Sunday, April 29, 2018

Top Rank/ESPN Boxing featuring Jessie Magdaleno vs. Isaac Dogboe - Saturday, April 28th (Philadelphia, PA)

Bob Arum's Top Rank Boxing returned to Philadelphia on Saturday night. The nine bout card featured three fights that aired in prime time on ESPN. Top Rank teamed with Philadelphia-based promotion, Peltz Boxing Promotions, to bring an action-packed night of boxing, which featured several talented local fighters, to the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University.

The main event featured a contest between Isaac Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) and Jessie Magdaleno (25-1, 18 KOs) for Magdaleno's World Boxing Organisation World Super Bantamweight Title. In the first round, Magdaleno knocked Dogboe down with a multi-punch combo, highlighted by a left hook to the head. Dogboe appeared to be shaken up after the knock down, but managed to survive the round. During the second round, both gladiators exchanged big shots. In the fourth round, Dogboe hurt Magdaleno with a right hand to the head, but the defending champion stayed on his feet. Magdaleno landed a big right hook on Dogboe's head as the round ended. Magdaleno was knocked down in the fifth round from a Dogboe right hand to the head. It looked like the end was near for Magdaleno, however, the world champ battled back. Dogboe, hoping to score the knockout, threw everything but the kitchen sink at Magdaleno, and appeared to come close to punching himself out before the round ended. To add insult to injury, Magdaleno taunted Dogboe as he connected on hard punch after hard punch. Dogboe pushed Magdaleno into the ropes with a barrage of punches in the sixth round. Magdaleno appeared hurt, but survived the round. Magdaleno survived another Dogboe offensive assault in the seventh round. In the tenth round, Dogboe, clearly frustrated by not scoring a second knock down in the bout up to this point, swung for the fences and connected on a number of hard punches to Magdaleno's head and body. Magdaleno was knocked down in the eleventh round by a Dogboe right hand to the head. Magdaleno, badly hurt, pulled himself up to his feet, only to be knocked out by a Dogboe left hand to the head at 1:38 of the eleventh round.

Philadelphia's Jesse Hart (24-1, 20 KOs), the son of local legend Cyclone Hart, fought Maryland's Demond Nicholson (18-3-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant NABF Super Middleweight Title. In the opening round, Hart pinned Nicholson against the ropes with a multi-punch combo. Nicholson managed to squirm out of the trap, and avoid any additional damage. Nicholson responded to this onslaught by hitting Hart with a right hand to the head that hurt the fighter as the bell signalling the end of the first round rang. In the second round, Hart landed a nice right uppercut, followed by a right hook to Nicholson's head. In the third round, Hart knocked Nicholson down with a left-right hand combo. Upon further review, it appeared that the referee ruled a slip a knockdown. Nicholson was later staggered by a Hart left hand to the head. The fighter was knocked down again during this round by a Hart right hand to the head. In the fourth round, a Hart hard right to the head forced Nicholson to desperately wrap up his opponent. Hart hammered Nicholson with right hooks to the head in the sixth round. Despite appearing to be overwhelmed by Hart during this round, Nicholson attempted to rally at the end of the round, as he connected with left hands to Hart's head as the men were engaged in close combat. A Hart right hand to Nicholson's head in the seventh was the beginning of the end for the fighter. The hurt fighter appeared to be knocked down, but referee Shawn Clark did not call a knockdown, unbeknownst to Nicholson, who actually dropped his guard and turned his back to Hart. Hart, smelling blood in the water, went on the attack with a series of punches. The contest ended after Hart connected on a left hook to the head of Nicholson. Nicholson fell to the canvas and was counted out at 2:26 of the seventh round.

