Apparent Injury Keeps Rodriguez Off “Renegades” Card
Scott Holmes Feb 13, 2006
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 — Mixed martial arts made its triumphant
return to the Texas state capital, home to college football’s
national champion University of Texas Longhorns.
Friday’s event was held at the Frank Erwin Center, a rather large venue that plays host to the Longhorn men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as concerts. The turnout was fairly impressive and very well organized.
Saul Soliz has run the Renegades organization for several years and
put on quality shows throughout Texas. The Houston-based Soliz has
also trained several UFC champions, including Tito Ortiz (Pictures), Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) and Kevin Randleman (Pictures).
It was good to see Paul Buentello (Pictures) in attendance, still sporting a few shiners from his fight with Gilbert Aldana (Pictures). Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) was also on hand sporting a crutch from a training injury that kept him from fighting on the card.
In the first fight of the evening Steve Carl took on Henry Buchanan at 185 pounds. Both men showed quite a bit of technique and the fight went back and forth through three rounds until Carl caught Buchanan in an armbar and tapped.
Or at least it appeared he did and that’s what I wrote down at the time until it was pointed out that Carl let go of the arm and was now in the mount. Carl did enough to earn the decision victory.
Next Shawn Freese took on Ed Rhue or "special ed" as he's known in most circles. Rhue had quite a fan base and they went wild until Freese picked him and dumped him a few times. Rhue weathered the first few minutes and then came back with some wild punches and knees that put Freese in trouble.
Freese was worn out from all that picking up and slamming business and since Rhue finished the first round wailing on him he opted not to answer the bell for the next period.
Sammy Say came out a little too hot against TJ Waldburger, who stayed calm and was able to catch Say in a quick triangle in the first round.
Ryan Larson took on Timothy Williams in one of the stranger fights of the night. Larson showed promise but looked a little gassed during the latter two rounds. Williams, on the other hand, threw quite a few Kareem-Abdul Jabaar sidekicks and then went into "drunken master" mode where he moved around in a strange stumbling wobble. It was entertaining to some but not very effective and he lost a unanimous decision.
The first real violent fight of the night was between Adam Suave and Vince Libardi. Both men came out swinging for the fences but Libardi proved that winning isn't everything, it's the only thing as he caught Suave with a straight right that put him on his knee.
Once on that knee he caught a fast left hook that put him down for good and then Libardi was kind enough to give him one more hard punch while he was out. And the crowd is now glad they came.
Travis Joiner kept Devon Miller in bad positions early in the first round of their fight and was able to gator roll Miller into a choke that ended their fight quickly.
The fight of the night was between local veteran Nick Gonzalez (Pictures) and Adam Arredondo. Both men are cagey veterans and their experience showed as they elevated the class of competition.
Arredondo had quite a reach advantage on the shorter Gonzalez and looked very crisp early on as he kept Gonzalez at bay with legs kicks and snappy punches. Gonzalez got comfortable, however, and wowed the fans with some reverse roundhouses and a spinning backfist or two.
In the third round Gonzalez began to take over, catching Adam several times with big punches, including a shot to the “Adam’s apple” that knocked him down. Once on the ground Arredondo looked to end the fight with a deep armbar that Gonzalez somehow escaped at the expense of his elbow.
The fight was stopped for a minute to check Gonzalez’ arm but he continued despite being obviously hurt. Switching to southpaw, Gonzalez fought the last half of the third round with only one arm, and did well earning himself a unanimous decision.
Heavyweights Corey Salter (Pictures) and Steve Jimenez came in to throw some heavier leather and despite being slow paced compared to the fight before, there were a few exciting exchanges with Corey catching the brunt of most them.
Jimenez dropped Salter with a left and then was relentless he got the full mount causing the referee to stop the fight in round two.
Isaac Eubanks was victorious in his first professional fight against Jeremy Cross. Eubanks had no problem pummeling Cross, who frankly looked lost in the cage and really had no business being in there. He showed heart in not going down despite the 50 or so unanswered blows he received. But without skill, heart could get you killed.
