In the meantime, here is a review literally a year in the making. I originally didn't set for a long enough recording time with this event, so I was glad to rerecord it months later, where it sat on my DVR until last month. It was purged, against my will, by the DVR itself in the Great Spanish Language Purge of 2009. But alas, I have notes.
This show was the last ShoXC event ever televised, and eminated from Chumash Casino in California. The planned main event was Bao Quach/Wilson Reis for a 140lb belt that EXC was to promote, but Quach was injured and in steps the KOTC champ at the weight, Abel Cullum. Joining this bout was an array of B-list stars.
1) MATT MAKOWSKI/ERIK APPLE: Apple drops the headset and heads back in. Bless his soul. Makowski beat Nick Serra in an embarassing fight you should never want to see.
Makowski gets the first takedown on a caught kick, but gets swept. Apple attempts a few kimuras and straight armbars inside the guard, which would be more effective if he was outside of it. Makowski does try for some submissions off his back, but doesn't pull off any. All Apple's round. Apple shoots to start the second and Makowski defends with the guillotine. Apple pulls out his head, and prevents a repeat of the prior round by passing to mount, punching until Makowski gives his back, and ending this with that old chestnut of chokes, the rear naked. Erik Apple is....doing something right now. (1)
2) GIVA SANTANA vs. JAMIE JARA: I love Jamie Jara. I love Giva Santana. I will love this fight.
There's tenative standup as Santana is terrible and Jara is terrified of Santana's grappling. Jara lands a punch and Santana shoots and is successful. Jara tries to spin out, but Santana is holding him back, and then gets the mount. Jara gives the back and returns to mount and eats punches before scrambling to his feet. Santana reintroduces Jara to the mat shortly afterwards. Not the finest round for the tattooed one.
The second sees Santana pretend to strike before attempting to clinch. Jara is smart enough not to let himself be pulled into the guard and gets out and back to his feet. He lands shots but instinctively clinches, which is all wrong. Santana drops for the leg, Jara pushes out, and he's back up and striking. Santana, being old, was not prepared to fight more than 5 minutes, and its showing on his face and with his movement. Jara, meanwhile, is old but crazy, and this difference means that he's capable of continuing to scrap. As the round moves on, more punches land for Jara, and he's more willing to clinch with a less effective Santana.
The bell for the final round tones and we're off to the races with Jara giving a lesson in dirty boxing in close and tattooing (ironically) the middle aged Brazilian with punches at distance. Santana is throwing body kicks, which sound better than they are effective. He's shooting and coming up short. Jara might be cut, but its largely superficial. At the end of the round, Jara runs out of gas suddenly and Santana catches a second win, causing him to pursue a striking attack. Jara wins the round on my card and ends up with the split decision. Fans are equally split. (3)
3) MALAPEIT TEAM DIAMOND vs. DAVID DOUGLAS: Douglas is nicknamed Tarzan, speaks in bizarre tones, and trains with the Diaz brothers. Malapeit is Malapeit. I will love this fight.
Douglas rushes Malapeit at the start and grabs a takedown, Malapeit scrambles, and its time to get crazy. Dudes are getting thrown, Douglas is windmilling like its a Strife show, Malapeit is crushing Douglas with right hands and the dude just won't totally die. I won't bother giving play by play because its ridiculous and wild. Malapeit clearly wins the round with kicks and punches and everything imaginable. This trend continues in the second and Douglas looks like he will be stopped with leg kicks as Malapeit is controlling distance and just bombarding him with then. BUT~ Douglas snatches a leg, shoots, moves to mount, and starts bombing away as the round ends. The third has Malapeit throwing a flying knee, Douglas getting a takedown, landing about 300 punches, forcing a stop, and then giving a surreal interview. All out war reminiscent of Rollins/War Machine skillwise, but better (3)
4) CARL SEUMANUTAFA vs. SHANE DEL ROSARIO: Del Rosario is a much loved prospect. The other guy is Samoan and fat.
Samoan guy shoots, throws Del Rosario and then lays on him. Del Rosario mixes it up by trying a submission, but Seumanutafa slams out and escapes to north/south and an armbar attempt. Del Rosario escapes that and rolls the Samoan into full guard, who sweeps and...okay, "positioning battle". Nothing is landed. Seumanutafa wins the first. He tries to shoot a bunch in the second, gets stuffed, eventually is hit as he tries to go for some Superman punch/shot combo and goes down like a sack of shit. Del Rosario wins and is now beating up scrubs in M-1 Challenge. (2)
5) ABEL CULLUM vs. WILSON REIS: When I originally recorded this show, the recording of this fight ended in the second and it looked so awesome. And watching the full version? Not as awesome.
Lemme give you the short version of what happens: Reis wins every round. He takes down Cullum, Cullum is on his back defending submissions and getting hit. He never mounts any sustained offense, and Reis always comes out of scrambles in a better position and always seems to improve his position. Its like that first Noguiera fight with Herring; Herring became everyone's favorite heavyweight because he played defense the whole time and did alright at it. That's what Cullum does here. When in the Dream tourney, his skill level was exposed. Elite fighters don't lose to Hideo Tokoro. Meanwhile, Reis has a similar issue: He was supposed to win that Bellator tourney, and instead gets beat by Joe Soto. Oh well. (3)
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT: Douglas/Malapeit
KO OF THE NIGHT: Douglas/Malapeit
SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT: Apple/Makowski
OVERALL FOR THE EVENT: 6.5 out of 10. Not as good as I remembered it to be, but there's a middle section of fights here that's damn fun to watch, even if it isn't wildly important.
D&R Rating: 48% (12/25)
Note: That's the new record for one of these shows, and I hate to say it, but its almost nondeserved. Look, lots of good fights are one thing but none of these stand out. Plus, if you had to see the untelevised stuff, it would probably fall to a 20%. But, this is what it is. To that end, I do admit that its the best of the ShoXC shows and way better viewing than some of the recent efforts.
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