» Fighter: Ricco Rodriguez

Fighters.com spoke with “Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-8) as he prepares for a week of fights in December when he will have the opportunity to redeem his 2002 loss to “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (30-8) and then venture to Switzerland just days later to compete in the World Grappling Championship. 

Fighters.com: Jeff, the last time we spoke was just before your win over “Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr (14-9) at Vengeance Fighting Championship in Concord, north of Charlotte, 27 September.  You have a fight coming up at Mixed Fight Alliance  in Miami 13 December against Ricco Rodriguez.  It’s a rematch of a fight you originally lost at UFC 35 in 2002.  What are your thoughts on facing Rodriguez again?

Jeff Monson: Well, I like Ricco.  He’s a good fighter and a big name; but, I’d like to get back at him for losing to him the first time.  [laughing]  Hopefully it’ll be a different result this time around.  But I don’t really have revenge in mind or anything.  It’s been seven years or whatever.  But, I think I definitely put a lot more into my fighting than I think he does, so, you know, I should to go out and get the win.

Fighters.com:  You’re on a two-fight win streak in recent months with the Kerr victory and a win over “Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (12-8) at Beatdown in New Town, northwest of Bismark, 11 October.  Where do you think a victory over Rodriguez will put your career?

Jeff Monson: Well, I need to win a few more in a row.  So, I want to take them, you know, like the old cliché, “one fight at a time.”  I’m taking this particular fight very seriously.  Ricco’s a big name.  And he kicked my ass before.  It was probably one of the worse beatdowns I ever experienced in a fight from start to finish.  [laughing]  So, I know he’s capable of doing well.

Ricco has fought a lot of big names.  He’s beat about everybody and, even the fights he’s lost were to top fighters, you know, so Ricco’s tough.   I just think I need to win every fight right now.  My career cannot take another loss at this point.  Saying that, I am taking this fight very serious.  I know I need to win a few in a row to get a shot at a title somewhere or get back to the top again. 

Fighters.com: Will a win in December take you back to Sengoku in Japan?  The last loss on your record was to Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked heavyweight ”Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (19-5) at Sengoku in Tokyo 18 May.

Read More About Monson: Lesnar is going to win the fight against Couture. …

The Godz of War event scheduled for 21 June at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC, has been postponed. The new date has not been announced.

The event is headlined by “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-8) and one-time UFC Heavyweight Champion “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (28-9). Rodriguez is the replacement for “The Monster” Kevin Randleman (17-12), who had to withdraw due to injury.

Also on the card: former UFC Middleweight Champion Murilo Bustamante (14-7-1) facing TUF 3 competitor “Bring the Pain” Josh Haynes (9-10).

No reason was given for the postponement, although Monson’s hand injury, which caused him to pull out of last weekend’s Adrenaline MMA event, may have been one factor.

“Diesel” Travis Wiuff (52-11) battled five rounds versus three heavyweights Friday night in Atlantic City to conquer YAMMA Pit Fighting’s first tournament.

In non-tournament action, forty-four-year old original Ultimate Fighter challenger Patrick Smith (15-13) submitted 417-pound “Butterbean” Eric Esch (10-6-1) with strikes.

And, “The Russian Bear” Oleg Taktarov (16-5-2) also won by submission over “The Titan” Mark Kerr (15-7).

The tournament featured one-round fight-offs into the semi-finals.

Wiuff drew Brazilian Marcel Pereira (0-1) and pummeled the jits player on the mat over five minutes for the unanimous decision.

The tourney had commenced with an Alexey Oleinik (7-4) front-choke submission of “The Tank” Sherman Pendergarst at 4:18.

Chris Tuscherer (13-1) had dominated Tony Sylvester (10-2) for a unanimous decision.

And, former UFC Heavyweight Champion “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (28-9) had taken George Bush (5-1) down at will to score a UD.

The second round also featured one-round fight-offs pairing Oleinik versus Tuscherer and Wiuff versus Rodriguez.

Again, Tuscherer dominated his opponent in G’n'P fury for a unanimous decision; and, Wiuff similarly overwhelmed the veteran Rodriguez, also for a UD.

In the three-round tournament final, Tuscherer didn’t do more than frustrate the seemingly fresher Wiuff.  Wiuff closed out round one with a left-right combo that bloodied Tuscherer.  Rounds two and three were fought mostly on the mat, with Wiuff unloading ground’n'pound in spurts while Tuscherer was somewhat effective tying him up.

At the final bell, Wiuff took all three judges’ cards 30-27 twice and 29-28.

In the event’s “Masters Superfight” main event, Smith shredded Bean’s pillar-like legs with kicks that eventually fell the massive man.  Esch was helpless on his back as Smith beat him to verbal submission at 3:17 of round one.

