“Mayhem” Reigns: Chokes Lawler to Win Belt
James Meinhardt Sep 3, 2006
HONOLULU, Sept. 2 — After months of anticipation built up by some
legal setbacks, Hawaiian fans finally got the fight they had been
waiting for.
ICON middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (Pictures) and his challenger, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, put on a show Saturday night that saw the fan favorite Miller take the 185-pound title in front of a packed house at Oahu’s Neal S. Blaisdell Arena.
The bout started with both fighters willing to trade strikes on
their feet, but it was Miller that got the better of the exchanges,
landing numerous kicks to Lawler’s legs and body.
“It didn’t surprise me that he came out kicking,” Lawler said. “It surprised me he didn’t do something stupid.”
Lawler quickly swarmed in, securing top position before raining down blows. Miller was in trouble but kept his composure by rolling his body to put his feet between himself and the attacking Lawler.
The two scrambled on the ground, with Lawler dealing out punishment in the form of heavy hands and knees.
“It’s an ancient wives’ tale,” quipped Miller. “You don’t punch a Miller in his head. It don’t do nothing to us. All the important stuff is from the [chin] down.”
Referee Yuji Shimada watched closely and Miller was able to escape and get back to his feet, where the two clinched and exchanged some knees. The period ended with the Blaisdell crowd on its feet as Miller went for a front choke.
“Mayhem” finally got the fight to the mat in the third, taking side-control and let loose with hammerfists and knees before moving into full mount.
Lawler, who blamed a lack of conditioning for being taken down by a “guy who’s not very strong, doesn’t have very good technique and not athletic,” covered up while “Mayhem” rained down strikes.
When the fight got too close to the ropes, Shimada restarted them in the middle of the ring. Miller landed a hard elbow to the champion’s face and was warned for using the illegal blow.
Still in the full mount, Miller moved in to finish the fight. He softened the young Iowan up with some brutal ground-and-pound before securing the arm-triangle choke that caused Lawler to tap 2:50 of round three.
“It’s a mighty choke,” the new ICON champion said. “As soon as you get the guy, bladow! It’s a wrap.”
“That was pathetic what I did out there,” critiqued Lawler. “I didn’t deserve to win that because I wasn’t in shape to go five five’s and he was.”
In the 135-pound division, local favorite Tyson Nam scored a unanimous 30-27 victory over Ikaika Silva, setting up a fight for the vacant ICON 135-pound state title with Mark Oshiro, who won earlier in the night with a 20-second knockout over Paul Gorman.
Brazilian Sydney Silva took on tough Hawaiian brawler Kimo Woelfel for the ICON 170-pound state title. The Brazilian kept Kimo on his toes with submissions, narrowly escaping a rear-naked choke before being caught in an armbar that ended the fight 4:15 into the first round.
In other welterweight action, jiu-jitsu black belt Jay Jack (Pictures) of Portland, Maine clashed with Mike Russo. Jack quickly took control of the fight by securing a takedown and gaining side-control, where he rained down knees to the head. Russo was forced to turn to his back and give up the rear-naked choke after one minute 55 seconds.
Featherweight Chico Canteberos avenged a loss and at the same time gain the ICON 145-pound state title when he scored a technical knockout over Kevin Delima with only moments left on the clock in the second round.
In a lightweight bout, Hawaiian favorite Kola Koka lost a tough fight to Jason Dent (Pictures), who secured an armbar in the third round.
In other action, Makina Albino out-grappled Marshall Harvest to score a 29-28 unanimous decision.
Keoni Bryant was also able to out-point tough up-and-comer Derek Stadler, winning a unanimous decision.
Brawler Lowen Cabuag pounded out a unanimous decision as well, out-striking grappler Kenneth Gusman.
In a catch-weight fight of 142.5-pounds, Peni Taufa'ao took out late replacement Isaiah Cobb-Adams 1:17 into the second round with a guillotine choke.
Rounding out the night was a heavyweight bout between Jay Jack (Pictures) teammate Shaun Durfee and local fighter Thomas Ferguson. Durfee was caught early and went down to the mat where he successfully defended a guillotine choke before working his own submission. Durfee was able to get Ferguson’s back, locking on a rear-naked choke that forced a tapout at the minute and a half mark of the first round.
