48th Installment of Combat Zone MMA Preview

The 48th installment of New England's longest running promotion, Combat Zone MMA , will be taking place Friday night at Rockingham Park in NH. Once again Calvin Kattar and his team seems to be putting a big emphasis on the amateurs. Three fights are sure to affect the amateur landscape in a big way.

This show also marks the return of Team Link's Brent Kinberger who will be main eventing this one. Kinberger 5-3 will take on Renzo NH fighter, Mervin "Marvelous" Rodriguez. This seems to be a good comeback fight for the BJJ blackbelt, Kinberger but this is MMA and anything can happen. Renzo NH is a strong gym and would not put in someone who is not ready, so I would not count Rodriguez out. However he will need a "Marvelous" performance to knock off the ultra-talented Kinberger.

John Santos will return to the combat zone cage looking for vengeance after a wild KO loss to now 3-0 beast, Joey Gomez. Team Fury's Santos will be taking on the formerly retired owner of Mass-MMA.com Dan Bonnell. Bonnell, a Bellator veteran, is coming off some really quick losses at the hands of a few top ranked 135 lb fighters. He will look to get his mojo back against the young, hungry, and super aggressive Santos. Bonnell just took this fight about 2 weeks ago. After talking to bonnell: “Its’ a good time. Win or Lose I’m living my life. I’m doing something with myself and not sitting around. I’ll go instinct. Who knows what will happen.”

In what could be the best amateur fight since, well the last Combat Zone show, when Jay Perrin and Kenny Murphy went to war, Matt "The Paperboy" Tullos will take on Aaron Lacey. Matt is the current top dog at 145 but has been inactive for over a year now. During the layoff he has been at Connors MMA honing his skills and getting better and better. Matt claims he is a completely transformed fighter and will prove this Friday night. His opponent Aaron Lacey fights out of Maine's hottest gym, Youngs MMA. He has submitted 2 state champ wrestlers including one of the best submissions I have ever witnessed, a come from behind triangle over super talented Jared Laganas in his first amateur fight. Aaron has been called the heir apparent to Ray Wood in Maine and for good reason. He, like Tullos, is very well rounded and has great cardio and a never say die attitude. This fight will be an absolute war and is a fight of the night contender. This fight is about as high level as you get on the amateur level and someone's 0 will go!

Young, exciting crowd favorite Jake Pilla out of Wai Kru will be taking his toughest test to date when he takes on fellow undefeated 145 lb. amateur, BMAC's Paulo Alves DeSousa. This fight will most likely crown the top dog of the next wave of 145 lb. amateurs when the others turn pro. Both fighters are VERY exciting. Pilla will have Doomsday Howard in his corner and look to use his well-rounded game and home cage advantage to keep his train rolling. This one should be fast and furious final bell.

In yet another SUPER exciting amateur tussle, Team Pitbull's JT Harold will take his exciting style to the cage when he takes on very experienced Brett Trahan. JT has been in one war after another, collecting one fight of the night after another. His opponent has 11 amateur fights, losing only 2. Trahan will be traveling into hostile enemy territory in this one. This fight promises fireworks!!!

Another notable fighter on the card include 2-0 185 lb pro Cheyenne Vasquez of Intenze MMA/Wai Kru trying to keep his climb to the top going. Cheyenne is a very bright prospect in the regional mma scene and is very fun to watch. He will be taking on Eddie Brito of Team fury who will look to use his 8 fights experience to shut down the young gun. This night promises toe to toe, mano y mano WARS both standing and on the ground. Should be a very exciting show!

Written by: Mike Strazzere

April 4th Combat Zone Fight Card

Salem NH – CZMMA.COM

Matthew Brent Kinberger vs. Mervin Rodriguez·

Dan Bonnell vs John Santos·

Cheyenne Vazquez vs. Eddie Brito·

Aaron Lacy vs Matt Tullos·

Brett Trahan vs. J.T. Harold·

Jake Pilla vs. Paulo Alves DeSousa·

Claudio Rene vs. Corey Bowehall·

Michael Fagan vs. Josh Harvey·

Tim Loughran vs. Roger Williams·

Jeff Beal vs. Mike Bulger·

David Bradbury vs. Carl Langston·

Nate Charles vs. Nermin Zilic·

Kristian Lombari vs. John Ryan·

Danny Abad vs. Dan Lynch