the much shorter Williams looked to keep the fight standing, but Williams was having none of it, easily putting Myles on his back in rounds one, two, and three. Several times Williams was able to position himself into fight ending opportunities, but to Myles credit, his defense was on point. Williams settled for a clear cut unanimous decision victory and advanced to the final round.

Next up in the tourney, Tony “Lil Crusher” Crowder, the most vocal of all four fighters met up with Johnny “Coletrain” Coleman.

This one did not take long. In a surprising chain of events, the superior striker, Crowder, proved that he packed more than just punched up his sleeve. As quickly as Coleman could get the takedown, Crowder locked up an extremely tight arm bar in which Coleman wasted no time tapping to.

With just 22 seconds of actual fight time, Tony Crowder would certainly be the fresher fighter when he faced Nate Williams in the co-main event of the evening.

Williams and Crowder, who have shared a little bad blood themselves over the past couple years finally had the opportunity to settle the question; who is the best 125 lb. fighter in the Midwest. And, when the bell rang, Williams let it all hang out as he tried to pressure the fresher, faster, Tony Crowder, taking him to the mat in an effort to capitalize on a mistake.

The first round was a great back and forth battle, but when the second round started, Williams was right back at it. This time though, Crowder did make a mistake, leaving an arm hanging out for Williams to grab and secure a key lock.

Nate Williams becomes the new MCC Flyweight Champion!

In other action, former lightweight contender, Jake “Dirty Bird” Brown welcomed Allen Shepherd to the wonderful world of professional mixed martial arts. Shepherd who appeared last at MCC 31 capped off a stellar amateur career with an 8-2 record.

When the two met up it was 100 miles and hour from start to finish. Brown looked great and proved that ring rust was not an issue, however, there were a couple close calls as Shepherd was relentless in his attack. However, midway through the second round, Brown and Shepherd stood in the center of the cage and exchanged heavy leather until a brutal right hook send Shepherd crashing to the ground unconscious.

This was a big win and confidence builder for Jake Brown who, for his performance, was awarded the MCC Heart of a Warrior award. Allen Shepherd, being the true warrior that he is, was gracious in defeat and vowed to come back stronger than ever.

In an equally, but much shorter bout, MCC newcomer, Roy Moore faced off against hard-hitting Brent Bates. Anyone who has ever saw these guys brawl knew that there was going to be someone sleeping by the time the fight ended. It was unclear who would catch who though!

That question was answered within the first 30 seconds as Roy Moore wasted no time in peppering Bates with a barrage of punches and kicks knocking him out cold in his promotional debut. The fight was short and violent, and at the same time, lived up to all the hype. Tough break for Bates, who like Shepherd, will no doubt be back better than ever.

In another exciting fight, Laramie Shaffer took on undefeated Omaha native, Joe Trader.

Trader, known for his powerful uppercuts blasted away at Shaffer with every opportunity presented. Unfortunately, he did not anticipate Shaffer to have the granite chin and willingness to win that he does. By the end of the opening round Trader went back to his corner exhausted. When the second round came about, Shaffer went to work stopping Trader and giving him the first blemish on his professional resume.

Also on the card, Luis Saldana was victorious as he made his professional debut against Daraughn “Day Day” Canada, Victor “Superman” Moreno, MCC’s former Welterweight Champion, made quick work of his legendary opponent, Dennis Reed, in his return to the cage. Chris Avery tasted defeat for the first time of his young career when he was submitted by undefeated Orlando Peace, and MCC fan favorite, Josh “Bull Christensen was beaten by Blake Breitsprecher who was making his sophomore appearing in MCC.

All in all, it was another great night of mixed martial arts action as only MCC can deliver. And, with just a few short weeks separating the Midwest’s top promotion’s April 9 return to Hy Vee Hall for MCC 33: “Lund vs. Roberts”, fight fans are already in a frenzy for the next card. Tickets have been released and are going quick! Make sure to log on to www.MidwestCageChampionship.com for more information.