ICON middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (Pictures) and his challenger, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, put on a show Saturday night that saw the fan favorite Miller take the 185-pound title in front of a packed house at Oahu’s Neal S. Blaisdell Arena.
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“It didn’t surprise me that he came out kicking,” Lawler said. “It surprised me he didn’t do something stupid.”
In the second round both fighters once again came out swinging, but
this time Lawler scored with a shot that dropped “Mayhem” to the
canvas.
Lawler quickly swarmed in, securing top position before raining down blows. Miller was in trouble but kept his composure by rolling his body to put his feet between himself and the attacking Lawler.
The two scrambled on the ground, with Lawler dealing out punishment in the form of heavy hands and knees.
“It’s an ancient wives’ tale,” quipped Miller. “You don’t punch a Miller in his head. It don’t do nothing to us. All the important stuff is from the [chin] down.”
Referee Yuji Shimada watched closely and Miller was able to escape and get back to his feet, where the two clinched and exchanged some knees. The period ended with the Blaisdell crowd on its feet as Miller went for a front choke.
“Mayhem” finally got the fight to the mat in the third, taking side-control and let loose with hammerfists and knees before moving into full mount.
Lawler, who blamed a lack of conditioning for being taken down by a “guy who’s not very strong, doesn’t have very good technique and not athletic,” covered up while “Mayhem” rained down strikes.
When the fight got too close to the ropes, Shimada restarted them in the middle of the ring. Miller landed a hard elbow to the champion’s face and was warned for using the illegal blow.
Still in the full mount, Miller moved in to finish the fight. He softened the young Iowan up with some brutal ground-and-pound before securing the arm-triangle choke that caused Lawler to tap 2:50 of round three.
“It’s a mighty choke,” the new ICON champion said. “As soon as you get the guy, bladow! It’s a wrap.”
“That was pathetic what I did out there,” critiqued Lawler. “I didn’t deserve to win that because I wasn’t in shape to go five five’s and he was.”
In the 135-pound division, local favorite Tyson Nam scored a unanimous 30-27 victory over Ikaika Silva, setting up a fight for the vacant ICON 135-pound state title with Mark Oshiro, who won earlier in the night with a 20-second knockout over Paul Gorman.
Brazilian Sydney Silva took on tough Hawaiian brawler Kimo Woelfel for the ICON 170-pound state title. The Brazilian kept Kimo on his toes with submissions, narrowly escaping a rear-naked choke before being caught in an armbar that ended the fight 4:15 into the first round.
In other welterweight action, jiu-jitsu black belt Jay Jack (Pictures) of Portland, Maine clashed with Mike Russo. Jack quickly took control of the fight by securing a takedown and gaining side-control, where he rained down knees to the head. Russo was forced to turn to his back and give up the rear-naked choke after one minute 55 seconds.
Featherweight Chico Canteberos avenged a loss and at the same time gain the ICON 145-pound state title when he scored a technical knockout over Kevin Delima with only moments left on the clock in the second round.
In a lightweight bout, Hawaiian favorite Kola Koka lost a tough fight to Jason Dent (Pictures), who secured an armbar in the third round.
In other action, Makina Albino out-grappled Marshall Harvest to score a 29-28 unanimous decision.
Keoni Bryant was also able to out-point tough up-and-comer Derek Stadler, winning a unanimous decision.
Brawler Lowen Cabuag pounded out a unanimous decision as well, out-striking grappler Kenneth Gusman.
In a catch-weight fight of 142.5-pounds, Peni Taufa'ao took out late replacement Isaiah Cobb-Adams 1:17 into the second round with a guillotine choke.
Rounding out the night was a heavyweight bout between Jay Jack (Pictures) teammate Shaun Durfee and local fighter Thomas Ferguson. Durfee was caught early and went down to the mat where he successfully defended a guillotine choke before working his own submission. Durfee was able to get Ferguson’s back, locking on a rear-naked choke that forced a tapout at the minute and a half mark of the first round.