After absorbing a massive right from Kerr in the other “Masters Superfight”, Taktarov swept into a side kneebar to tap “The Titan” at 1:50 of round one.

The night had popped-off at the end of a “Philly Badass” Lamont Lister (4-3) overhand right that dropped Russian Oleg Savitsky (1-2) in a tournament alternate bout.  “Badass” finished him on the mat for a 33-second TKO.

In the other tourney alternate bout, Bryan Vetell (4-3) won a one-round unanimous decision over Antwain Britt (3-1).

Steve Rusich, “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge’s (23-16-1) manager, has confirmed that the veteran won’t be permitted by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board to fight “Butterbean” Eric Esch (10-5-1) at 11 April’s YAMMA Pit Fighting debut event in Atlantic City.

“Bob Meyrowitz [YAMMA Pit Fighting CEO] is just pissed off right now,” Rusich said about the situation.

Goodridge was knocked out in the second round last Sunday by Mu Bae Choi (7-2) in KHAN, a South Korean MMA promotion.

NJSACB told Five Ounces of Pain it intends to protect Goodridge’s health and safety after the KO.

“Gary is embarrassed about [the KO],” Rusich related.  “Apparently he beat the guy up pretty good in the first round and the guy just wouldn’t go away.”

Goodridge is also scheduled to headline a 19 April King of the Cage card in Los Angeles versus Team Oyama’s Tony Lopez (5-2).

Rusich stated, “He’s probably not going to be allowed to fight then either.”

No one at the California State Athletic Commission was available this afternoon to comment on Goodridge’s eligibility.

The NJSACB also told Five Ounces of Pain that the announced main event between “The Russian Bear” Oleg Taktarov (15-5-2) versus “The Titan” Mark Kerr (15-6) has not yet been sanctioned either.

The fighter under review, Kerr, comes off a 29 March keylock submission victory over Chuck Huus (0-1) in Caged Combat Championship Fights.

Monday YPF announced that “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (27-8) would join the eight-man heavyweight tournament.

Rodriguez returns from a 16 February split decision loss to “Junior” Antonio Silva (10-1) in EliteXC.

The promotion also revealed details of “The YAMMA”, a sloped fighting surface that Meyrowitz hopes will “keep the fighting more explosive and continuous.”

Before a sellout crowd of 6,187 that produced the single largest gate in the history of the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami, Kimbo Slice registered a spectacular 43-second, first-round knockout over David Abbott Saturday on Showtime.

The exciting event, which was presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s EliteXC, aired on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  It will be replayed a few times in the next several days, including Wednesday on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET/PT.

As far as homecomings go, it doesn’t get better than this, as the incredibly popular Pride of Perrine, Fla, gave the raucous but well-behaved fans what they came to see: a devastating knockout win.

A YouTube legend and legitimate mixed martial arts superstar, Kimbo’s performance put an exclamation point on what was an excellent night of MMA action.

“We promised the fans a good, classy show and we delivered a great one,’’ said “EliteXC Live Events President and University of Miami alum, Gary Shaw.  “EliteXC showed tonight, once again, what MMA is all about.  There were great fights with dramatic finishes, a little bit of everything for everybody.

“As a promoter, you want the fans to leave with a good taste, and I truly believe that each and every person in attendance here tonight left the venue happy and completely satisfied.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the athletes, who acted like world champions before, during and afterward, or the fans, who turned out in record numbers.  We look forward to returning to Miami again.

“This was just a tremendously exciting night from start to finish.  Honestly, I don’t think any organization puts on better, more competitive fights that we do.’’

Kimbo (2-0), who may indeed be more popular than sliced bread, wowed the crowd en route to demolishing Abbott, an MMA icon who entered the cage to win.  But Tank spent more time on the ground than on his feet, going down three times from legitimate punches and a couple other times from slips.

“I wanted him to get up, I wanted to bang,’’ Kimbo said.  “I had to push him off because we were too close.   Then I just knocked him down.  It was great fighting in front of the hometown fans.  I’d be lying if I told you they didn’t jack me up. Miami, you are my home. 

“I have a lot of respect for Tank.  This was one of my dream fights, along with Mike Tyson.  But I am ready to fight anybody and ready to fight again really soon.

“I want to thank Showtime and EliteXC for making this night possible for me and my family.” 

Abbott (9-14), of Huntington Beach, Calif., gave it his all, as expected.  “I tried to take it to him at the start and take him to the ground, but then I just said, the heck with that and started to fight,’’ Tank said.  “But I ran into one and that was it. I was just getting started.

“It is still too early to know how good or great Kimbo will be.  But what I do know is that I absolutely want to keep fighting. Maybe I will go after Ken Shamrock.’’