The first televised bout of the evening featured an all Philly heavyweight contest between Joey Dawejko (19-5-4, 11 KOs) and Bryant Jennings (23-2, 13 KOs) for the Pennsylvania Heavyweight Title. For the most part, the fighting was up close and personal through the first four rounds. In the second round, Jennings hit Dawejko with a jab that snapped his head back. The two men exchanged blows in the center of the ring in the third round. During this exchange, Dawejko connected with a big left uppercut that caught Jennings in the jaw. In the fourth round, Jennings appeared to hurt Dawejko with a big right hand to the head. The first five rounds were anything but clean, as both fighters were warned numerous times for low blows. In the fifth round, the two men viciously exchanged punches, causing both exhausted men to hang onto one another. Towards the end of this round, Jennings snapped Dawejko's head back with a straight right hand. Dawejko was hurt in the sixth round by a Jennings' left hook to the head. Jennings controlled the tempo of the eighth and ninth rounds, forcing Dawejko's corner to have to "light a fire under their fighter's ass." Dawejko answered the bell in the tenth round throwing hard punches to Jennings' head and body. Jennings responded with a straight left hand to Dawejko's head that caused the big man to fall forward into Jennings, pushing him into the ropes. Dawejko was unable to regain his composure, and spit out his mouthpiece. After recovering his mouthpiece, Dawejko attempted one last assault on Jennings' before the match ended, but this attack did not have the results that the fighter so desperately needed to capture the state title. Jennings won on all three judges' scorecards by a score of 98-92.

Olympic Silver Medalist, Shakur Stevenson (6-0, 3 KOs), a product of Newark, New Jersey, squared off against Georgia's Patrick Riley (12-1, 6 KOs). This eight round, featherweight bout served as a step up fight for the talented young fighter, Stevenson. In the first round, Stevenson staggered Riley with a right hand to the jaw. In the second round, Stevenson put on an offensive clinic that ultimately broke down his opponent. Stevenson knocked Riley down with a right hook to the jaw. Riley pulled himself up from the canvas, but was pulverized with a Stevenson multi-punch combo that forced the referee to stop the massacre at the 1:35 mark of the second round.

Olympic Gold Medalist, Robson Conceicao (7-0, 4 KOs) fought Alex Rynn Torres (6-2, 3 KOs) in a six round, super featherweight bout. Conceicao, a Brazilian native, put his speed on display in the first and second rounds. He worked his opponent's body effectively throughout the second round. In the third round, Conceicao landed several big hooks to Torres' upper body. Despite being outclassed by Conceicao, Torres fought valiantly through the six round contest. All three judges scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Conceicao.

South Philadelphia fan favorite, Christian Carto (15-0, 11 KOs) faced Puerto Rico's Edwin Rodriguez (8-5-1, 4 KOs) in an eight round, bantamweight bout. Carto effectively used his jab in the opening frame, and ended the round by landing the first of many multi-punch combos on his opponent. Carto wore down Rodriguez in the second round by landing a series of big shots. At the end of the round, Carto landed a big straight right hand to the face of Rodriguez. Carto answered all Rodriguez punches in the third round with multi-punch combos of his own. Midway through the fourth round, Carto landed a big left-right hand combo to the head and body of Rodriguez. In the fifth round, Carto went on the attack again, as he pushed his opponent into the ropes with left and right hooks to the head and body. Rodriguez, a fighter who has never been knocked out, demonstrated his toughness by staying on his feet during the fifth round. Rodriguez went on the offensive in the sixth round. Both fighters had a nice exchange at the end of the sixth. The final two rounds were fairly close with both men landing effective punches. The judges scored the bout 77-75 twice, and 78-74 all in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Christian Carto.

Lightweights, Kent Cruz (14-0-1, 9 KOs) and Mohamed Rodriguez (11-4-1, 4 KOs) fought in an eight round bout. In the first round, both fighters felt one another out. Unfortunately this action-less round would set the tempo for a majority of the fight. Cruz landed a big multi-punch combo on Rodriguez to end the second round. Both fighters landed a series of big hooks in the fourth round. Cruz landed a right hook to the jaw of Rodriguez in the fifth, but was unable to gain momentum following the clean blow on his opponent. The judges scored the bout 78-74 for Cruz, 77-75 for Rodriguez, and 76-76 a draw. The contest ended in a split decision draw.

Philly fan favorite, Joseph Adorno (7-0, 7 KOs) made quick work of Mexico's Jorge Padron (3-2, 3 KOs) in a fight that was scheduled for six rounds in the super featherweight division. Adorno landed a right hook to the lower ribs of Padron, that sent him down to the canvas. It didn't take Padron long to decide that he had had enough of Adorno. The referee counted him out, and called an end to the bout at 1:11 of the opening round. Adorno has now won all seven of his professional fights by way of knockout.