Quick Results Below:

Nate Williams defeated Jovon Myles via Decision

Tony Crowder defeated Johnny Coleman via Arm Bar

Randy Meyer defeated Nick Jessen via Arm Bar

Matt Rider defeated Johnny Wentland via Submission due to Strikes

Orlando Peace defeated Chris Avery JR via Triangle Choke

Laramie Shaffer defeated Joe Trader via Referee Stoppage

Luis Saldana defeated Daraughn Canada via Arm Bar

Jake Brown defeated Allen Shepherd via Knock Out

Blake Breitsprecher defeated Josh Christensen via Rear Naked Choke

Victor Moreno defeated Dennis Reed via Guillotine Choke

Nate Williams defeated Tony Crowder via Key Lock

Rick Glenn defeated Josh Henry via Triangle Choke

MCC 32: “Bad Blood” Main Card Fight Breakdown

This Saturday night, MCC returns to Hy Vee Hall as Nutrishop presents, MCC 32: “Bad Blood”. The night features a rematch with two of the Midwest’s top featherweight prospects; former champ, Josh “Bam Bam” Henry and current title holder, Rick “The Gladiator” Glenn as well as a four-man flyweight tournament to crown the divisions first ever MCC champion. Also on the card, former welterweight champion, Victor “Superman” Moreno returns to action as does top light heavyweight contender, Josh “Bull” Christensen.

We will break down the fights and the fighters as we get set for another exciting night of mixed martial arts action.

Josh Henry vs Rick Glenn

5 x 5 minute rounds title bout

Josh Henry Strengths: Strong wrestling base, durability, can hold a fast pace

Keys to Victory: Henry will need to maintain superior position and do not let Glenn control the pace. Henry does a great job of putting pressure on fighters once he gets them back pedaling. He cannot let Glenn get into his rhythm and set the tone.

Rick Glenn Strengths: Well rounded, good striker, confidence

Keys to Victory: Like their last meeting, Glenn will need to watch for an opening that Henry may leave during a transition. With a longer reach, Glenn may find that he could have luck if he chooses to keep the fight standing. He will need to work his angles and anticipate the shot from Henry.

Jason Sink vs. Victor Moreno

3 x 5 minute rounds non-title bout

Jason Sink Strengths: Big show experience, likes to strike

Keys to Victory: Sink cannot allow himself to get bullied by Moreno. He will need to establish dominance early in the fight while avoiding the unorthodox striking that Moreno is sure to bring to the cage.

Victor Moreno Strengths: Experience, creative with strikes and submission set ups, motivated

Keys to Victory: Moreno has faced some of the toughest competition in the world. He is an exciting fighter that has excellent strikes and a good ground game. Moreno’s greatest chance for success will be to make his opponent stand and trade punches and kicks in the middle of the cage. Moreno is motivated to put on a show for his hometown fans and a confident Moreno is the best Moreno.

Blake Breitsprecher vs. Josh Christensen

3 x 5 minute rounds non-title bout

Blake Breitsprecher Strengths: Reach, excellent ground game, hungry for a victory

Keys to Victory: Breitsprecher has great ground control and submissions so there is no need to get into an exchange on the feet with a powerful Christensen. His best bet is to look for the shot, get his opponent to the ground and work his submissions from there. If Breitspecher gets his opponents back, as we’ve seen in the past, it’s hard to shake him off, and Christensen has fallen victim to chokes in the past.

Josh Christensen Strengths: Hard nosed fighter, willing to take punishment, physically strong

Keys to Victory: Simple! Sprawl and brawl. Christensen has knock out power in both hands, and if he can keep the fight standing he has the ability to end the bout with one punch. If the fight does go to the ground, Christensen will need to use his strength to advance himself into a dominant position that will allow him to punch.

Allen Shepherd vs. Jake Brown

3 x 5 minute rounds non-title bout

Allen Shepherd Strengths: Product of an excellent camp, superior cardio, likes to slug

Keys to Victory: Shepherd is facing a fighter who has experience a long layoff, therefore he should come out fast and hard, putting pressure on Brown from the time the referee says go. Shepherd has great endurance which will help him should the fight go later into the second and third rounds. He does, however, want to be careful if he chooses to stand in the center of the cage and bang with Brown as his opponent is known for have some serious power in his hands.

Jake Brown Strengths: Good submissions, hard puncher, injury free

Keys to Victory: Brown will need to stay alert and not allow himself to be pressed up against the fence and taken down. He has the ability to inflict damage whether he is standing or on the ground with his hands. If looking for a submission he will need to soften his opponent up with punches and knees as Shepherd somes from an experienced gym where he is able to train with some of the top fighters in the area.

