On Thursday Night in St. Louis, Missouri, the Crowne Plaza Hotel played host to the UMMAF National Championships. Sponsored by Bad Boy this three day event is designed to showcase some of the best mixed martial arts amateurs from across the country mixing it up with regional ammy favorites. Tonight featured 9 intense battles to provide some of the best amatuer fighting displayed in this previous year. Competitors from Alaska to South Dakota gathered in the banquet dining room and we witnessed great showmanship by a group of fighters who were looking for a step up from the amateur level. If day 2 provides as much explosiveness as the first we could be in store for a memorable weekend.
The goal of each fighter is to win the tourney and be selected to participate in the upcoming world amateur championships hosted by Tuff NUFF and the UFC in Vegas. That takes place during international fight week so this is a huge opportunity for these fighters to make an impact on the main stage. Though there are a few drawbacks as participates must pay a hefty fee for entry to the tourney and as one fighter told this writer it all seemed a “little sketchy.” No matter the case the night was one with few hitches and the action inside the cage provided enough sparks to make everything worth it.
The first fights of the night saw submissions wins for both Carlos Hernandez and Charles Spoolstra fighting out of Lubbock, Texas. St. Charles MMA and Vaghi Martial Arts fighter, Lucas Clay and ATT Evolution’s David Evans both looked dominant. Each fighter found a way to finish their opponents keeping the fights going in a hefty pace. The finishes continued with wins for Will Starks out of Columbia, Missouri, in a possible FOTN with Kenny Licea. Unfortunately for them the night would continue to get better.
After the intermission we got our first decision when Matt Alonzo mounted an impressive comeback winning the last two rounds after being out wrestled in the first. Hands down the best performance for Thursday Night went to “Big Red” Daniel McClendon who reminded us of a young Smiling Sam Alvey not only in looks but in performance. He withstood the fast and athletic assault of Anthony Harvey to land a few powerful shots late in the third to send the Chicago native to the canvas. The night end with a good comeback win in the women’s 135 division as Rachel Johnson was down a round but pulled out the stoppage.
Tomorrow brings 12 more fights as we see local favorites like Charles Johnson and returning champion Jose “Shorty” Torres get their chance to fight. Friday will also feature four more women amateur fights including a match up between South Dakota’s Lindsey Lawrence and Stefanie Lavender fighting out of Mexico, Missouri. The winner of this fight will be representing the US in the featherweight division at the World Championships in Vegas. Look for the Day 2 recap and make sure you are following @TravisNyquill on twitter for live scoring updates.