In the opening bout of the card, Philadelphia's Marcel Rivers (5-0, 4 KOs) fought Ronald Logan (0-3) of New York in a four round, welterweight contest. Rivers controlled the first round of action by effectively landing good left and right hooks. Rivers was the aggressor in the second round. He landed a series of straight left and right hands to the head and body that chased his opponent into the red corner. Logan appeared to slip while avoiding his opponent's offensive onslaught. Despite slipping, Logan was unable to rise from the canvas. The referee stopped the fight at the :49 mark of the second round.




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Saturday, April 28, 2018

A Philly special

Check out our very own Luis Cortes' recent article, A Philly special.

Luis' article provides an in-depth look at tonight's boxing card from the Liacouras Center on the campus of his alma mater, Temple University. The article is available on the Undisputed Champion Network website.

Congrats on another great article, Luis!




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Weights from Philadelphia - Top Rank/ESPN Boxing on April 28th

Top Rank/ESPN Boxing, Saturday, April 28, 2018 - Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA

Results from the Weigh-In at the Renaissance Philadelphia Airport Hotel - 

Marcel Rivers (150.1 lbs.) vs. Ronald Logan (153.5 lbs.), four rounds, welterweights

Joseph Adorno (132.6 lbs.) vs. Jorge Padron (131.8 lbs.), six rounds, super featherweights

Kent Cruz (141.7 lbs.) vs. Mohamed Rodriguez (143.6 lbs.), eight rounds, lightweights

Christian Carto (118.7 lbs.) vs. Edwin Rodriguez (118 lbs.), eight rounds, bantamweights

Robson Conceicao (130.5 lbs.) vs. Alex Rynn Torres (130.6 lbs.), six rounds, super featherweights

Patrick Riley (124.6 lbs.) vs. Shakur Stevenson (125.7 lbs.), eight rounds, featherweights

Joey Dawejko (233 lbs.) vs. Bryant Jennings (225.6 lbs.), ten rounds, heavyweights

Demond Nicholson (167.5 lbs.) vs. Jesse Hart (167.8 lbs.), ten rounds super middleweights

Isaac Dogboe (121.1 lbs.) vs. Jessie Magdaleno (122 lbs.), twelve rounds, super bantamweights




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Friday, April 27, 2018

The Liacouras Center: Philly Boxing's Biggest Stage

Check out our very own Matt Ward's recent article, The Liacouras Center: Philly Boxing's Biggest Stage.

Matt's article on the history of boxing at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia is available on the Philly Boxing History website.

Congrats on another great article, Matt!




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Christian Carto Interview

Luis Cortes caught up with Christian Carto (14-0, 11 KOs) earlier this week at Joe Hand Boxing Gym in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. Carto is preparing to fight Puerto Rico's Edwin Rodriguez (9-4, 5 KOs) in an eight round, bantamweight contest.

Check out Luis Cortes' Bonus Round interview with Christian Carto on both SoundCloud and iTunes:



This fight is part of a nine bout card that will take place on SaturdayApril 28th at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University. The card is being promoted by Top Rank Boxing and Peltz Boxing Promotions, and is headlined by a super bantamweight title fight between Jessie Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KOs) and Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KOs). The boxing card also features a number of other popular Philadelphia area fighters including, Joey Dawejko, Bryant JenningsJesse Hart, Joseph Adorno, and Marcel Rivers. Three fights on the card will air on ESPN.

Tickets for this exciting night of boxing can be purchased over the phone by calling Peltz Boxing Promotions at 215-765-0922.




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Thursday, April 26, 2018

Joseph Adorno Interview

Luis Cortes caught up with Allentown's Joseph Adorno (6-0, 6 KOs) earlier this week at Joe Hand Boxing Gym in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. This Saturday night, Adorno is looking for his seventh straight victory by knockout against Jorge Hugo Padron (3-1, 3 KOs) in North Philadelphia

Check out Luis Cortes' Bonus Round interview with Joseph Adorno on both SoundCloud and iTunes:



This fight is part of a nine bout card that will take place on SaturdayApril 28th at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University. The card is being promoted by Top Rank Boxing and Peltz Boxing Promotions, and is headlined by a super bantamweight title fight between Jessie Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KOs) and Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KOs). The boxing card also features a number of other popular Philadelphia area fighters including, Joey Dawejko, Bryant Jennings, Jesse HartChristian Carto, and Marcel Rivers. Three fights on the card will air on ESPN.