In other Showtime fights Saturday, “Big Foot” Antonio Silva (10-1), a highly touted Brazilian who lives in Coconut Creek, Fla., recorded a hard-fought three-round split decision over former champion Ricco Rodriguez (27-8), of Staten Island, N.Y., unbeaten Brett Rogers (8-0), of  St. Paul, Minn., blasted out England’s “The Colossus” James Thompson (16-8) in the first round, “Hands Of Steel’’ Scott Smith (15-4), of Sacramento, Calif., knocked out Australian “The Ozzie” Kyle Noke (14-4-1), the bodyguard of the late Steve “Crocodile Hunter’’ Irwin, in the second round and Yves Edwards (33-13-1), of Conroe, Tex., stopped  ”Little Tiger” James Edson Berto (14-5-1), of Tampa, Fla., in the opening session.

In non-televised undercard fights that aired for free on MMA Internet site,  ProElite.com: Moyses Gabin (2-0), of Miami, registered a 2:32, first-round knockout over Jirka Hlavaty (1-2), of Miami, Lorenzo Borgameo (3-0), of Miami, won by submission (triangle) at 4:11 of the second round over Mike Bernhard (3-1), of Miami; Eric Bradley (3-1), of Las Vegas, Nev., took a unanimous  decision over Mikey Gomez (6-4), of Orlando, Fla.; Dave Herman (10-0), of Indiana, scored a third-round TKO over Mario Rinaldi (6-3), of Miami, Yosmany Cabezas (5-0), of Tampa, Fla., won by second-round submission (rear naked choke) over Jon Kirk (10-3), of Houston, and Rafael Feijao (4-1), of Brazil, knocked out John Doyle (6-2), of Allentown, Pa., at 2:17 of the first round.

All the fights were scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.

 Silva, whose initial nine victories had come in the first round, got the nod on two of the judges’ cards by the scores of 30-27 and 29-28. The third judge had it for Rodriguez, 29-28.

“Ricco is a dangerous fighter,’’ said Silva, who was making his second start since dropping down after competing as a 300-pound super heavyweight.  “I knew it was going to be a tough fight.  I fought hard and came out with a victory, but it was a difficult fight for me. 

 “I want that belt.  I am sorry that this was not the best night of fighting for me, but I promise I will deliver in my next bout.  I want that heavyweight title.”

Rodriguez entered the cage with a vast advantage in experience, having fought and defeated some of the biggest names in MMA, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Tim Sylvia, Jeff Monson, Andrei Arlovski, Pete Wilson, and Randy Couture. 

“The reality is, I didn’t train as long for this fight as I needed to, but I think I showed that I am still dedicated and can fight,’’ Rodriguez said.  “I am in this for the long haul and appreciate the opportunity EliteXC is giving me.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we fought a rematch.  I would love to fight Silva again.’’

Smith, who has won all 16 of his fights inside the distance, knocked out Noke in devastating fashion.  After losing the first round, he came out blazing in the second.  Two brutal right hands did all the damage.  The referee halted matters at 0:07 of the round. 

“I’m sorry for that first round, that’s not the way I fight,” Smith said.  “I didn’t start to get comfortable until toward the end of the round.

“When I got to my corner between rounds, I told my trainer that I had found my range.  I came out pumped and made up for it.  I was fighting way too much on the outside, but once I got inside — bam, I knocked him down.”

Noke had a four-fight unbeaten streak (3-0-1) end.  “This is a different feeling for me,’’ he said.  “I’ve never been knocked out by a punch before.  I felt good after the first round, but I got caught in the second. Scott is a good, strong fighter.”

Edwards earned his fourth consecutive victory by knocking out Berto with a knee and punch combination at 4:56 of the first round. Berto had a three-fight winning streak snapped.

“I am back and ready to fight anybody,’’ Edwards said.  “I’d love to fight [EliteXC lightweight champion KJ] Noons.  He’s the guy with the gold.  If you’re not doing this to be a world champion, you better do something else.’’ 

In an upset in the first Showtime fight, the hard-hitting Rogers spoiled the United States debut of Thompson, bringing “Colossus” down to size with a flurry of powerful combinations at 2:24 of the first round.

“I don’t think I have to say anything; it showed for itself,” Rogers said.  “He’s got a weak chin and I knew it was going to happen.

“All he kept trying to do was wrestle me to the ground.  I got back up and I knocked him out.  When I touch him, he’s going down.  There’s going to be more of Brett Rogers on EliteXC.”

Thompson offered no excuses.  “He caught me with good punches,” he said.  “He hits a lot harder than I thought.  I’m very disappointed.  My confidence isn’t where it should be or where I would like it to be since after my last fight.  I would fight him again in a rematch.’’