Premier FC 7: Preview of an Early MMA X-Mas Present
By Nathaniel Pratt at November 29, 2011 | 9:11 pm | Print
Christmas comes early this year for MMA fans when Premier FC has their latest promotion December 3rd at theMullinsCenter on the UMass-Amherst campus. The mantra of save the best for last is fitting for Premier FC’s last promotion of the year that as the only word that can describe the fight card is “WOW.”
With 17 Amateur and Pro fights, Premier FC has put together one of the most stacked fights that have graced the local MMA scene, not only for this year, but of any fight cards put together. “I always say how excited I am about these events but I’m a giddy ‘lil girl on this one!!!” stated Premier FC owner, Karyn Wesch “Two UFC fighters, M1 fighters, Bellator and the top ranked fighters in the state of Massachusetts!!! All of these fighters are fighting under one roof on one night!!!!!”
Dan "The Upgrade" Lauzon
The night’s main event is a tilt between UFC veteran and brother of Joe Lauzon, Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon faces Anthony Kaponis in a Lightweight battle. Since his release from the UFC in 2010, Lauzon has won his past 3 fights with 2 coming from TKO and 1 by submission. In fact, all of Lauzon’s wins have either come from (T)KO or submission with a healty split between the two; 8 (T)KO wins to his 7 submission wins. Anthony Kaponis is currently looking to right his 2 fight losing streak, both by submission, and put his stamp on the local scene as a top ranked lightweight inNew England. Kaponis’s 4-4 record is deceiving to the casual MMA fan who may be thinking a fight against Lauzon is too much of an upgrade for Kaponis, but his losses have come from top fighters in New England including UFC veteran Chuck O’Neil and former Reality Fighting Lightweight Champion and Current GFL Lightweight Champion, Matthew Bessette.
In what some MMA pundits are calling a bigger fight than the Lauzon/Kaponis matchup is the Co-Main event which features the return of Ricardo “Golden Boy” Funch against Bellator veteran Ryan Quinn in his 1st fight since being released from the UFC in 2010. Before his time in the UFC, Funch was regarded as the #1 ranked Welterweight in New England where he amassed a record of 7-0-0. His only 2 losses happened in the UFC where he lost a unanimous decision to Johny Hendricks, and was submitted by Claude Patrick. Funch is surely looking to reclaim his top spot in the New England rankings, and to do so he faces a very dangerous opponent in Ryan Quinn. Quinn is currently the #2 ranked Welterweight in New England by www.NorthEastMMA.net and is coming off of a submission victory over Brett Oteri. Already a 3 time Bellator veteran, Quinn is looking to put an exclamation point on his fight record and look to move off of the Local Fight features of Bellator or move on to the UFC.
Fight video of Ryan Quinn vs Chris Santacroce from “War in the Woods II” in 2008
Also on the card his fellow Team Link fighter and training partner of Ricardo Funch, Abner “Skullman” Lloveras. Lloveras is a Shooto and M-1 veteran and has some of the fiercest standup inNew England. With his moniker of “Skullman” and his aggressive style he can easily be pitted as the bad guy when he faces long time local veteran, Rich Moskowitz.
Tickets are still available and start at $22 ($12 if you are a student). In keeping with giving fight fans an early Christmas gift, if 4000 tickets are sold, Premier FC will be raffling off a Lexus. Not only do you get to witness one of the greatest local MMA cards, but you can also bring home a new Lexus. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.thepremierfc.com/
For those who can not attend the fights in person, ShockblastMedia will be live at the Mullins Center on December 3rd with Aisha Coston and Scott Stankus providing the Play by Play.
Full Fight Card ..:: Card Subject to Change ::..
Amateur
Chad Washburn (Nitsuj) 0-0 vs. Brendan Cohen (Bancroft Boxing & MMA) 0-0 165lbs
Justin Hilchuck (Underdog BJJ) 0-0 vs. Roger St. Onge (AFT) 0-0 165lbs.
George Abele (Sityodtong) 0-0 vs. Ray Johns (Thunder) 0-0 185lbs.
Rick Langley (Royce Gracie MMA) 0-1 vs. Louis Grignasfini (Bancroft Boxing & MMA) 0-0 170lbs.
Keith Schneider (Nitsuj) 1-2 vs. Rick Rivera (American Fight Team/Gladiator BJJ) 1-2 185lbs.
Kevin Ortiz (Thorntons) 0-0 vs. Remington Chang (NESF) 0-0 160lbs.
Nestor Xicohtencatl (Renzo Gracie) 1-0 vs. Rob Dumas (Link) 0-0 145lbs
Elysee Sanon (Underdog BJJ) 2-0 vs. Corey Fournier 6 months 0-0 170lbs.
Mike Jensen (Hartford Bando) 0-1 vs. Marcus Clark (AFT) 160lbs.
Josh Beauparlant vs. Justin Lyons 140lbs.
Leon Campbell (Sityodtong) 1-0 vs. Nicolas Pallini (Pallini MMA) 2-1 145lbs.
Pro
Rob Font (Sityodtong) 0-0 vs. Matt Tuthill (Renegade Kumite) 0-0 155lbs.
Fred Mandracchia (Independent) 1-1 vs. Mike Flores (AFT/Gladiator BJJ) 3-0-1 125bs.
Tyson Chartier (Sityodtong) 1-1 vs. Ralph Johnson 5-4 170lbs.
Lowell Zangri (Moreau) 0-0 vs. Josh Mellen (Bancroft Boxing & MMA) 2-4 190lbs.
Rich Moskowitz (Sityodtong) 10-6 vs. Abner “Skullman” Lloveras (Link) 13-6 155lbs.
Ryan Quinn (American Top Team) 7-2-1 vs. Ricardo Funch (Link) 7-2 170lbs.
Dan Lauzon 15-4 vs. Anthony Kaponis (AFT) 4-4 155lbs.