Tickets for this exciting night of boxing can be purchased over the phone by calling Peltz Boxing Promotions at 215-765-0922.




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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Jesse Hart Interview

Luis Cortes caught up with Philadelphia's Jesse Hart (23-1, 19 KOs) yesterday afternoon at Joe Hand Boxing Gym in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. Hart is preparing to fight Maryland's Demond Nicholson (18-2-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant NABF Super Middleweight Title.

Check out Luis Cortes' Bonus Round interview with Jesse Hart on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Jesse Hart Interview with Luis Cortes on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Jesse Hart Interview with Luis Cortes on iTunes

This fight is part of a nine bout card that will take place on SaturdayApril 28th at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University. The card is being promoted by Top Rank Boxing and Peltz Boxing Promotions, and is headlined by a super bantamweight title fight between Jessie Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KOs) and Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KOs). The boxing card also features a number of other popular Philadelphia area fighters including, Joey Dawejko, Bryant JenningsChristian CartoJoseph Adorno, and Marcel Rivers. Three fights on the card will air on ESPN.

Tickets for this exciting night of boxing can be purchased over the phone by calling Peltz Boxing Promotions at 215-765-0922.




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Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Joey Dawejko Interview

Luis Cortes caught up with Philadelphia heavyweight boxer, Joey Dawejko (19-4-4, 11 KOs), this afternoon at Joe Hand Boxing Gym in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. Dawejko is preparing to battle fellow Philadelphian, Bryant Jennings (22-2, 13 KOs), for the Pennsylvania State Heavyweight Title.

Check out Luis Cortes' Bonus Round interview with Joey Dawejko on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Joey Dawejko Interview with Luis Cortes on SoundCloud


This fight is part of a nine bout card that will take place on SaturdayApril 28th at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University. The card is being promoted by Top Rank Boxing and Peltz Boxing Promotions, and is headlined by a super bantamweight title fight between Jessie Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KOs) and Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KOs). The boxing card also features a number of other popular Philadelphia area fighters including, Jesse HartChristian CartoJoseph Adorno, and Marcel Rivers. Three fights on the card will air on ESPN.

Tickets for this exciting night of boxing can be purchased over the phone by calling Peltz Boxing Promotions at 215-765-0922.




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Impact! Wrestling: Redemption Recap

Impact! Wrestling delivered their first pay per view of 2018 as Redemption emanated tonight from the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida. The eight match card boasted four title bouts along with a strong representation of talent from Lucha Underground, as well as, legends “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner and “The Innovator of Violence” Tommy Dreamer.  Fans were even surprised by Josh Matthews being accompanied on commentary by Don Callis-best known for his work in ECW and the early TNA days of Impact Wrestling. The capacity crowd was also game for this event as they remained engaged for the majority of the evening contributing to the energetic atmosphere of the Impact Zone and they were certainly not shy of voicing their opinions of the wrestlers. The only detractors of the show were the glaring omissions of such stars as Johnny Impact, Rosemary, Kongo Kong, Abyss, and one of my new favorites, Fallah Bahh.  Unbooked performers aside, Impact certainly laid the groundwork to progress through their rejuvenation as they continue to develop relationships with other promotions such as Lucha Underground and Mexico’s AAA.

Drago vs. Aerostar
Winner: Aerostar

Redemption’s opening bout featured two high-fliers from Lucha Underground as Drago squared off with Aerostar. Aerostar hit several awe inspiring moves throughout the match including a corkscrew dive, plancha, and la bombista to the outside of the ring. The finish came as Aerostar went to the ring apron and vaulted from the middle rope to hit a flying Codebreaker on Drago to earn the pinfall victory.

