Cage Titans Preview

Writen by: William Raczkowski and Dave Messuri

Ladies and Gentlemen, your favorite two (former) student interns are excited to say that on Saturday June 21st, Cage Titans is bringing us another action-packed night, and this one is sure to bring the house down! Surging contenders, the professional debut of a former amateur standout, and three amateur title fights, all in one night from one of the best local promotions around..what more could you want? So, without further ado, we are proud to present…our main card breakdown.

125 lb. Amateur Title Fight; Kris Moutino vs. Davis Roast

Flyweights man, every time you think you have a second to blink during a 125’er fight, you miss something crazy, so to play it safe…we’re just not going to blink during this one. This fight is going to pit Rivera Athletic’s Moutino (2-1) against the legendary Team Sityodtong’s undefeated fighter Davis Roast (3-0). Now, as you could expect from anyone out of Team Sityodtong, Roast can most certainly throw some leather. The school’s Muay Thai is known worldwide, and it tends to rub off on its students. That said, he hasn’t finished his fights with his striking, actually having his lone finish come by way of Rear Naked Choke. Also, his other two victories came as decisions. Looking at the information presented, it seems like Roast is pretty well-rounded, considering his undefeated record, ability to win by submission, training at a premier striking school, and ability to go for a full three rounds.

Across from him we have Kris Moutino, out of Rivera, a school that has really been starting to impress on the local circuit. Exactly like his opponent, Rivera Athletics produces some good strikers, but Moutino has won his fights by decision and…ta-da…rear-naked. However, his lone loss comes via a decision, so he seems to have a decent chin and submission defense, at least on paper. He also clearly has the cardio to go for a full fight, and at flyweight speed, that is saying something. Now, one point we think is worth noting is that Moutino has another flyweight stand-out that calls the gym home in Remo Cardelli, currently the #2 ranked flyweight. Obviously it’s an advantage to train with such an excellent competitor, as Cardelli’s last fight proves he is as gritty as they come, as well as talented. The two flyweights having each other as training partners certainly give both fighters an advantage.

I’m expecting a decision here, but don’t let that fool you, these are two excellent local schools and two excellent local fighters, I expect this to be a fast-paced, violent and extremely entertaining. Remember folks, don’t blink!

155 lb Amateur Title Fight; Jimmy Manning vs. Dan Lopez

Well what can we say? We’re hardly surprised to see another CCFA fighter looking for a title win, the coalition of gyms has produced some of the top talent in the area recently, as CCFA, Sityodtong, and MAXX Training Center have all joined forces to create a pretty dominant team in the region. CCFA’s Jimmy Manning (3-2), is a well-rounded guy as a result of that mix of styles at his gym. We were fortunate enough to see his submission of the night win at the last Cage Titans card, and his slick ground game and aggressive striking made me a fan. We like his aggression and that he goes hard for the win. No question a very entertaining fighter.

Dan Lopez (5-3) seems to always put on a good show, engaging in entertaining fights whenever he shows up. He can be a tad inconsistent, ping-ponging between wins and losses in his past few fights, but he always seems to go full-tilt to get a win, as evidenced by his four decision wins, he is willing to grind. That said, he has some issues with submissions, where Manning has shown skill, so he will have to make sure he focuses and tightening his defense in case the fight hits the mat. This should be a good scrap between aggressive fighters hungry for the title.

145 lb Pro Fight; Lionel Young vs. Peter Barrett

Here we go ladies and gentlemen, because this one is a fight that everyone knows will entertain. Both Barrett and Young have been more than willing to talk a little smack and mention how they are going to land a savage knockout and shut the other up. Now, as fans, we just get to sit back and see who can walk the walk.

Peter Barrett (CCFA/MAXX/SYT) will be making his professional debut this fight and looks to continue the amateur success he enjoyed previously. Now, we will admit we are fans of the Barrett Bro’s, but we think the hype is well deserved. Peter Barrett is as aggressive as they come, and his streak of “Of the Night” performances prove that. He is a very strong puncher, who has some absolutely savage knockout wins to his credit, including a recent highlight reel KO of another amateur standout gone pro in Ruso. “Slippery” Pete has KO power, a wrestling base, and a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, as well as some of the best conditioning in the game courtesy of his work-ethic and S.O.S training center. Well-rounded and aggressive? We expect big things from Peter in his professional career.

That all said…he has a tall order ahead of him in Lionel Young. The Wai Kru product may have a pedestrian record of 6-12, but he has faced a lot of the region’s top talent, including recent UFC signee Rob Font, where he lost a hard-fought decision. He also boasts all of his wins as finishes, and he’s choked all six of those opponents out. Barrett’s blue belt could be tested by the experienced Young, and if Barrett gets a little too comfortable, he might find himself in a choke with the lights going out. Nothing like a good grudge-match, right?

170 lb Pro Fight; John Downey vs. Ryan White

In a Welterweight scrap, Wai Kru fighter Downey (3-8) looks to add another win to his record against South Shore Sportfighting’s Ryan White (4-2). Both fighters know how to finish, though White has seen more success recently than his opponent. That said, if White decides to sleep on Downey, who trains out of a school known for knockouts, he could have a short night.

