» Fighter: Shonie Carter

Light heavyweight “Sho Nuff The Master” Rodney Wallace (9-0) won the eight-man tournament and Minnesota Martial Arts Academy’s “Eraser” Derrick Noble (25-12-1) beat “Mr. International” Shonie Carter (45-19-7) at Vendetta FC’s A Night of Vengeance in Aruba September 5.

Read More About Rodney Wallace Wins 8-Man Tourney in Aruba, Noble Beats Shonie Carter…

UFC and MMA veteran “Mr. International” Shonie Carter (45-18-7) is still lighting up marquees and notching new stamps in his passport. MMA’s pimp will headline Vendetta Fighting Championship’s A Night of Vengeance in Aruba 5 September versus Minnesota Martial Arts Academy’ “Eraser” Derrick Noble (24-12-1), a card that will also feature an eight-man light heavyweight tournament that includes Team Quest’s Aaron Stark (8-4), “Juggernaut” Antwain Britt (9-2), and American Top Team’s “Fury” Carmelo Marrero (9-3).

Carter is on a three-fight winning run that most recently included a split decision over George Lockhart (7-3) at Throwdown III in Salt Lake City last February.

One-time UFCer Noble came up short to “Mandingo” Antonio McKee (22-3-2) in a UD loss at MFC 20 in Enoch last February.

Read More About Shonie Carter To Headline in Aruba Versus Derrick Noble…

Former UFC welterweight title contender “Diesel” Joe Riggs (27-10) will replace “Mr. International” Shonie Carter (41-17-7) versus Luke Stewart (5-1) in San Jose 27 June at Strikeforce.

The fight will occur at the catchweight of 178-pounds.

Carter withdrew from the fight with Stewart this week with a hand injury.

Riggs will return from back surgery for an injury suffered during a slam that forced Riggs to tap to Cory Devela (9-2) in February.

Stewart will look to bounce back from a loss to Tiki Ghosn (10-7) in March, the first of Stewart’s pro career.

A card featuring a former combatant on The Ultimate Fighter, Blake Bowman (1-0), and “Mr. International” Shonie Carter (38-17-7) as referee proved to be one of those where you truly “didn’t want to blink.”

At Legends of Fighting 25: Breaking Point in Indianpolis, Bowman, oft-criticized cast-member of TUF 6, made his pro debut and first fight after the show on which he was seriously injured in a fight with Richie Hightower (7-2), and seriously ridiculed by eventual champion Mac Danzig (18-4-1).

“Believe it or not, there is life after TUF,” Bowman said.  “Undoubtedly, I wasn’t UFC caliber when I got onto the show.  I teach at Defcom One, Gracie Baja now, and, thanks to those guys on TUF, trainers and critics, they made me a fighter.”

The 6′2″, lanky fighter was sporting some new red and pink hair, silver painted toenails, and impressive musculature.  He wasted little time getting over what he called “basically, first-time jitters.”

After throwing some long, quick jabs to measure distance, Bowman used that rehabbed left leg - which is still slightly thinner than his right – to launch a crisp left high kick that caught his opponent, Kevin Walker (0-1), along the jaw and neck.

The crack popped throughout the venue; Walker fell like a board; and, finally, after nine-months of frustration, Bowman proved he at least belongs in a cage.

In two bouts before Bowman’s, the crowd was treated to a site few will ever get to witness.

Middleweights Shaun Parker (0-0-1) and Tyler Bryan (0-0-1) squared off for only a few seconds before both fighters threw big, looping right hooks simultaneously.

Both fists landed!  Both fighters were knocked cleanly unconscious.

When they hit the mat in opposite directions and with both mouth pieces rolling, “Mr. International” seemed truly confused, hardly knowing which man to attend to.

That fight, which kept the crowd on its feet for two minutes after the knockouts, was called a draw.

In other action:

Super Heavyweight: Tiny Norton (2-1) over Brian Veach (1-2) in a TKO, round 1.

Heavyweight: Chris Canale (1-1) over Jason Hayes (0-1) with an arm lock, round 1.

Heavyweight: Sean Sallee (9-15) over Tim Wills (0-18) by TKO, round 1.

Middleweight: Matt Roland (5-1) over Josh Rines (0-1) by TKO, round 1

Middleweight: Gabe Holmes (4-4) and Steve Frits (0-1) fought to a draw after 3 rounds.

Welterweight: Daniel Nuttall (2-1) over Bobby Chadwell (0-1) by TKO, round 1.

135 lbs.: “The Asian Sensation” Kris Boyden (1-0) over Scott Blevins (0-6) by TKO, round 1.

The main event featured lighweights Jeremy Ashley (6-5) over Jacob Cory (0-1) after Cory’s corner threw in the towel just a two minutes into the fight.

I caught-up with “Mr. International” Shonie Carter (37-17-7), who last fought 23 November at MFC 14 versus rookie Brad Zazulak (3-0).

Carter lost to the Canadian in the first round due to an arm injury suffered during a takedown by Zazulak.

There was a bit of Canadian promoter-on-promoter violence before the event.

Hardcore Championship Fighting CEO Keith Crawford had pleaded publicly for the Carter versus Zazulak fight to be canceled because, “Sanctioning any athlete with 96 fights and a wealth of cage/ring experience against an athlete with 2 fights is nothing short of ludicrous.”

Scott Zerr of Maximum Fighting Championship responded simply, “We feel [Keith Crawford] should mind his own business.”

“I am healed entirely,” Carter said.  “I have been training.”

“Mr. International” will ply his trade in two nations this month, begining next weekend in Denver.

“I’m fighting twice in April, for Worldwide Fighting Championship on the 12th for the middlweight world title versus “The Terminator” John Cronk (17-21) and the 26th in Toronto [at Iroquois MMA Championships] versus “The Angry Hick” Bret Bergmark (4-1-1),” Carter said.  “Then 30 May [at Primetime Fighting] versus Victor Moreno (24-11) in Merrillville, Indiana.”