Impact Tag Team Championship
LAX (c) vs. Eli Drake and Scott Steiner
Winners: Eli Drake and Scott Steiner

Prior to the match, a backstage vignette featuring LAX members Santana and Ortiz captured a phone call received by an unknown individual identified as “King” who informed them that Konnan was “taken out” and would be absent from the match. Fast forward to the ring… Scott Steiner did what he does best as soon as he stepped into the Impact Zone and that’s infuriate the crowd. Before the bell even rang, Steiner incited the crowd into a “F*ck you Steiner!” chant. This match, in my opinion, was one of the two shockers of the evening. While LAX demonstrated some impressive tandem offense, Scott Steiner was an offensive juggernaut for his team as he hit a number of his patented belly-to-belly suplexes and most surprisingly, especially for a 55 year old man, a Frankensteiner from the top rope. In the end, Eli Drake hit the Gravy Train and we now have new tag team champions!!! (It looks like Scott Steiner will be taking some time off from running his Shoney‘s down in Georgia.)

Trevor Lee vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. El Hijo Del Fantasma vs. DJZ vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage
Winner: “The Machine” Brian Cage
This match had an interesting dynamic pitting five X-Division competitors against a guy who looks like he’s training for the Arnold Classic. It was apparent that this match was intended to showcase the talent of the X-Division, get as many wrestlers involved in the pay-per-view as possible, but also to continue to build prestige of the man I view as a future heavyweight champion, Brian Cage. Brian Cage remained idle on the ring apron in the early going, however, all bets were off once he made his way into the ring. Cage certainly performed his fair share of power moves. Cage highlighted his strength as he performed a fall away slam where he launched not one, but TWO men across the ring. Cage also displayed his freak athleticism as he landed a moonsault from the middle turnbuckle. The match concluded as Brian Cage nailed Dezmond Xavier with the Drill Claw for the victory.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Kiera Hogan
Winner: Taya Valkyrie
With “Lucha Royalty” Taya Valkyrie competing, I expected a more entertaining match, but the highlight of this segment was the crashing of the commentary booth by Tessa Blanchard. Tessa who showed some promise as a competitor for WWE NXT, surprised us with her appearance and put the Knockouts Division on notice! Taya Valkyrie sealed the victory with the Road to Valhalla.

X-Division Championship
Petey Williams vs. Matt Sydal (c) 
Winner: Matt Sydal
Prior to this match, Petey Williams’ backstage promo was interrupted by Scott Steiner, and in classic Steiner fashion, he told Petey that he never made love to his wife more than when he looked like him. With that being said, I really hoped Petey was going to come to the ring in his old homage to Steiner as “Little Petey Pump”, complete with his chain mail headdress-it didn‘t happen. This match was quite entertaining. We were not only treated to an aerial display but both men also demonstrated how deep their wrestling acumen reaches were, as they delved into their arsenal of submission holds showing off their technical repertoire. The match concluded with a ferocious offensive onslaught. First, Sydal had his first Shooting Star Press foiled by unceremoniously receiving knees to the ribs and was countered by Williams executing The Canadian Destoyer. Unfortunately for Williams, Sydal instinctively rolled out of the ring. Petey then attempted to execute a Super Canadian Destroyer from the top turnbuckle that Sydal escaped, and attempted to counter with another Shooting Star Press, which Williams also dodged. In the end, Sydal slipped behind Petey, pulled his arm between his legs, and flipped him onto his back rolling him up for the pinfall victory.

House of Hardcore Rules Match
Tommy Dreamer, Moose, & Eddie Edwards vs. OVE (Ohio vs. Everything)
Winners: OVE
This match stemmed from a feud between Edwards and OVE, where in the past couple weeks, the numbers game was evened with the introduction of Moose and Tommy Dreamer into the fray. This match was pure, unadulterated violence from start to finish, and it was glorious. We had tables, ladders, chairs, trash cans, kendo sticks, barbed wire bats, and a bag of tacks! The Innovator of Violence even brought a sense of ECW nostalgia to the arena as he attempted to take a barbed wire bat to the face of Sami Callihan. Dreamer was stopped short by a low blow from Callihan who rolled him up for the pinfall.