Aaron Rosas finished off the night by winning a decision versus Matt Thompson. Rosas spent most of the last round shaving Thompson’s beard with elbows.
Friday’s event was held at the Frank Erwin Center, a rather large venue that plays host to the Longhorn men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as concerts. The turnout was fairly impressive and very well organized.
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It was good to see Paul Buentello (Pictures) in attendance, still sporting a few shiners from his fight with Gilbert Aldana (Pictures). Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) was also on hand sporting a crutch from a training injury that kept him from fighting on the card.
Many of the fighters on the card were fighting for the first time.
As such, some of the fights were boring because the guys were a
little too green and all the training in the world won't prepare
you for the adrenaline rush and first time jitters. Meanwhile, some
of the more seasoned fighters put on a hell of a show and kept this
event alive.
In the first fight of the evening Steve Carl took on Henry Buchanan at 185 pounds. Both men showed quite a bit of technique and the fight went back and forth through three rounds until Carl caught Buchanan in an armbar and tapped.
Or at least it appeared he did and that’s what I wrote down at the time until it was pointed out that Carl let go of the arm and was now in the mount. Carl did enough to earn the decision victory.
Next Shawn Freese took on Ed Rhue or "special ed" as he's known in most circles. Rhue had quite a fan base and they went wild until Freese picked him and dumped him a few times. Rhue weathered the first few minutes and then came back with some wild punches and knees that put Freese in trouble.
Freese was worn out from all that picking up and slamming business and since Rhue finished the first round wailing on him he opted not to answer the bell for the next period.
Sammy Say came out a little too hot against TJ Waldburger, who stayed calm and was able to catch Say in a quick triangle in the first round.
Ryan Larson took on Timothy Williams in one of the stranger fights of the night. Larson showed promise but looked a little gassed during the latter two rounds. Williams, on the other hand, threw quite a few Kareem-Abdul Jabaar sidekicks and then went into "drunken master" mode where he moved around in a strange stumbling wobble. It was entertaining to some but not very effective and he lost a unanimous decision.
The first real violent fight of the night was between Adam Suave and Vince Libardi. Both men came out swinging for the fences but Libardi proved that winning isn't everything, it's the only thing as he caught Suave with a straight right that put him on his knee.
Once on that knee he caught a fast left hook that put him down for good and then Libardi was kind enough to give him one more hard punch while he was out. And the crowd is now glad they came.
Travis Joiner kept Devon Miller in bad positions early in the first round of their fight and was able to gator roll Miller into a choke that ended their fight quickly.
The fight of the night was between local veteran Nick Gonzalez (Pictures) and Adam Arredondo. Both men are cagey veterans and their experience showed as they elevated the class of competition.
Arredondo had quite a reach advantage on the shorter Gonzalez and looked very crisp early on as he kept Gonzalez at bay with legs kicks and snappy punches. Gonzalez got comfortable, however, and wowed the fans with some reverse roundhouses and a spinning backfist or two.
In the third round Gonzalez began to take over, catching Adam several times with big punches, including a shot to the “Adam’s apple” that knocked him down. Once on the ground Arredondo looked to end the fight with a deep armbar that Gonzalez somehow escaped at the expense of his elbow.
The fight was stopped for a minute to check Gonzalez’ arm but he continued despite being obviously hurt. Switching to southpaw, Gonzalez fought the last half of the third round with only one arm, and did well earning himself a unanimous decision.
Heavyweights Corey Salter (Pictures) and Steve Jimenez came in to throw some heavier leather and despite being slow paced compared to the fight before, there were a few exciting exchanges with Corey catching the brunt of most them.
Jimenez dropped Salter with a left and then was relentless he got the full mount causing the referee to stop the fight in round two.
Isaac Eubanks was victorious in his first professional fight against Jeremy Cross. Eubanks had no problem pummeling Cross, who frankly looked lost in the cage and really had no business being in there. He showed heart in not going down despite the 50 or so unanswered blows he received. But without skill, heart could get you killed.
Aaron Rosas finished off the night by winning a decision versus Matt Thompson. Rosas spent most of the last round shaving Thompson’s beard with elbows.
