The Science of 8 Limbs

By Mike LNg

The Journey Fight Series 8 event started promptly as scheduled and opened with 5 amateur fights. Most of the fight card opened with pretty quick finishes that ended by successive TKO stoppages. The production value was actually good. I have to give much credit to the fighters fighting on late notice including as part of the professional card Toronto’s Matt Embree who agreed to fight on one week’s notice. Some shockers lie ahead so be warned.

Here’s the results and my biased calling of the fights as they happened.

154lbs. 3 rounds x 2 minutes, Modified rules Amateur Bout

Jimmy Maxwell vs. Sterling Love

Love wins with a solid TKO/stoppage in the 2nd round.

135lbs. 2 rounds x 2 minutes, Modified rules Amateur Bout

Hope Weeks vs. Janice McCauley

McCauley wins by TKO/stoppage RD1

130lbs 3 rounds x 2 minutes, Modified rules Amateur Bout

Javier Ortega vs. Matt Nolan

Ortega wins by TKO stoppage in Rd1.

147lbs 3 rounds x 2 minutes, Modified rules Amateur bout

Minh Pham Vs. Zach Darling

Pham wins by split decision

165lbs 5 rounds x 2 minutes, Full Rules Muay Thai

Derek Deanda vs. Derek Jolivette

Jolivette wins by TKO/stoppage in rd. 2

5x3min Professional Full Muay Thai 140lbs

Nasty’ Nate Smandych (Team Smandych) vs. Matt Embree (Siam No.1)

Rd1 Feel out round with Smandych trying to catch body kicks thrown by Embree. Embree is trying to time Smandych with a inside cut kick. Smandych is touching Embree with jabs. Smandych landed a hook near final 10 seconds of round.Close but tentative round by both fighters.

Rd2 Embree lands a hard round kick at round’s opening. Smandych timing and lands a hard cut kick. Smandych being agressive, Embree looking to counter. Smandych is being countered. They go to clinch and Smandych actually scores very well despite height difference. Smandych getting his lead leg kicked by Embree with increasing regularity. Still, a close round with fighters exchanging tactically. I’d edge Embree in this round.

Rd3 Smandych pressing the fight with punches and sweeping overhands. Embree lands two round kicks: one to the body and one to the leg. Smandych jabs and lands, Embree lands a knee. They go to clinch where Embree lands knees and Smandych catches an elbow to the head for good measure. Embree is using his range well, landing teeps and long range punches. Embree’s round to my eyes.

Rd4 Opening round Both missing kicks. Nathan lands a hard body kick and gets swept. It’s becoming evident that Smandych is having problems solving the riddle of the taller opponent in Embree. Embree landing body kicks very well. Both go to the clinch and Embree lands a short elbow followed by knees. Embree tosses Smandych to the ground. Cut on Smandych likely caused by last elbow. Smandych’s face makred by a big bruise on the cut area under the eye. Doctor’s check and fight continues. Embree lands a hook as Smandych charges in. Smandych lands a hard hook at 10 second clapper. Embree’s round in my opinion.

Rd5 Embree now playing a defensive game scoring outside cut kicks and teeps. Smandych is stalking and landing kicks which Embree counters with his own low kicks. Embree landing punches and slipping out of range. To his credit Smandych is giving a spirited chase but is being countered at every attempt. The height difference is proving to be too much of a problem for Smandych to score well. Embree’s round in my opinion.

Winner by decision Matt Embree

5x3min Professional Full Muay Thai

160lbs 8-man Tournament Semi-final match

Shane Campbell (Edmonton, AB) vs. Troy Sheridan (Toronto,ON)

Rd1 Sheridan opens the round landing knees and Campbell catches and throws Sheridan to the ground. Campbell is landing combos but misses the knee. Sheridan thrown down again. Sheridan landing low kicks. No feeling out this round. Campbell trying to land elbows. Campbell better in the clinch otherwise a close round. Campbell slightly cut on the face. I’d edge Campbell.

Rd2 Campbell opens with a kick to the body. Sheridan clinches after Campbell misses with a jumping knee. Campbell landing Dutch style combos ending with a hook to the body.If anything hurts Sheridan I’ll be hard to say he shows it. Sheridan presses forward undeterred In the clinch Sheridan lands knees.

They get separated and Shaolin sweep kicks Sheridan. Sheridan is landing punches but Campbell’s leg kicks are piling up. Sheridan kicks Campbell back in the lead leg. Pretty decent round for both fighters.