After the match Eddie Edwards lost his s*it. Edwards first finished what Dreamer started, and gashed Callihan open with the barbed wire bat leaving him drenched in blood. Edwards then duct taped Sami Callihan to the ropes and proceeded to beat him senseless with a kendo stick, swinging away at everyone who tried to intervene, even the referee. Unfortunately for the Lone Wolf, his reckless abandon generated serious repercussions as his wife came to the ring to attempt to halt the violence and took a kendo stick to the face for her efforts. The segment closed with a distraught Edwards standing over his wife as medical personnel tended to her, and the Impact Zone briefly chanted “wife beater.”

Knockouts Championship Match
Allie (c) vs. Su Yung
Winner: Allie
After being rejected in recent weeks by Laurel Van Ness and more prominently by Allie (who is his real life wife ironically), Braxton Sutter aligned himself with “The Undead Bride” Su Yung. Both ladies put forth a very competitive match as Allie displayed a myriad of moves in one of her best Impact performances to date. The match concluded as Allie hit a super kick on Su Yung, as Sutter decided to distract the ref on the ring apron. After Allie disposed of him with a slap to the face, she was hoisted up on the shoulders of Yung. Allie tactfully slipped out of the Panic Switch and rolled Su Yung up for the pin. After the match, Sutter thought it would be a good idea to approach Yung who was distraught over her loss with a marriage proposal. Yung aptly responded by spitting “blood” in his face and taking him down with a Mandible Claw.

Impact Wrestling World Championship
Austin Aries (c) vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Fenix
Winner: Pentagon Jr.
This match was originally billed as Aries vs. Alberto El Patron until El Patron no-showed Wrestlecon in New Orleans during Wrestlemania weekend and was subsequently terminated from Impact Wrestling. Impact Wrestling took this opportunity to further solidify their relationship with Lucha Underground by incorporating two of their stars into this title fight. Aries was pitted against brothers Pentagon Jr. and Fenix in the match of the night. Words can do no justice to how captivated I was by the frenetic pace of this spectacle of sports entertainment. I thought this bout was over when Aries hit an incredible 450 splash on both opponents as they laid prone in the corner to no avail as the brothers kicked out. In the closing moments of the match Pentagon Jr. executed an unbelievable move as he SIMULTANEOUSLY landed a Gory Special on Fenix and a double package pile driver on Aries. Pentagon then snapped back the arm of Aries as he laid senseless and sealed the deal with the impressive Pentagon Driver for the victory!




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Sunday, April 22, 2018

Meanwhile in Philadelphia...

Check out our very own Luis Cortes' recent article, Meanwhile in Philadelphia... 

Luis' article on the upcoming Philadelphia area boxing shows is available on the Undisputed Champion Network website.

Congrats on another great article, Luis!






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Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Decoding the UFC Middleweight Division

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!


I want to open this article in a little different fashion than usual. I want to thank screen name Latino Heat for sending a box full of what appeared to be her previously worn panties to The Weigh-In. While I did not personally get to enjoy them, our own Matt Ward and Luis Cortes are still huffing them at the time of this article is being crafted.


Let us now discuss and decode the UFC’s Middleweight Division. We all know that Rockhold lost to Romero at UFC 221. Before we go any further, I will not listen or read fan mail talking shit about Rockhold. Let us not forget that Rockhold was supposed to fight Robert Whittaker for his belt at UFC 221, but Whittaker had to drop out due to injury. However, once Whittaker was forced off the card due to injury, Rockhold decided he would not sit around and wait for his title shot. Instead, Rockhold decided to allow a very dangerous Yoel Romero to step in for Whittaker. It is this attitude that has propelled Rockhold to the top of the sport, so The Weigh-In will not entertain shit talk about someone who never shies away from a fight.


All that being said, the Rockhold loss has further muddied our UFC Middleweight waters. Romero was able to K.O. Rockhold in the third round. However, due to Romero missing weight, he was not eligible to win the interim middleweight belt. Following Romero’s victory, UFC’s Dana White came out stating that Romero will fight Whittaker for the title next.


That leaves us all to wonder what the hell will Luke Rockhold do? The middleweight division is a mess. Everyone will remember that Bisping took over a year to defend the title and then lost it to St-Pierre, only to have St-Pierre retire immediately after obtaining the middleweight belt.