Downey as a fighter has proven to be very susceptible to submissions in his career, but has proven that he has power in his hands and can finish a fight. Training at Wai Kru, which has been producing plenty of good young fighters, as well as a fully refreshed John “Doomsday” Howard, can have a positive effect on any fighter. They have a strong program for striking as well as ground-work, so we could potentially see great improvement out of Downey for this fight.

While all fighters are focusing on improvement, White has less to work on, and a lot more to refine. He has shown skill and promise in the cage, winning by submission as well as TKO, demonstrating his skill as a finisher. I expect a good fight from White, he’s pretty slick on the mat, and Downey has proven he struggles when the fight hits the ground.

125 lb Pro Flyweight Fight; Theo Desjardin vs. Remo Cardelli

Can an old lion still roar? Or will he just be another victim crushed by the Remo Cardelli hype train? Rivera Athletics undefeated (and currently #2 ranked) fighter Remo Cardelli (2-0) looks to keep his bandwagon rolling by defeating former title holder and #5 ranked Desjardin (4-6) however 3-1 at 125 lbs. Cardelli proved a lot to people his last fight, surviving an early drubbing from Chad Kelly, before rallying back in the second round to win by submission. A great display of guts, grit, and skill on the ground makes Cardelli a formidable opponent for anyone, and he is poised to make a serious run at the 125 pound title.

Desjardin, however, has had that taste of the championship…and he wants it back. Currently ranked #5, Theo is within striking distance of contention, and he has the ability to do exactly that. Desjardin is a finisher, holding two submission wins and a TKO. That said, he has proven to be susceptible to strikes, having been stopped on multiple occasions, including a pair of TKO losses to current surging bantamweight Johnny Campbell. If Desjardin can employ that killer instinct on the young gun, Cardelli could be receiving a lesson from a veteran that could slow his title aspirations.

MAIN EVENT Pro Fight; Kody Nordby vs. Johnny Campbell

This one is going to be a doozy. Anytime Johnny Campbell (6-5) is involved, the fight is going to be a scrap. Pair Campbell’s diverse and unorthadox striking against a former flyweight champion known for powerful wrestling? You have a clash of styles that is sure to please.

If there is one thing that “Cupcake” can do, it’s trade some hard leather. Campbell has also proven with his recent victory over power wrestler Robbie Leroux that has the ability to defend the takedown. Against a talented wrestler in Nordby (3-1), I’m sure that Campbell will have to utilize that improved takedown defense, especially if he wants the big KO. If you have ever watched Campbell fight…you know that’s all he’s looking for. We expect to see Cupcake make those big punches and beautiful kicks work to his advantage if he can stay off of his back, as the surging striker will look to slug his way to the finish.

That said, as talented as Campbell is, Nordby is no novice. A talented wrestler of championship caliber as a flyweight, Nodby is a grinder who looks to just break his opponent and sink in a choke. A flawless amateur career saw Nordby grind his way to two victories while adding two more submission victories to his credit. As a professional, he continued his roll, rattling off three consecutive stoppage wins before finally falling to a submission himself. He’s a finisher with a nose for the choke, and will look to dim the lights on the heavy-handed striker.

This fight is a clash of styles to be sure, but regardless, neither fighter is looking for the decision. These are two men with battle-tested records looking to impose their will and dominate. There’s nothing sweet about “Cupcakes” punches to the mouth, and nothing breaks a fighter like a suffocating wrestler. Striker vs. Grappler, knockout artist vs. Jiu-Jitsu finisher. Who wins the fight for Bantamweight supremacy, and takes one step closer to title contention? Plymouth Memorial Hall, June 21st, someone goes home closer to the gold.

Undercard Amateur Bouts-

145lb – Ricky Proctor (2-1) Lauzon MMA vs Jose Rustrian (2-3) Boston Combat Club

135lb– Jeff Watts (4-3) Independent vs Max Barrett (3-2) MAXX Training/CCFA/SYT

133lb – Fabio Lima (1-1) Boston Combat Club vs Randy Costa (1-0) Lauzon MMA

125lb– Ryan Kane (1-1) CCFA vs Jessie Pires (0-4) Team BKJA

165lb– Derek Peterson (0-1) Gillett’s MMA vs Billy Connors (1-0) Boston Muay Thai

160lb– Nick Mahoney (0-0) Redline MMA vs Rich Hacking (0-0) South Shore Sportfighting

170lb– Carlos Correia (2-0) DCNU vs Dan Phelps (2-1) TriForce

185lb– Pat McCrohan (0-0) Gillett’s MMA vs Joseph Cameron (0-0) Boston Combat Club

135lb– Chris Suarez (1-4) Independent vs Andres Rodriguez (0-0) Sityodtong

120lb– Buun Tengamnuay (0-0) Boston Combat vs Sheridan Decristoforo (1-0) TriForce