You use this site to get a gist of how fighters are, before they hit the big leagues. I like that. I like seeing how fighters evolve over time. After you look at how I think they did, by all means -watch the fight!! There is no substitute for that.
Anyway, we were at the LFA Apex (Park City, Kansas) for LFA 98. The Kansas commission is very responsive. They enjoy their MMA fans and they are just some common-sense folk. Even though I dont agree with the open scoring in Kansas, the Kansas commission is easily one of the best MMA commissions out there, and that’s why LFA is in that State right now. At LFA 98 Josh Fremd beat Bruno Oliveira in the LFA Middleweight semi-finals, to move on to the finals. Fremd will face either Anthony Adams or Gregory Rodrigues in the final.
3 person booth on the commentary….ehhhh……I dont like it. I feel like such a whiner but, Sanko and Kruck, those are the only 2 names I want to hear coming from the booth. If Miletich comes back for some reason, I’m not opposed to having him and Kruck do their thing again.
Main Event
Josh Fremd vs Bruno Oliveira – Middleweight
Round 1
They strike and Fremd eats some kicks and takes Oliveira down. They stand, and Oliveira looks considerably slower. Fremd hits Oliveira with a left hook and finishes him on the ground with hammerfists. 🚩Fremd wins by KO
Josh Fremd is explosive, unpredictable and exciting, he fights with very bad intentions and he has fight ending power. What I didn’t see from Fremd was technique in the standup game. His footwork looked off, and he just looked a little stagnant on the feet. To be fair, I think Fremd knows this, and he likes to get in close and do damage that way. Oliveira had bad footwork as well, especially after Fremd clinched with him. Oliveira looked slow and linear to me
Lucas Clay vs JJ Okanovich – Lightweight
Round 1
Clay takes the back and beats up Okanovich
Round 2
Clay gets the takedown and beats up Okanovich
Round 3
Clay clinches with Okanovich up against the cage. Okanovich begs the referee to take Clay off of him, AND THE REFEREE TAKES CLAY OFF HIS BACK. Great to see that Okanovich and the referee are friends. This referee in particular was having a horrible night.🚩 Clay wins by unanimous decision
Okanovich’s wrestling is not very good at all. Lucas Clay isn’t even a very good wrestler, but he was able to just keep Okanovich down. Clay’s stand up looked bad, lol, but it was good enough to setup the takedown. Here is how Okanovich did in the contender series, if you dont wanna check it. its 2/5 stars, and that’s about how he performed tonight
Richard Palencia vs Jeimeson Saudino – Bantamweight
Round 1
Palencia gets the takedown and grinds on Saudino. Palencia drops Saudino with a right and clinches against the cage. Palencia throws a knee that catches Saudino low, and the referee (yes that referee, takes a point) it was the only foul of the fight. When referees think that they’re the superstars, its the worst thing in MMA.
Round 2
Palencia pieces Saudino up on the feet. Saudino is afraid to step in the pocket
Round 3
Same as round 2. 🚩Palencia wins by unanimous decision
Palencia looks like a battle hardened fighter. He wasn’t pushed in this fight. I want to see Levi Mowles vs Richard Palencia for the LFA Bantamweight title. I’m just calling for that fight as a fan. I want to see both of those guys pushed
Dakota Bush vs Austin Clem – Lightweight
Round 1
Bush throws some big strikes and clinches. Bush then postures out of the clinch and throws some elbows, he hits Clem with a big right highkick and finishes him with punches.🚩 Bush wins by TKO
Bush proved why he needs to go to the next level. Bush has a fantastic all around game and is just a solid lightweight. Bush has been susceptible to the wet blanket type of fighter, I want to see a fight where I can assess if he’s fixed those holes. Bush kinda outshined his opponent here, and I really didn’t see a lot from Clem
Vanessa Grimes vs Tabitha Ricci – Strawweight
Round 1
Grimes comes out throwing well, but gets taken down and Ricci submits her with the belly down armbar.🚩 Ricci wins by submission
Grimes was clueless on the ground. That’s the long and short of it.
Matt Paul vs Joshua Silveira – Light Heavyweight
Round 1
Silveira grapples and clinches, he then shoots and gets Paul down. Silveira works to the back and gets the rear naked choke. 🚩Silveira wins by submission
Silveira’s striking is not where it should be, but his Jiu-Jitsu is phenomenal. He has room to go down to 185, and he has room to get better at his striking. If these things happen, he can be a terror. A terror! As for now… his BJJ game is great, and that’s it. I really did not get to see a lot of Paul in this fight
Zac Pauga vs Ashby Thomas – Light Heavyweight
Round 1
Thomas shoots and Pauga sprawls and beats Thomas’ head in with hammerfists. Pauga puts Thomas in a mounted crucifix and smashes him.🚩 Pauga wins by TKO
This was pure domination from Pauga, The man is only 2-0 right now, but its evident that he’s on a different level than Thomas. Pauga needs to be fighting some guys that are 7-6 and 4-8, some guys that have some experience, but not necessarily world beaters. I think the man is very good. I wanted to see more of his BJJ game in this fight, but, he was so dominant, he didn’t get to show it. I also like Pauga at 205, I know he may be a little short for the weight-class, but I think the weight-class fits his broad body type. I’ll definitely be watching Pauga
Zac Pauga and Josh Fremd were unbroken at LFA 98