If Romero and Whittaker are to square off for the belt, there is no shortage of opponents for Rockhold. Rockhold declined an earlier offer to fight Derek Brunson, as he felt Brunson is not on his level. This statement from Rockhold may be true, but perhaps he will decide to show everyone. Another viable option is a matchup against Kelvin Gastelum, who is coming off a big 2017. Gastelum defeated Bisping by knockout and is set to fight Ronaldo Souza at UFC 224. A win over Souza would arguably put Gastelum in middleweight title contention. It may be that Gastelum and Rockhold fight for a chance at a title shot.

Another option may be that Rockhold and Weidman have a rematch. This is a fight that Weidman has wanted since suffering a stoppage loss to Rockhold. While I think Weidman would need another win or two before challenging Rockhold, stranger things have happened in the UFC. I am not sure how many fans would get excited over a Rockhold vs. Weidman rematch. Give us a shout out at The Weigh-In and let us know who you think Rockhold should fight next!


People’s Red Head Out!



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Sunday, April 15, 2018

Top Rank/ESPN Boxing Returns to Philadelphia on April 28th

On Saturday, April 28th, Top Rank Boxing and Peltz Boxing Promotions returns to the "City of Brotherly Love" with a nine bout boxing card, headlined by a super bantamweight title fight between Jessie Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KOs) and Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KOs). The boxing card which will take place at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University features a number of popular Philadelphia area fighters including, Joey Dawejko, Bryant Jennings, Jesse Hart, Christian Carto, Joseph Adorno, and Marcel Rivers. Three fights on the card will air on ESPN.

Magdaleno is coming off of a knockout victory last April over Adeilson Dos Santos in Carson, California. His opponent, Dogboe, has won three straight bouts by knockout. The two undefeated fighters will square off for Dogboe's World Boxing Organisation World Super Bantamweight Title.

Philadelphia's Jesse Hart (23-1, 19 KOs), coming off of a February 3rd TKO victory over Thomas Awimbono, will fight Maryland's Demond Nicholson (18-2-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant NABF Super Middleweight Title. Nicholson last fought on August 25, 2017, when he defeated Josue Obando in Miami.

Philadelphia heavyweights, Bryant Jennings (22-2, 13 KOs) and Joey Dawejko (19-4-4, 11 KOs) will battle for the Pennsylvania State Heavyweight Title. This bout, which has instant classic written all over it, is expected to bring the city's boxing fans out in full force. Both fighters have had recent success in the ring. Jennings has won three straight fights by knockout, since losing to Luis Ortiz on December 19, 2015. Dawejko had a busy 2017, in which he won two bouts over Kelvin Nunez and Demetrius Banks, and fought to a draw against Rodney Hernandez.

The non-televised portion of the card consists of six solid match ups featuring several fighters who are no strangers to local fight fans. Philadelphia bantamweight prospect, Christian Carto (14-0, 11 KOs) will fight Puerto Rico's Edwin Rodriguez (9-4, 5 KOs) in an eight round bout. Olympic Silver Medalist, Shakur Stevenson (5-0, 2 KOs) will face Roxberg Patrick Riley (12-0, 6 KOs) in an eight round featherweight contest, that will be a step up bout for Stevenson. Undefeated super featherweight, Joseph Adorno (6-0, 6 KOs) of Allentown, PA will square off against Mexico's Jorge Hugo Padron (3-1, 3 KOs) in a six round fight. Philadelphia's Marcel Rivers (4-0, 3 KOs) will also be in action that night against a welterweight opponent who is yet to be announced.

The card also features eight round bouts in the super lightweight and super featherweight divisions. Mohamed Rodriguez (11-5, 4 KOs) will face undefeated super lightweight, Kent Cruz (14-0, 9 KOs), and Alex Torres Rynn (6-1, 3 KOs) will fight undefeated super featherweightRobson Conceicao (6-0, 4 KOs) of Brazil.

Tickets for this outstanding night of boxing can be purchased over the phone by calling Peltz Boxing Promotions at 215-765-0922.




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Friday, April 13, 2018

Luke Rockhold: A True Champion

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

Many know Luke Rockhold for taking the belt from Chris Weidman. However, Luke has been a champion his entire life. Although he resides in the middleweight division of the UFC, he spends his time training against heavyweight monsters. Rockhold trained for years out of American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which is home to Light Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Cormier. It is also home to Cain Velsquez, Mike Swick, Gray Maynard, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and more. This gym is a murderers row of MMA talent, and it is where Rockhold punched his time card day in and day out.


