Once again FFC put on an awesome first class show. Lee Coates and Rob Brainiff aloud me to be the 3rd man in the commentating booth for Rocky Long vs Nick Gonzalez which was pretty damn cool of them, buy the DVD to hear my announcing debut!!!
About my guys' fights:
1) Rocky Long vs Nick Gonzalez, once again this was an absolute war just like the first two. So close in fact, there should probably be a 4th fight!!! Im sure any of the people in attendance that saw this fight and the people that will buy the DVD will agree. This was an extremely close fight which was an awesome standup war that left both fighters bruised and bloodied, also Nick Gonzalez sustained a broken wrist. Me and the announcers thought it was a really close fight but gave it to Rocky 2 rounds to 1. Nick won the 1st clearly and Rocky won the 3rd clearly. The round that is up in the air is the 2nd. This was the closest round of the fight, hard to pick a winner but in extremely close rounds you usually gotta give it to the champ. "You have to take the belt from the champion".
2) Carlo Prater vs Keith Wisniewski, another absolute war. I have seen Keith before and am a big fan of his, but I am a Carlo Prater fan first when he is fighting. So I picked Carlo to win obviously. Well, Keith surprised me with his ability to control the clinching and his ground game was superb. The first 2 rounds went to Keith, Keith had Carlo mounted in the second and was raining down strikes but Carlo showed the heart of a champion and managed to escape. Carlo was disappointed after the fight because he didn't step up and deliver in the first two rounds. The third round however Carlo became to take control of the fight landing a big throw and raining down strikes making Keith Wisniewski a bloody mess. But, unfortunately for Carlo it was too little too late and he lost the fight by decision.
Now onto the controversy during the Prater-Wisniewski war. I didn't particularly like how the referee was handling this fight and I would be pleased if he would never ref a fight of this magnitude again. He made what I and many others believe some HORRIBLE calls that hurt not only my boy Carlo but also Keith during the fight. In the first round, Keith had Carlo's back. Carlo wasn't in any real trouble, but Keith was working on his back and they weren't entangled in the ropes, the ref restarted them standing up in the middle of the ring. Then in the 3rd round he takes a point from Carlo for holding the ropes, an infraction that should merit at most a warning unless he repeats this. Also, in the 3rd round, with around 10 seconds left he jumps on Keith's back and stops the fight. Everyone in the crowd thought this was a stoppage or that the doctor was gonna check the cut because Keith was bleeding everywhere. However, the fight went straight to a decision. Why did the ref not let the final round finish?
Oh yeah, one more thing. I met Keith Wisniewski after the fights and without a doubt he is the most soft spoken classiest fighter I have ever met!!! After the fight he walked up to our team and asked where I was, so I introduced myself and he told me that he is a huge fan of mine and the pleasure is all his. I was taken aback that someone who just won a huge fight took the time out to tell me that he was a fan of MINE. I told him that I am also a huge fan of his and if he wasn't fighting one of my guys I would root for him always, he said if he was in the same position as I was coming into the fight he would do the same thing. Hopefully Carlo and him will rematch so I can get to see him fight live again. But Keith if you are reading this, anytime you are fighting someone besides Carlo I will root for you!!!
I dont know about the fight, but I have to say, I respect a judge who comes out with his judgement, and lays it down on the table, why he judged, the way he did.
Thanks for your info Jimmy, I am not disappointed with the decision, but I am befuddled that one of the judges gave it to Gonzalez 30-27. Again, the second was an extremely close round and could've went either way. You disagree with the close rounds going to the champ, I dont, hence the disparity in scoring the round.
"TO be honest, I considered sending down a 10- 10 round, but you cant do that in important fights, it isnt fair to the fighters, it isnt fair to the fans"
All hail Jimmy23 LOL Seriously, I love to read that from a judge. I've judged at a bunch of fights where the other judges played it safe and kept throwing up 10-10 rounds and made ME look stupid. Most of the time that's BS and they are just trying to make it easy on themselves. I appluad you for having the balls to pick a winner!