Luis Saldana vs. Daraugh Canada

3 x 5 minute rounds non-title bout

Luis Saldana Strengths: Quick, excellent strikes and submissions, undefeated in MCC

Keys to Victory: Saldana is facing an outstanding wrestler in Canada, so he will need to prepare to sprawl and circle away from Canada’s powerful right hand. If put on his back, Saldana has an excellent guard where he can transition from arm bar to triangle chokes. Saldana is a better striker then Canada and that is, most likely, where he will find the most success. Also, Saldana is able to go the entire time, if need be, while maintaining a fast pace.

Daraughn Canada Strengths: Good wrestler, unorthodox, like to mix it up in the cage

Keys to Victory: Canada will need to be patient in choosing his shots. Saldana will anticipate the shot from the moment the bout starts, so he will need to use punches in bunches and good head movement to close the distance and attempt to put Saldana on his back. Canada also has great submission defense and is very crafty when put into less than desirable positions. If Canada gets the fight to the ground he will need to stay busy as he peppers Saldana with strikes in an effort to expose a submission attempt.

Four Man Flyweight Tournament

3 x 5 minute rounds (semi-final bouts)

5 x 5 minute rounds (championship bout)

Nate Williams vs. Jovon Myles (Semi-Final)

Johnny Coleman vs. Tony Crowder (Semi-Final)

TBA vs. TBA (Championship Bout)

With two wrestlers, Williams and Coleman, facing two strikers, Coleman and Myles, you will be watching two classics grappler versus striker match ups. If styles make fights it could be interesting either way you look at it. If Willams and Coleman both win, it’s wrestler versus wrestler. Should Myles and Crowder come out victorious, you will see two micro-mixed martial artists standing in the center of the cage letting the fists fly.

One thing is for certain, with the exception of Jovon Myles, who was a late replacement for Seth Craig, the other three have has some choice words for one another, and each of them are completely cool with facing the other for a variety of reasons. Hopefully the punches will save themselves for the cage and officials will need to be on their toes as these guys weigh in and face off because you never know what can happen.

Since adding the popular new weight division to MCC, there has been an overabundance of interest throughout the Midwest, so whoever wins this tournament will need to keep their game sharp because they will be right back in the cage, sooner rather than later, to face another tough opponent in an upcoming event.

Nutrishop presents, MCC 32: “Bad Blood”, Saturday, March 5 at Hy Vee Hall, downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets are available on-line at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com, by phone at 515-564-8300 or at all Dahl’s Food Store ticket outlets. For more information on this and upcoming events, including fighter interviews, video’s and blogs, check out the web site.

MCC Adds Flyweight Division, Four Men Set to Fight for Title

At MCC 32: “Bad Blood”, the Midwest’s most popular mixed martial arts promotion will add yet another champion to their already impressive roster. This time, the newly added flyweight division will host a one night, four man tournament to crown the victor.

The four fighters who will be competing; Nate “Teddy Bear” Williams, Seth “The Spider Monkey” Craig, Johnny “Coletrain” Coleman, and Tony “Lil Crusher” Crowder could not be more excited for the opportunity to showcase their skills.

We took some time to get these fighters take on who they will be facing and how they see their night going down. Before the leather flies, the words will. These guys have no love lost for one another, that’s for sure! One thing can be said for the lighter weight divisions; the action is fast and furious, and you never know what to expect when these micro-martial artists go head to head.

Nate “Teddy Bear” Williams

“First off, I would like to say thanks to MCC for bringing me back and giving me this opportunity to prove that I am one of the top flyweights in the Midwest. I will fight my ass off and put on a good show for the crowd. I promise that!”

“I am fighting Seth Craig in the first round of the tournament. I like that match up because I know Seth is a tough guy and I actually trained with him in the past. Of course, I am not looking passed him. I know it’s going to be tough, but I am confident that I will be coming up with the win.”

“The guys at New Beginnings has really been pushing me, so it’s just up to me to go out and excecute my game plan and come out with the win.”

“When I get by Seth I really don’t care who I fight, but since Johnny Coleman and I are good friends, I’m going to say he and I would be a great fight. We are both good wrestlers so it’s an interesting match up. Then again, I’m totally cool with fighting Crowder too! In fact, I really wouldn’t mind that fight. The bottom line is that I’m not coming in here to lose no matter who I face. There has been too much heart, determination and training involved here. The belt comes home with me.”