If the roster of Rockhold’s training partners was not enough, he recently made a change. Rockhold now trains under the legend, Henri Hooft. While Rockhold won titles under Strikeforce and the UFC while training with AKA, the training was coming at a price. The AKA camp is a camp known for ferocious training sessions, and many fighters have suffered injuries preparing for big fights. It may be that this is the reason Luke made the change to Hooft. However, here at The Weigh-In, we think he made the change in order to hone in on his striking. Rockhold is not content with his championship arsenal of weapons. As a true champion, he keeps looking to evolve his game.


Hooft is known as one of the best striking coaches in the nation. It is here that Rockhold will improve on his boxing ability to further terrorize his opponents. Imagine a Rockhold who dominated Weidman with ground and pound being much improved on his feet. I will have nightmares and possibly night emissions over this thought.

Aside from Rockhold’s impressive training regimen, his record is impressive as well. Many know that Rockhold is a two-league champion. Rockhold has held titles in Strikeforce and the UFC. As the sport evolves, Rockhold always seems to find a place at the top of his division. His championship run has not been without its share of adversity.


After winning his UFC title, Rockhold suffered a humiliating upset loss to Michael Bisping. Rockhold has come around to state he lost the fight due to lack of focus. By lack of focus we can only assume he got distracted by some Hollywood strange. After winning the UFC Middleweight Title, rumors of Rockhold eating canned tuna off the bottom shelf began to fly out of the Rockhold camp. Rockhold was buried in so much strange that the cast of Deadliest Catch used him to bait crab. Please remember we do not fact check. It is worthy of note that Bisping replaced Weidman last minute, and Rockhold still decided to defend his title even though he was injured. We all know how it ended up. Bisping and Rockhold are not necessarily sending one another Christmas cards.


After suffering the loss, Rockhold was set to square off against Robert Whittaker for a chance to regain his middleweight title. Whittaker had to pull out of this fight due to a nasty staff infection. Did Rockhold decide to wait for Whittaker’s return? Did Rockhold decide to sit on the sidelines until he could have his title shot? Rockhold allowed Yoel Romero to step in for Whittaker last minute. Romero came in over weight, which meant he could not win a title. Despite all of this, Rockhold showed how game he was. Rockhold stepped into the Octagon against an unexpected and dangerous opponent. As always, Rockhold held his own. However, Romero ultimately knocked out Rockhold in the third round.

Many believe Rockhold should drop down in the middleweight rankings. This writer is forced to ask why? Why would a champion like Rockhold be punished for taking on all comers? Why would a fucking champion who chose to give the fans what they want be out of title contention? Why would a man whose fingers smell like cologne produced by Starkist be forced to watch as others compete for his belt? The short answer is, he should not be out of title contention. I understand that he may have to fight someone else before getting another title shot, but to be punished for being a fucking a gamer would be an injustice.


The last time there was an injustice of this level in the world was back in 1995. For those of you who pride yourselves as history buffs, I am sure you know what I am referring to. For those of your who are my true readers, I will spell it out for you. I am of course referring to Marcia Clark’s hairstyle, wink wink.  This is neither here nor there. The point is that when I think of what defines a champion, Rockhold has it.


A champion gives all comers a shot at their title. A champion fears no one. A champion takes one of the bridesmaids back to his hotel only to not be there by the time she awakes the following morning. A champion pukes after six shots and four beers, but still closes the bar down after a rally. A champion appears on the Maury Povich Show and is found to not be the father.


Champions conduct themselves as Luke Rockhold has. A champion rises every morning knowing that everyone in the world wants a piece of them. By now, I am sure you all understand where this is going. Rockhold is a fucking stud, and he will be back on top.

People’s Red Head Out!

Special Thanks To:

Maury Povich (holding baby daddy’s accountable)


Denzel for his portrayal of Roman J. Israel, Esquire



Tacos (they are just amazing)


Josh Duhamel for one of the best hair games in the business


Abortion (it gets a bad rap)


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