1) James Nevels vs. Eric Herbert: Light heavyweights. Nevels looks old and pudgy. Herbert is a younger guy with a Tim Sylvia sort of build: flattish stomach, love handles galore. Nevels comes in with about a week notice. Herbert won some ridiculous belt last time he was in Raging Wolf. Apparently that title already ceases to exist.
FIGHT: Herbert Unanimous Decision (0)
Nevels: Frankly, Nevels is a not too good 185lb fighter blown up and, by his facial appearance, 10 years too old to the game to make any noise. He can't check kicks, his punches are always slow, and he waits until far too long to shoot in. When he does, he easily gets on top and starts blasting. Herbert somehow slips an armbar attempt from Nevels that was ill timed, as merely by staying on top might have won him the fight. There's a quick standup and the time spent cleaning up Herbert probably keeps him alive.
Herbert: Keeps trying to touch gloves. Why? Weird, because its like everything follows with an attempt to touch gloves. Or is it him measuring his opponent? Either way, its not a wise strategy with anyone actually very good. Unlike his last fight, a classic display of fighting someone who could not wrestle, he shows respect for Nevels' ability to grapple, as he turns out to be as strong as he is and capable of defending the shot. This causes the fight to be a long, boring, tedious standup affair only marked occasionally with lousy shots from Herbert that are fended off or reacted to with illegal knees. Eventually he's taken down and actually takes a heck of a beating for most of the 3rd round, to what should have been a 10-8 round. In spite of this, he wins a UD.
2) Josh Thorpe vs. Don Carlo-Clauss: Thorpe trains with Nevels -that means RW got a discount on flying cornermen. Carlo-Clauss is a .667 fighter from Jersey's Bomb Squad. Lightweight belt or something on the line.
FIGHT: Carlo-Clauss Unanimous Decision (0)
Carlo-Clauss: Not an endearing performance. He gets hit with a lot of punches in this fight because he squares himself up to a guy who has a proper stance to strike. Frankly, he's lucky to have won, and the 30-27 card is a complete joke that goes to him. His takedowns aren't that good, nor is his activity on the mat.
Thorpe: You see a serious difference in stance - a true clash of styles. Thorpe stands like a classical boxer, and that leaves him open for leg kicks and the shot. Well, he's only taken down a couple times, lands all the meaningful blows standing, and Carlo-Clauss throws lousy leg kicks, so he actually comes really close to winning the fight. Might even deserve the W, though Carlo-Clauss basically gets it for going Tim Sylvia as his plan B and squashing Thorpe against the cage while a kindly ref lets him not do much.
3) Tonya Evinger vs. Alexis Davis: For a bantamweight title of sorts. Women fighting: WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT.
FIGHT: Davis Submission Rnd 3 (2)
Evinger: Evinger apparently said prior to the fight that she felt disrespected by her peers because they wouldn't give her a big fight. And then she goes out, does not much apart from hold top control, nearly gets caught in submissions in rounds 1 and 2, then Davis ends up taking her back after a telegraphed single and its all she wrote (no pun intended).
Davis: Okay fighter who isn't very big, moves her hips around pretty well on the bottom, and also has a decent sprawl. And that's it.
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT: Thorpe/Carlo-Clauss
SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT: Evinger/Davis
OVERALL FOR THE EVENT: 3 out of 10. Not terrible fights or anything, but only three bouts and none of them that important. Evinger/Davis is kind of a fun upset, but I don't really care about women's MMA so its not a big deal to me.
D&R Rating: 13% (2/15)
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