Seth “The Spider Monkey” Craig

“I’m fighting Nate Williams in the first round of the tournament. I’m cool with Nate and I respect his abilities as a fighter. He is a strong wrestler, but his strength is to put me on my back, and that is also where I am strong. I have submissions, and I can catch him. Plus, I have reach on everyone in the tournament. That’s definitely going to be an advantage for me.”

“If I get by Nate I will either face Johnny Coleman or Tony Crowder. I have a quick submission win over Coleman and I actually have a loss to Crowder. Obviously I would like to get that loss back, but I’m cool with fighting either. I’m sure Coleman would like another crack at me anyway.”

“I have been training hard at the Henry camp with other fighters who are competing on the same card that night. Everyone has been pushing one another and the vibe is very intense. A perfect night for me would be to win both fights and become the first ever MCC Bantamweight Champion, then sit back and watch my teammate, Josh Henry get his featherweight title back from Rick Glenn.”

Johnny “Coletrain” Coleman

“I used to train with Tony Crowder so I know that he is a good fighter. I think this will be my toughest fight, but I promise it will be an exciting one. I consider him a friend, and we’ve never had problems, but this is a sport and we’re both after the same thing; the belt. I want that belt more than anyone, and I consider MCC my home. You will see me win against Tony Crowder. ”

“Going into the second fight once I get past Crowder I want to fight Nate Williams. All I have been hearing is how much shit he is talking about this and that, how he can beat me, and so on. I’m going to grant his wish about being locked in the cage with me. I will be the champion come March 5. In order to beat me someone is going to have to knock me out or break one of my arms. It hasn’t happened so far and I don’t see it happening at MCC 32 either. I’m ready for war. Let’s do this!”

Tony “Lil Crusher” Crowder

“My thoughts on my first opponent, Johnny Coleman- good wrestler, but he is not an MMA fighter. Honestly, he has no stand up skills and relies solely on his wrestling skills way too much. I don’t even know why he took this fight. I don’t think he’s really that good at all. And I can say that. I have trained with him.”

“I will say this- here is a play by play of how our fight is going to go: I’m going to come out and put my hands on him. He is going to shoot on me, and then he will either catch a knee or an uppercut and, most likely, go night-night. If he does get lucky enough to put me on my back he will get submitted with an arm bar or a triangle. I don’t care. He will give up something.”

“I’m hoping that Nate gets passed Seth too because I really want to fight him. I have been trying to get that fight for a long time, but I think he is scared because I have better hands and better jiu jitsu skills. He is like Coleman; a good wrestler. That’s it.”

“I have been working a lot on my takedown defense and everything in between. My focus is winning and I am excited to get the MCC Flyweight belt around my waist. The icing on the cake is that I will KO Johnny and Nate in the process. Watch out boys…The Lil Crusher is coming for you!”

Nutrishop presents, MCC 32: “Bad Blood”. Saturday, March 5 at Hy Vee Hall, downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets are available on-line at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com, by phone at 515-564-8300 and at all Dahl’s Food ticket outlets. For more information about the upcoming event, including fighter interviews, video’s and blogs, log onto the web site.

MCC Sets March Date, Adds Flyweight Tournament

The Midwest’s most popular mixed martial arts promotion returns to Hy Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines on March 5 for MCC 32: “Bad Blood”. The card boasts a night chock full of talent ranging from young up and comers to big show veterans. From top to bottom, the card is stacked and is sure to deliver a show in a fashion that only MCC can.

The evenings main event will feature the immediate and highly anticipated rematch of former featherweight champion, Josh “Bam Bam” Henry and the fighter that snatched the belt away just weeks ago with a somewhat controversial submission win, Rick “The Gladiator” Glenn. With tempers still flaring from their previous meeting, fans can be prepared to see the best that both of these mixed martial artists bring to the cage.

Also slated for MCC 32: “Bad Blood”, the first ever flyweight (125 lbs.) champion will be crowned as Nate “Teddy Bear” Williams, Tony “lil Crusher” Crowder, Seth “The Spider Monkey” Craig and Johnny “Cole Train” Coleman go head to head in a four-man tournament. With the recent popularity of the MMA lighter weight divisions, an addition like this is a must see, and MCC has locked down four of the most exciting fighters to pit against each other.