Rd3 Campbell pressing at round’s opening. Campbell wants tot throw the dropping elbow. Both trading leg kicks and neither interested in checking. Campbell lands a pinning kick to Sheridan. Sheridan in South paw stance. They go to clinch which is separated without either landing a blow.Campbell landing punches to a knee. Sheridan is tough! Campbell definitely showing focus on Sheridan’s lead leg. But again Sheridan isn’t actually showing that it bothered him.

Rd4 uppercut and low kick landed by Campbell. Sheridan answers with one of his own. Sheridan goes to clinch and misses a knee but lands a body kick. Sheridan looks good so far. They tie up in clinch and are separated. Sheridan lands a punch combo and gets out of the way of a spinning technique by Campbell. Sheridan dropped by a knee which he pops up quick and fight resumes. No count. Both back up Campbell being aggressive and lands more low kicks. Campbell’s round.

Rd5 Final round starts and Sheridan needs to win this round big to be alive in this fight. Campbell opens up with a right overhand punch Campbell body kick Sheridan on the way in. In the clinch Sheridan attempts an elbow that misses. Campbell again focusing on Sheridan’s lead leg. Combo of the night for Campbell is teep to the body and low kick to Sheridan’s lead leg. In the clinch Campbell lands a knee to the head from high. Campbell landing punches and goes to the clinch to land a knee. Sheridan still very game and lands punches in combination. Sheridan is extremely tough. But I’d say Shane won this convincingly.

Winner by unanimous decision Shane “Shaolin” Campbell

5x3min Professional Full Muay Thai

160lbs 8-man Tournament Semi-final match

Sean McKinnon (Calgary, AB) vs. Preston Baptiste(Toronto,ON)

Rd1 Baptiste with hands low looking like he is baiting McKinnon to come in. Baptiste initially appears much quicker and lands a low kick. Baptiste is quick and is attempting to land a left hook as he moves. Baptiste

catches a kick and attempts to land a jumping round kick of his own. Baptiste to my eyes definitely the quicker of the two while McKinnon definitely the stronger. Baptiste landing a fast chopping low quick as McKinnon tries to land a kick to the body. McKinnon lands a nice body kick. Fairly even round.

Rd2 Baptiste catches a kick from McKinnon lands a punch, kick and knee combo. McKinnon now south paw and lands a low kick. Baptiste lands a hook after McKinnon lands a left cross. A McKinnon kick strays low catching Baptiste and fight resumes quickly. Baptiste gets kicked in the leg by McKinnon. High kick by McKinnon misses but Baptiste slips. McKinnon sweeps Baptiste following a hard body kick. Also a very close round.

Rd 3d McKinnon tries a teep Baptiste catches and lands a leg kick. McKinnon then lands two hard low kicks to the leg. McKinnon now stalking Baptiste who to his credit is moving well. McKinnon being a little more aggressive. Good timed teep puts Baptiste down. Both fighters keeping the fight close. Both fighters being very tactical and not over committing.

Rd4 McKinnon land two consecutive teeps at round’s opening. McKinnon also landing hard low kicks. McKinnon misses a jump knee and Baptiste lands a good left hook to the head. McKinnon lands two hard jabs. Both fighters in the clinch with McKinnon landing knees. Baptiste slipping some attacks but doesn’t counter when the opportunity is there. Baptiste lands a hard low kick.

McKinnon’s methodical style appears to be slowly chipping into Baptiste’s defenses. Baptiste swept in final 10 seconds of the round. McKinnon ahead in my estimate.

Rd5 Baptiste pressing harder now. Teeps McKinnon to the face but McKinnon answers with hard kick. Baptiste dumps McKinnon beautifully. Baptiste leg is suffering though from low kicks. Baptiste dumps McKinnon again. McKinnon lands a big kick to Baptiste’s head! McKinnon has Baptiste in the corner and is landing shots. McKinnon lands a big body kick. McKinnon lands punch combos and Baptiste is down! Baptiste back up and McKinnon is landing kicks and a heavy right punch. Clinch initiated by Baptiste and McKinnon lands a knee to the body. Round closes with McKinnon landing combos.

McKinnon wins by unanimous decision.

March 2013 is the date for the final with a $20,000 purse on the line. Fight of the night honors go to Campbell Vs. Sheridan. Definitely, Journey Fight Series 8 was an entertaining night of fights and I am looking forward to the final in the series which will pit Sean McKinnon against Shane “Shaolin” Campbell.

~ by fatsoking on November 3, 2012.

Posted in News
Tags: Canada, Journey Fight Series 8, Muay Thai, Nathan Smandych, Preston Baptiste, Sean Kearney, Sean McKinnon, Shane "Shaolin" Campbell, Troy Sheridan