Hire Sean Brockmole as one of your referees. He is an awesome ref, knows how to work fights that use a ring, and is a good guy. One of the best refs in the sport IMHO!
Nick clearly won that fight. He executed a better stand up and ground game (what little there was).
The point that was taken away from Carlo was unjust. I and everyone around me (except for Keith's cornermen, who by the way, did an excellent job of over exagerating the rope holding in the first two rounds and thus influenced the call in the third) felt that Carlo did an amazing job of NOT holding the ropes. The point deduction didn't really make a difference though as Keith clearly controlled the fight.
i agree with 655321 about the gonzalez/long fight. i disagree with marsh and joker about it being that close. it really paid to be sitting ringside for this one. i really thought nick deserved a unanimous decision. i went in with no preferences as i know neither fighter personally. i have been impressed with both in the past. i just thought nick landed the cleaner shots and combinations. he rattled long twice with big punches and was able to deflect a lot of long's shots. both guys did a good job and i wouldn't mind seeing a rematch, but gonzalez definitely won, IMO. also, i agree that the point shouldn't have been taken away. carlo made a point to put his hands in the air for most of that fight when they were near the ropes. the ropes kept him up, but it was his body leaning against them, not his hands. in the third, he did grab the ropes, no doubt about that, but he should have received a warning first. instead, a point was taken immediately. luckily though, that did not affect the outcome.
Wow..... Its a shame John Dixson was fighting.... everyone loves to see him ref....
TRJ is right on point with his post about the Prater/Wisniewski fight... and yes the fight with Long/Gonzales was very close... But I saw gonzales looking better and landing cleaner shots.
TRJ.... it was cool meeting you .... I am also a Prater fan. the guy is excellent in the ring.. and even better outside of the ring.... to bad there isnt a fighter of the year award....he deserves it
Sounds like a great night of fights. Wish I could have seen the Wisniewski/Prater fight. Keiths had that damn broken nose since the Berger fight. That things never going to heal if he don't take a little time off....
"Now onto the controversy during the Prater-Wisniewski war. I didn't particularly like how the referee was handling this fight and I would be pleased if he would never ref a fight of this magnitude again. He made what I and many others believe some HORRIBLE calls that hurt not only my boy Carlo but also Keith during the fight. In the first round, Keith had Carlo's back. Carlo wasn't in any real trouble, but Keith was working on his back and they weren't entangled in the ropes, the ref restarted them standing up in the middle of the ring. Then in the 3rd round he takes a point from Carlo for holding the ropes, an infraction that should merit at most a warning unless he repeats this. Also, in the 3rd round, with around 10 seconds left he jumps on Keith's back and stops the fight. Everyone in the crowd thought this was a stoppage or that the doctor was gonna check the cut because Keith was bleeding everywhere. However, the fight went straight to a decision. Why did the ref not let the final round finish?" - TRJ
"Bro you speak the truth on your second post!" - Agent2600 in regards to TRJ's post above.
"Wow..... Its a shame John Dixson was fighting.... everyone loves to see him ref.... TRJ is right on point with his post about the Prater/Wisniewski fight" - Phfantasm
"this is my take. in the first round, keith had prater's back and had a triangle body lock. he was working strikes and looking for the choke and the fight was restarted. this angered the corner of keith and was a bit surprising as he appeared to be working and in a dominant position." - dnwsr
"Dnswr... Thats pretty damn close, if not exactly what happened....good take on it" - Phfantasm
"ATTN: FFC
Hire Sean Brockmole as one of your referees. He is an awesome ref, knows how to work fights that use a ring, and is a good guy. One of the best refs in the sport IMHO!" - Johnny Walls with a very good suggestion.
You guys (Lee and Rob) can't just ignore Mike Gallo's completely inept & pompus reffing any longer, seriously .. this guy is definately affecting the outcome of high level fights, and this is in no way acceptable.
If I were going to fight in The FFC, I'd make for damned sure Gallo was not going to ref my fight, or I'd refuse to fight.