Former MCC Welterweight Champion, Victor “Superman” Moreno will make his return to the MCC cage as he goes toe to toe with Anthony Smith, an Omaha based fighter on a multi-fight win streak looking to take his career to the next level. A refocused and always exciting, Moreno is looking to put a halt on Smith’s run as he looks to get the win that will propel him up the ranks.

The full fight card is available at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com. Tickets are on sale now. Fight fans can buy them on-line, at all Dahl’s ticket outlets, Wells Fargo Arena Box Office, or by calling 515.564.8300. For more information, including fighters video’s, interviews and blogs, check out the web site.

MCC Trials III

October 10, 2009

Midwest Cage Championship held it’s third amateur MMA event to seek out the next big name in the fight game, and several fighters showed up to earn their shot for a spot on the MCC roster.  MCC co-owner, Ryan Hass noted, “When we were putting the event together we had ten fights scheduled, but we kept getting more and more interest from fighters, so we ended up with fourteen fights.  We had enough fighters to put more on, but we only have so much time to work with.”  Fighters from all over the Midwest showed up and put on performances worthy of getting their invitation to the Midwest’s top promotion.

One of the most exciting fights of the night was, unfortunately one of the shortest.  Corey McDonald and Chad Thornburg put on a stand up war with McDonald landing a barrage of punches for the TKO victory in just 33 seconds of the first round.  The eighteen year old fighter, trained by muay Thai ace, Pete Peterson did exactly what he intended to do; he kept it standing and landed quicker and more powerful punches.  A teammate of MCC standout, Zak Laird, McDonald will get his shot with MCC at the promotions largest show of the year; MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”.  “Like Laird, this is a kid people need to keep their eye on, stated MCC co-owner, John Halverson.  “We’ve seen him fight a couple times and he gets better with every fight.  If he turns out to be anything like Zak Laird, the sky is the limit for him.”

A training partner of MCC Middleweight contended, Andy Branson, Nick Lepa made his MMA debut against a very experienced fighter, Chad Zurfluh.  The entire fight was a back and forth battle as the the wrestler, Zurfluh was able to nullify the jiu jitsu game of Lepa.  It was near the end of the second round when Zurfluh made the mistake of giving up his back, and the blue belt took full advantage of the position and forced the tap out due to a rear naked choke.  Although new to the sport, he proved that he is worthy to perform.  Fight fans may see him step in the cage along side his teammate, Andy Branson, at MCC 23.

The lone knock out of the night came from Chad Vandermark when he  landed a huge right hand to the chin of Leo Villareal folding him like a lawn chair.  A student of Anthonly Porcelli’s Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy, Vandermark had been sidelined for months with a broken hand.  He was eager to make his return at MCC Trials and wanted to put on an impressive performance to leave no doubt in the fans minds that he deserves to bang with the best.  “The knock out came so fast we had to watch it over and over on video.  It was crazy,” stated John Halverson.  He added, “These guys were trading punches and next thing you know Leo is on the ground, legs folded underneath him and Chad’s walking back to his corner with a smile on his face and his right hand in the air.  He asked me for his shot on MCC.  How could I say no?”

In a rematch from earlier this year, Josh “The Jack Hammer” Troen, agreed to fight Tony Crowder again- the aggressive, experience fighter he submitted in his second ever MMA fight.  Unfortunately for the Jack Hammer, Crowder did his homework and put in his time at the gym.  Shortly after getting dropped from a leg kick, Crowder weathered the flurry of punches and snatched a picture perfect arm bar, forcing Troen to submit just 28 seconds in the first round.  Immediately after the fight, the victorious Crowder wasted no time in calling out MCC bantamweight fighter, Nate “Teddy Bear” Williams.  Fight fans can expect to see this fight soon!

In the main event of the night, middleweight brawler, Patrick Perkins faced off against Brad “Popeye” Davis.  Although Davis came into the fight the underdog, despite being the more experienced fighter, he put up a very competitive fight until a liver kick stopped Popeye late in the second round.  Perkins was surprised by the heart and tenacity that Davis brought to the table, but with only one loss to his MMA resume, Perkins remained calm and picked his shots and he knew it would only take one- and, he proved that. Perkins moves on to be 7-1.

Fight fans will now see the select few, make their debut in the MCC cage, at MCC 23: “Thanksgiving Throwdown,” Wednesday, November 25th, at Vets Auditorium.