X-1 Night of Champions (1/26/2008)

An incredible show with a remarkable headliner. Didn't even know going in who was the top name.

1) Wesley "Cabbage" Corriera vs. Jacob Faagai: Faagai is debuting. CABBAGE is the dude who's head is super hard and can't be KOed. Well, until people started doing it. Regularly.

FIGHT: Cabbage TKO Rnd 1. Corriera still doesn't look any different than years ago. Just tosses Faagai down when he shoots. Like, straight back over backwards. Hilarious shit. Faagai actually turns him over and gets to side control and starts smashing. It looks as if he's going to win with GNP! Then HILARITY. Faagai dislocates his shoulder smashing Cabbage, reels back, falls over, and eats a punch by Cabbage. (2) for the incredible one of a kind ending, Cabbage, a random dude that was smashing Cabbage - incredible. Never seen anything like it.

2) Ricky Shivers vs. Kenny Ento: Shivers is the Alaskan middleweight champ. Can't make that up. Oh! This is a tournament. One night only! Who is the other bracket?

FIGHT: Shivers TKO Rnd 1. (0) Ento slams Shivers early and looks to mount and end this fast, but Shivers is able to force the fight back up, takes down Ento, and nearly gets caught in a leg lock. Shivers stands out, then lands a right hand on Ento. Ento ragdolls into the ropes and starts taking punches like its Morrison/Mercer as the ref jumps in. (0)

INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS LEBEN. He looks like Dave Walsh on a permanent heroin bender.

3) Joey Guel vs. Falaniko Vitale: NIKOOOOOOOOO

FIGHT: Vitale Unanimous Decision (3)

Vitale: Winning a decision in Hawaii is hardly a surprise. He deserved it though, having Guel in trouble with frequency standing and on the mat. He's at a technique deficit standing but makes up for it with raw strength and his grappling technique. Even then, you see that Niko is losing a step against increasing competition - he has to force his way out of a kimura from Guel on strength alone. He should be exceedingly thankful that wasn't a serious prospect or current top fighter.

Guel: Guel shows superior standup for most of the bout and actually has a decent ground game. But he's just an OK fighter, and Vitale can defeat those. He shows enough in terms of how immobile Vitale is as well as how open he is to submissions to make you believe that Niko's a long ways away from making another run at a world title. Guel is pretty well done with the sport, it seems.

4) Dave Moreno vs. Eddie Yagin: Featherweights. Super lightweights. Whatever. 145 is the weight class. Yagin and Moreno have been around in Hawaii SO LONG.

FIGHT: Yagin Unanimous Decision (1)

Yagin: Yagin looks significantly smaller, but he's an all around better fighter. He takes down Moreno a few times and lands nice kicks and right hands. Pretty easy fight, all things considered.

Moreno: Hurts his wrist and takes a low blow the ref misses. Add in that he's a step below Yagin in terms of skill and technique, and he's not gonna win. And he doesn't.

5) Michael Brightmon vs. Anthony Torres: Welterweight bout. Never heard of either. Brightmon was in the UFC I guess. 3 minute rounds.

FIGHT: Brightmon Split Decision (0)

Brightmon: Lost to Bryson Kamaka. In 9 seconds. So that is what we are dealing with here. Just a wild puncher with a lot of physical strength. He wins the first round with some strikes that he wings out and then gets on top in the third thanks to Torres gassing and grinds out a decision.

Torres: A wrestler who has some skills on top, but nothing too great. At all. No standup. There's a reason why it was smart for him to seemingly retire and move on.

MOAR LEBEN INTERVIEW ON THE BEACH

6) Ricky Shivers vs. Falaniko Vitale: And now, the finals.

FIGHT: Vitale TKO Rnd 1. (3) Shivers gets nailed with a flying knee early in the first that drops him. Vitale jumps on him, and there's a lot of blood. Huge cut on Shivers' forehead ends the bout.

EVEN MOAR LEBEN INTERVIEW

7) Mia St. John vs. Rhonda Gallegos: UNREAL. THIS IS A FIGHT?????

FIGHT: St. John TKO Rnd 1. Gallegos is a fat mess and St. John drops her with punches. She just crumbles. St. John doesn't jump on her or anything, but does it matter? This is probably fixed. (3)

FIGHT OF THE NIGHT: Guel/Vitale

KO OF THE NIGHT: Cabbage/Faagai

OVERALL FOR THE EVENT: 5 out of 10. Freakshows of epicness. Niko SMASH. And then decisions that aren't very good.

D&R Rating: 34% (12/35)